Trump Backs $10 Billion Plan to Ease Border Congestion

Nearshoring is pressure the current crossings

President Trump has revived a $10 billion plan to reduce bottlenecks at the busiest U.S.–Mexico trade crossing. This month, he granted Austin-based Green Corridors a presidential permit to build a 165-mile elevated guideway for self-driving shuttles to move freight between Laredo, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico.

CEO Mitch Carlson said Green Corridors will build four terminals of about 100 acres each — two in Laredo and two in Monterrey — linked by the corridor. Truckers will drop trailers at the terminals, and autonomous diesel-electric shuttles will carry them along the dedicated path, like a monorail. At the other end, drivers will pick up trailers and deliver them deeper into each country. Carlson said the system complements trucks and rail by handling short hauls under 200 miles.

Trump’s permit allows Green Corridors to build and operate the crossing but expires in five years if work hasn’t begun. The company is working to secure Mexican permits, buy land, and complete other approvals before starting construction, which Carlson expects to finish by 2031.

Nearshoring has increased manufacturing in Mexico, boosting trade and pressuring current crossings. Laredo saw more than 3 million truck crossings last year, up 28% from 2019, handling imports like auto parts, vehicles, and electronics. Green Corridors says its system will ease congestion on the two main commercial bridges — the World Trade Bridge and the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge — and complement planned expansions and a future Laredo 4/5 bridge.

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