Laredo City Council discusses potential Border Patrol road project

LAREDO, Tx. (KGNS) - During Monday’s City Council meeting, a proposal to construct a road along a stretch of land by the riverbanks was up for discussion.

The building and maintenance of the road had been in negotiations for several months now between Border Patrol and the City of Laredo.

On Monday night those for and against the project were present and eager to speak their mind.

“Very much in favor of putting that all-purpose road along the river, so they can have better access, better view on what was going on, and not only that but people being able to use that road for their personal use,” said Webb County Republican Party Chair Luis de la Garza.

The item is to strike a deal between the federal agency and the city to enter into a licensing agreement to build, maintain, and repair miles of roadway owned by the city.

During the meeting, attorney Carlos Flores said the problem is that Border Patrol has a history of saying that they are going to do one thing and the end of doing something else.

“Our concern as a community is, is this the first step towards trying to obtain land that will later be designated for border wall construction,” said Flores.

Congressman Henry Cuellar took to social media to express his support for the project.

“This road project will provide the means for our border patrol agents to access areas that are currently inaccessible and by consequence, difficult to secure,’ said Cuellar.

A concern is the environmental impact the roads will have on vegetation along the riverbanks.

“Unless that is secured that we have a hundred percent certainty that we as citizens of Laredo, this community can access our river for enjoyment for our life, then they should vote no,” said Flores.

Ultimately the council voted to continue negotiations with Border Patrol regarding the matter with the final version to be brought back before council for a vote.

In a statement sent to KGNS, Border Patrol said, “The project, which is currently in the planning stage includes the improvement of approximately 17 miles of patrol roads located along the border in the Laredo Sector.”

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