Many hoped the reopening of international bridges would boost the economy, but bridge data obtained by The Monitor suggests crowds are returning at a slower pace than before the pandemic.
After nearly two years, bridges reopened on Nov. 8, allowing people to visit family, get vaccines for children or just eat a Whataburger combo.
The Department of Homeland Security began to allow ‘nonessential’ travelers who received a vaccine approved by the U.S. at least two weeks prior to crossing to re-enter the country. Although many anticipated long lines, bridges in the upper Rio Grande Valley ran smoothly, excluding a long midnight queue that formed in Reynosa.
November 8 fell on a Monday, a workday typically not well travelled. Those with a vantage point of the bridge used by drivers and pedestrians noticed the sluggish start.
“Few people crossed over today,” Jose Rodriguez, a taxi driver who parked by the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge said Nov. 8. “Maybe because not a lot of people have gotten vaccinated yet, and now they’ll do it.”
On Nov. 8, there were 8,833 southbound crossings through the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, according to information reported to the city of McAllen, which manages the bridge. (Northbound crossings are collected by the federal government.)
While it’s unknown how many of them were nonessential travelers, one month back, on Oct. 8, 9,945 southbound crossings were reported even though the bridge was only open to essential travelers — no positive difference.
A stark difference appeared when comparing data from 2021 with data from the former pandemic year.
In 2020, only 3,916 southbound border crossings were reported through the same bridge on Nov. 8, a Sunday. Data from October and November of that year ranked lowest between 2019 and 2021.
In 2019, the last year before the pandemic changed the world, there were 14,037 southbound crossings registered Nov. 8.. The daily crossings trended up to over 16,000 the following month.
While little to no difference was noticeable during the first week the bridges opened, the total southbound crossings do appear to be trending up after Nov. 8. as binational residents prepare for the busy holiday weeks.
