Alternatives
Alternatives analyzed in the EIS
Following consultation with the United States Coast Guard; the United States Army Corps of Engineers; the International Boundary and Water Commission; other appropriate federal, state, and local agencies; Tribes; other affected stakeholders; the public; and GER, OEA determined that the EIS will analyze two build alternatives: the Southern Rail Alternative and the Northern Rail Alternative. The EIS also analyzes the effects of constructing and operating the associated CMV Facility. PVH would construct the associated CMV Facility with either the Southern or the Northern Rail Alternative. The EIS also analyzes the impacts of the No-Action Alternative.
The Southern Rail Alternative is GER's preferred alignment. In the Draft EIS, OEA identifies the Southern Rail Alternative as the preliminary Preferred Alternative.
Southern Rail Alternative. Under the Southern Rail Alternative, the proposed line would be a secure, double-tracked, approximately 1.3-mile rail line extending between the existing Union Pacific (UP) mainline at approximate milepost 31 and the United States/Mexico border. The Southern Rail Alternative would cross the Rio Grande River on a new rail bridge (New Rail Bridge), that would stand approximately 60 feet above the water line and would be approximately 45 feet wide. The New Rail Bridge would have only one in-water pier, on the Mexican side of the border. East of the Rio Grande River, the Southern Rail Alternative would run to the south of Seco Creek before crossing U.S. 277 (Del Rio Boulevard); Barrera Street; a concrete-lined stormwater drainage channel; and Seco Creek over four other, smaller bridges: the U.S. 277 Bridge; the Barrera Street Bridge; the Stormwater Channel Bridge; and the Seco Creek Bridge. Between the bridges, the Southern Rail Alternative would be constructed on an elevated embankment up to approximately 19 feet high and 130 feet wide. Other features of the Southern Rail Alternative include a non-intrusive inspection (NII) facility just past the eastern end of the New Rail Bridge; culverts; fencing; service roads; and 20-foot-high noise barriers on both sides of the tracks between the Stormwater Channel Bridge and the NII facility. However, there would be no noise barriers on the U.S. 277 Bridge and the Barrera Street Bridge.
GER anticipates that, once complete, the Southern Rail Alternative would move all freight rail traffic between Mexico and the United States that passes through Eagle Pass and Maverick County. It would not generate new or additional traffic but would reroute traffic that currently uses the existing Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge (UP Rail Bridge), which would continue to be used should the line not be built. The Southern Rail Alternative would eliminate rail traffic from downtown Eagle Pass, except for an occasional local train. GER forecasts that by 2031, the analysis year for the EIS, an average of 19 trains would travel daily on the Southern Rail Alternative, similar to existing operations on the UP mainline.
Northern Rail Alternative. Under the Northern Rail Alternative, the proposed line would be a secure, double-tracked, approximately 1.3-mile rail line extending between the existing UP mainline at approximate milepost 31 and the United States/Mexico border. East of U.S. 277, the Northern Rail Alternative would be the same as the Southern Rail Alternative. West of U.S. 277, the Northern Rail Alternative would run along a slightly more northern alignment than the Southern Rail Alternative. The New Rail Bridge under the Northern Rail Alternative would cross the Rio Grande River (with one in-water pier on the Mexican side of the border) and then it would cross Seco Creek in three locations. Between the bridges, the Northern Rail Alternative would be constructed on an elevated embankment like the Southern Rail Alternative. Other features of the Northern Rail Alternative include an NII facility between Seco Creek and U.S. 277; culverts; fencing; service roads; and 20-foot-high noise barriers on both sides of the tracks between the Stormwater Channel Bridge and the NII facility. However, there would be no noise barriers on the Barrera Street Bridge, the U.S. 277 Street Bridge, and the New Rail Bridge.
Once complete, the Northern Rail Alternative, like the Southern Rail Alternative, would move all freight rail traffic between Mexico and the United States that passes through Eagle Pass and Maverick County. It would not generate new or additional traffic but would reroute traffic that currently uses the UP Rail Bridge. The Northern Rail Alternative would eliminate rail traffic from downtown Eagle Pass, except for an occasional local train. Like under the Southern Rail Alternative, an average of 19 trains would travel daily on the Northern Rail Alternative, similar to existing operations on the UP mainline.
No Action Alternative. Under the No-Action Alternative, the Board would deny authority for GER to construct and operate the proposed line. All three existing international bridges in Eagle Pass would continue to operate as they do today.
Associated CMV Facility. The associated CMV Facility would be constructed a short distance to the north of the proposed rail line, on what is currently agricultural land. It would consist of a New Road Bridge across the Rio Grande River; a CMV Road connecting the New Road Bridge to FM 1589 (Hopedale Road); and associated border inspection facilities.
The New Road Bridge would be a short distance north of the New Rail Bridge and approximately 89 feet wide and 1,980 feet long. It would stand approximately 60 feet above the water line and accommodate six 12-foot-wide traffic lanes. The only in-water pier would be on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River. East of the New Road Bridge, the multi-lane CMV Road would continue in a north-south direction to a new intersection with FM 1589 for approximately 1.3 miles. Inspection facilities along the CMV Road would include portal radiation monitoring systems, scales, and an NII runway with scanners.
According to GER, the associated CMV Facility would accommodate all commercial traffic that currently uses Eagle Pass’s existing Camino Real International Bridge (Bridge 2). With all truck traffic relocated to the associated CMV Facility, Bridge 2 would become entirely available for passenger vehicle traffic (including personal cars and buses).
View map showing both build alternatives and the associated CMV Facility