The new toll bridge between Pharr, Texas and Reynosa, Tamaulipas has not lived up to everyone's expectations and is now in financial trouble. Commercial trucks and private autos crossing into Mexico have continued to use the free Hidalgo crossing instead of the new bridge, paying only $1.5 million in tolls over the past year.
In July, 10,475 commercial trucks used the Hidalgo crossing - twice the number that paid to use the one year old Pharr bridge, while five times the number of private autos used the Hidalgo crossing over the new toll bridge. The debt payment is $2.2 million per year and city officials are scrambling to find the extra cash to make the payment out of city funds, or try and refinance the debt. City officials had originally predicted international traffic would generate $2.5 million per year.
Source: El Paso Times