Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry

Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry

Location
Country United States
Coordinates 27°30′05″N 99°30′27″W / 27.501415°N 99.507385°W / 27.501415; -99.507385
Details
Opened 1898
Phone (956) 794-9401
Hours Open 24 Hours
Exit Port Nuevo Laredo
Statistics
2005 Cars 1,400,000
2005 Trucks 0
Pedestrians 1,200,000
Website
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/tx/2304.xml

The Laredo Convent Avenue Port of Entry is located at the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge (sometimes referred to as "Bridge I" or "Old Bridge" or "Convent Avenue Bridge").[1] Since 1889, a bridge connected Laredo, Texas with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas at this location. For many years, this was the only crossing for vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the two cities.

History

The "Foot and Wagon Bridge" as seen from Convent Avenue in 1899

In 1889, eight years after the first railroad bridge was constructed connecting two cities, the "Foot and Wagon Bridge" was built which enabled pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages to cross the border.[2] It was destroyed by a tornado and subsequent flood in 1905, then again by a mysterious fire in 1920. It was destroyed again by floods in 1932 and 1954.[3] During each reconstruction, temporary pontoon bridges were built to accommodate traffic. The current bridge was completed in 1955. The construction of the Amistad Dam in 1969 has mitigated the effect of subsequent flooding conditions. It wasn't until 1976 that a second bridge was built to further connect the two cities.

References

  1. "Gateway to the Americas Bridge – The History of Laredo". Texas Cepartment of Transportation. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  2. "The History of Laredo". City of Laredo. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  3. Erlichman, Howard J (2006). Camino del Norte: How a Series of Watering Holes, Fords, and Dirt Trails Evolve into Interstate 35 in Texas. ISBN 1-58544-473-1.

See also


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