Background

Since the creation of NAFTA in 1994, Nuevo Laredo has become an important corridor of international trade between the U.S. and Mexico, with 38% of all imports and exports between the two countries passing through Nuevo Laredo’s port of entry. Increased traffic due to population growth and cross-border trade has overwhelmed the current roadway system in Nuevo Laredo, leading to heavy congestion, slowmoving traffic, and increased air pollution from exhaust emissions.

Congestion is particularly bad on the roadways near the airport where trucks account for 30% of the traffic since the truck yards for Mexican exports and imports to the U.S. are located along Airport Boulevard. Currently, traffic on Airport Boulevard moves at an average speed of 40 km/hr (25 miles/hr).

Traffic problems are further aggravated by the heavy volume of vehicles that travel through the city en route to the international bridges. Two other main thoroughfares—Boulevard Colosio and Radial III—are also frequently saturated. The overall capacity of all three roadways is 8,350 vehicles per hour, while the current volume is 11,350 vehicles per hour.

The insufficient capacity of the current roadway system results in heavy traffic congestion and longer travel times, releasing more vehicle emissions and combustion particles into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic
compounds (VOC). Health risks linked to prolonged exposure to particulate matter from automobile exhaust include, among other effects, increased respiratory illnesses and aggravation of asthma and diminished pulmonary function.

To remedy this situation, the City has undertaken a strategic roadway project to improve traffic circulation.

Description

The Project consists of constructing more than 27 km (17 miles) of roadway to expand the three main thoroughfares in the City, as follows:

• Expansion of Airport Boulevard, 5.5 km from the national highway to Radial III, with two lanes separated by a central median;
• Expansion and extension of Boulevard Colosio, approximately 11 km, with two lanes separated by a central median; and
• Expansion and extension of Radial III, which consists of construction of a second 1.5 km lane from Airport Boulevard to Radial II on an existing roadway, as well as construction of 7.5 km of an open road from Radial II to Mexico II, including road
  interchanges.

Benefits

The project will improve traffic circulation and increase transportation efficiency by reducing travel times. As a result, it will also improve environmental and health conditions for residents in Nuevo Laredo, as well as in Laredo, TX, by reducing exhaust emissions generated by slowmoving traffic on congested roadways and thus help lower the incidence of respiratory illnesses.