TxDOT seeks input – San Benito News

By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is hosting virtual public meetings through January 30, 2026, and inviting residents, business owners, and cross-border travelers to comment on the update of the Texas–Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan (BTMP).

These virtual public meetings opened on Friday, December 19, 2025, to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the plan and share what transportation improvements would be most beneficial for those who live and work in the border region.

The BTMP is a binational, multimodal, long-range transportation plan designed to identify current and future needs, challenges, opportunities, and strategies for moving people and goods safely and efficiently across the Texas–Mexico border.

The plan was originally adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission in 2021 and is now being updated to reassess conditions across 32 U.S. border counties and 61 Mexican municipios, including the Rio Grande Valley.

According to TxDOT, members of the public can review online meeting materials and submit comments during the open meeting period.

Feedback may include concerns or suggestions related to congestion, freight movement, border wait times, roadway safety, and other transportation issues affecting daily life in the border region.

Ray Pedraza, the Public Information Officer IV in TxDOT’s Pharr District Communications Division, said the purpose of the meeting is “to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the Texas-Mexico Border Master Plan and provide input on what is important to those who live and work in the border region and what improvements to the transportation network would be beneficial.”

As part of the update, TxDOT will use the public engagement process to better understand needs identified directly by border communities. Pedraza stated, “We’re hoping to identify the transportation challenges or opportunities along the border through this process.”

Pedraza also emphasized the broader impact of the plan, noting that “transportation infrastructure plays a vital role in facilitating the nation’s trade with Mexico.

As the population and economy in the Texas-Mexico border region continue to grow, improving the existing multimodal infrastructure is critical to reduce crossing delays, alleviate traffic congestion, facilitate international trade, lessen environmental impacts, and enhance the quality of life for residents in the border region.”

The updated BTMP will consider roadway, rail, pedestrian, port-of-entry, airport, and freight systems along the 1,254-mile Texas–Mexico border, which includes 34 border crossings.

This virtual meeting marks the first of several opportunities for public comment as the plan moves through future phases. Cameron County residents and the wider Rio Grande Valley are encouraged to participate and submit feedback.

Information about the virtual public meeting and instructions for submitting comments are available on TxDOT’s Texas–Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan webpage at www.txdot.gov/projects/hearings-meetings/transportation-planning/.