Pharr secures $3.52M to modernize the nation’s top produce port

The City of Pharr has secured $3.52 million in federal funding to modernize operations at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, a key trade gateway that processes $47 billion in annual commerce.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-McAllen, secured the funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026.

The fund will support the Bridge Operations & Logistics Transformation (BOLT) Project — a series of infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving traffic flow, public safety, and inspection efficiency at one of the nation’s busiest land ports of entry.

“Investing in South Texas communities is my top priority, and I am proud to deliver $3.52 million for the City of Pharr’s BOLT project,” De La Cruz said in a statement. “This funding will streamline logistics and enhance safety for a crossing that is essential to the economic strength of Texas.”

The upgrades include repaving the bridge entrance, converting an existing canopy into a new operations facility for federal and local law enforcement, installing updated traffic signage, and expanding office space at the bridge headquarters.

The project will also add lighting, fencing, re-striped traffic lanes, and a new Import Lot Command Center for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. 

City officials said the upgrades at the nation’s largest land port for produce imports are designed to streamline traffic, enhance safety, and accommodate rising trade volumes.

“Securing this funding is a major win for the City of Pharr and for our entire region,” Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez said in the release. “The Pharr International Bridge is a vital gateway for trade and economic activity, and these improvements will help us move goods more efficiently, strengthen public safety, and ensure we are prepared for continued growth.”

Construction on the BOLT Project is expected to begin this year.