Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project
Arguably, the most valuable asset of any port is the depth of its channel. The depth of a port’s channel can be compared to the length of an airport’s runway. The longer the runway, the bigger the planes. The deeper the channel, the bigger the ships. For example, with just one more inch of draft – or depth – a ship can carry 770,000 additional bushels of wheat valued at more than $60,000.*
The Port of Brownsville plans to deepen its channel from 42 feet to 52 feet – 10 feet deeper! With that much additional draft, the cost savings for shipping goods across the Earth’s oceans reach an economy of scale far greater than those of the one-inch example. Which also means, more jobs to handle more cargo at the Port of Brownsville.
South Port Connector Road
To improve port access and ease urban traffic, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority is partnering with the port, Cameron County and TxDOT to construct the South Port Connector Road, designed to connect the port with State Highway 4 and ultimately the nearby international Veterans Bridge. Construction of the $25.6 million South Port Connector Road began in August 2020, after receiving environmental clearance in 2019. The project is currently 60 percent complete with an estimated date of completion for the end of 2021.
The 1.9-mile long port connector road will connect Ostos Road inside the port with State Highway 4, providing another entry and exit to and from the port and convenient access to commercial lanes at Veterans International Bridge. It also facilitates the flow of cargo and other goods related to the space industry from the port docks to the neighboring SpaceX facility at Boca Chica.