Matamoros says push to join Mexico’s multibillion-dollar trade corridor is gaining ground

REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Months after Matamoros business leaders began pushing to be included in Mexico’s Gulf North Corridor, they say state and federal officials are now looking for a way to connect the city to the multibillion-dollar highway project.

The development marks a shift from earlier this year, when Matamoros business organizations said they were still waiting for a formal response after warning that the planned corridor could leave the city and its emerging Gulf port outside a major new freight route.

“As of today, we have received responses from the Transportation Secretariat and from the governor of Tamaulipas, and they are indeed trying to find a solution and looking for a way to include it,” said Oscar Macario Farías García, president of CANACINTRA Matamoros, the National Chamber of the Manufacturing Industry.

The push comes as the Gulf North Corridor itself moves closer to construction.

The federal project remains in the procurement stage, with proposals due Oct. 15, an expected award Oct. 30 and contract signing scheduled for Nov. 18.

The project covers about 515 kilometers, or 320 miles, and would rebuild, widen and maintain highway sections connecting southern, central and northern Tamaulipas. 

Tamaulipas officials have estimated the investment at 40 billion pesos or about $2.31 billion.

Construction is expected to take four to five years, with the first stage beginning in 2026.

Matamoros argues its new port needs a highway connection

Matamoros business organizations have been pressing for inclusion since earlier this year, arguing that it makes little sense for the federal government to develop Puerto del Norte while leaving Matamoros without a strong connection to the new highway corridor.

“Early this year, we sent a letter signed by all of the business organizations to the President of Mexico requesting that Matamoros be included in the Gulf North Corridor,” Farías said.

The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal reported in May that the campaign had expanded beyond a single highway connection to include rail access, bridge connectivity, freight bypasses and stronger connections to the port.

Farías said Matamoros businesses still see the missing highway connection as a major problem.

“We consider it a major inconsistency that the Port of the North in Matamoros is one of the federal government’s major projects, yet the Matamoros highway connection was not included in the Gulf North Corridor,” Farías said. “That seems like a significant inconsistency to us.”

The issue has become more pressing as Puerto del Norte advances.

The first stage of the port has been reported as completed and operational. Tamaulipas has reported more than 190 million pesos, or about $11 million in investment in the project, along with progress on more than 20 kilometers, or about 12 miles, of concrete roads, the navigation channel and other infrastructure.

For Matamoros businesses, building the port is only part of the equation. They say companies also need efficient roads to move cargo to and from it.

“The Port of Matamoros is ready and has the infrastructure to handle freight transportation,” Farías said. “If this highway is not upgraded, if we are not included, if it is not made more robust, passable and wider, then we are also forcing even less cargo to move through the port.”

Gulf corridor moves toward construction

The Gulf North Corridor would involve a combination of new highway construction, widening and rehabilitation of existing roads.

Planned work includes converting the Estación Manuel-Zaragoza section to four lanes, rehabilitating the Zaragoza-Ciudad Victoria section and widening several highway segments extending north toward Reynosa.

The project also calls for completing about 26 kilometers, or 16 miles, of the Reynosa-Matamoros toll highway so it can operate with four lanes.

The federal government is structuring the project as a 28-year public-private partnership covering construction or modernization, maintenance, rehabilitation and operation of the corridor.

Farías said connecting Matamoros would give companies another route for moving freight and could reduce travel times while increasing access to border crossings and the port.

“That is basically what this is about: connectivity, reducing travel times, increasing freight capacity at the border crossings and the port, creating new logistics options and, obviously, facilitating operations between Tamaulipas and Texas,” he said.

Tamaulipas expands other freight routes

The Matamoros push comes as other parts of northern Tamaulipas are also adding freight infrastructure.

In Nuevo Laredo, plans are moving forward for International Bridge 4/5, a new border crossing carrying a reported investment of 13.58 billion pesos or about $785 million.

Nuevo Laredo also recently announced completion of the long-delayed MEX II Corridor and Vehicular Bridge project, which connects industrial areas with the World Trade Bridge. The project included a 1,600-meter roadway and a nearly 945-meter bridge designed to improve freight movement.

For Matamoros businesses, those investments reinforce their argument that the city needs stronger connections of its own as Tamaulipas reshapes the routes used to move goods between Mexico and Texas.

Whether Matamoros ultimately becomes part of the Gulf North Corridor remains unresolved. But unlike earlier this year, when business groups were waiting for an answer, Farías said discussions have now reached state and federal officials who are looking for a solution.