Connecting Nations Through High-Capacity Rail Infrastructure
Market
Civil & Marine
Key Services
Construction
Preconstruction
Self-Perform
Strategic Partnerships
Delivery Method
General Contracting (GC)Capacity
1,150-foot main spanWork Hours
174,144The challenge
Spanning the Rio Grande between Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge serves one of the busiest freight rail crossings in North America. For more than a century, a single rail bridge handled all cross-border traffic at this critical trade gateway, creating capacity constraints amid rapidly growing U.S.–Mexico rail volumes.
To support expanding trade under the USMCA and relieve congestion at the border, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) advanced a major infrastructure investment: construction of a new parallel international rail bridge adjacent to the historic 1920 structure. The project required complex coordination across international boundaries, stringent security requirements, and construction over an active river corridor all while maintaining uninterrupted rail operations at a vital commercial crossing.
Key Facts
Over 1,150-foot international rail bridge
Over 24 miles of reinforcing steel
174,000+ labor hours delivered across two countries
Challenge met
Alberici constructed a new international railroad bridge spanning approximately 1,150 feet across the Rio Grande, supported by more than 4,000 feet of new mainline track to integrate seamlessly with existing rail infrastructure on both sides of the border. The scope also included construction of two street overpass bridges, extensive earthwork, deep foundations, retaining walls, and complete trackwork within a constrained, high-traffic rail corridor.
Work included installation of large-diameter drilled shafts and deep pile foundations, reinforced concrete piers and abutments, and the erection of long-span structural steel bridge segments. Several major bridge spans, some weighing hundreds of tons, were launched and set with precision, requiring careful sequencing and coordination to maintain safety and operational continuity.
By self-performing critical elements of the work and managing complex logistics across an international boundary, Alberici successfully delivered a durable, high-capacity rail crossing. The completed infrastructure doubles rail capacity at this vital gateway, improves operational efficiency, and supports the long-term movement of goods across North America’s busiest rail border crossing.
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