La Linda International Bridge

La Linda International Bridge

Puente Internacional La Linda
La Linda International Bridge
Coordinates29°26′56.4″N 102°49′24.7″W / 29.449000°N 102.823528°W / 29.449000; -102.823528
CrossesRio Grande
LocaleMexico–United States border
Other name(s)Gerstaker Bridge, Hallie Stillwell Memorial Bridge
OwnerConsortium of La Linda (COLINDA), Government of Mexico
ID number4022291301001
Preceded byPresidio–Ojinaga International Rail Bridge
Followed byLake Amistad Dam International Crossing
Characteristics
Total length382 ft (116.4 m)
Width10 ft (3.0 m)
Piers in water1
No. of lanes1
History
Opened1963 (1963)
ClosedJuly 30, 1997 (1997-07-30)
Location
Map
Interactive map of La Linda International Bridge
References
[1]

La Linda International Bridge is a border crossing over the Rio Grande, connecting the United States–Mexico border. It connects Brewster County, US, with the village of La Linda in Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico. It is about 5 mi (8.0 km) east of Big Bend National Park.

Description and names

The bridge has several other names, including: Gerstaker Bridge, Hallie Stillwell Memorial Bridge, Big Bend Crossing Bridge, Puente La Linda, and Heath Crossing.[1][2]

The bridge is connected by the southern terminus of Ranch to Market Road 2627 in Heath Canyon, in Brewster County, US, and stretches to the village of La Linda in Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico.[3] It is about 5 mi (8.0 km) east of Big Bend National Park.[4]

The bridge is closed off and is not a functional crossing.[5] The bridge is on land owned by the Kurie family.[4]

History

The bridge was approved for construction in 1906.[6] It was constructed as a one-lane international bridge in 1964 by Dow Chemical to transport fluorspar from mines in Coahuila to the United States.[7][8] The unmonitored international bridge was shut down in 1997 by U.S. and Mexican authorities because of suspected smuggling. According to other reports, the killing of a Mexican customs inspector at the bridge resulted in its closure.[7]

The bridge's closure in July 30, 1997 created the longest stretch of the Mexico–United States border without a border-crossing station, nearly 400 miles (640 km) between the Presidio–Ojinaga and Del Rio–Acuña crossing stations.[9][10] A number of individuals have advocated reopening the bridge, citing increased revenue for the area from ecotourism.[11]

In December 1998, the Mexican government submitted a diplomatic note requesting a three-year postponement of the bridge's removal in order to conduct an economic and ecotourism feasibility assessment in the area. The requested extension was approved through July 4, 2002. During an April 2002 meeting US and Mexican authorities, representatives continued discussions, and the two governments later exchanged diplomatic notes extending the suspension of the removal order until June 2003. Although that extension has since lapsed, bilateral negotiations between the US and Mexico remain ongoing to address the status of the moratorium.[12]

In 2007, support for the bridge's reopening from the State of Texas was asserted in a resolution.[13]

In 2003, the 78th Texas State Legislature passed a resolution supporting the reopening of the La Linda Bridge, noting that the bridge remained in good condition and local governments in the United States and Mexico supported its reopening as a border crossing.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Texas-Mexico International Bridges and Border Crossings" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. 2013. pp. 80–81. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  2. ^ "Marathon Chamber of Commerce". Marathon, Texas. Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. "In 1968, chamber members were part of a group that crossed, at its opening, the Carl A. Gerstacker Bridge linking the United States and Mexico across the Rio Grande. That bridge, closed since 1997, is now best known as the La Linda bridge. But it has another name as well --- the Hallie Stillwell Memorial Bridge -- so called to remember rancher/teacher/justice of the peace Hallie Stillwell, a "Yellow Rose of Texas" who lived almost 100 years and is the subject of a museum at the Stillwell property on FM 2627."
  3. ^ "78(R) HCR 186 Engrossed version - Bill Analysis". Texas Legislature. May 22, 2003. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Milloy, Ross (February 17, 2002). "Texans Push to Save Bridge to Mexico, and the Past". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Flash, David (January 15, 2025). "La Linda Bridge: A Silent Landmark of the U.S.-Mexico Border". Big Bend Times.
  6. ^ "Public Law 87-525". United States House of Representatives. July 10, 1962.
  7. ^ a b Aulbach, Louis F. (2007). The Great Unknown of the Rio Grande - Louis F. Aulbach - Google Books. ISBN 9780976521358. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. ^ "Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 108th Congress, First Session" (PDF). United States Congress. 2003. pp. S11475–S11477.
  9. ^ "Ensuring Homeland Security While Facilitating Legitimate Trade and Travel: The Challenge at America's Ports Of Entry". United States Government Publishing Office. January 3, 2008.
  10. ^ "Texas-Mexico International Bridges and Border Crossings Existing and Proposed" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. 2004. pp. 72–75.
  11. ^ "Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River" (PDF). National Park Service. 2004. p. 55 – via National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
  12. ^ "Texas-Mexico International Bridges and Border Crossings Existing and Proposed 2004" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. 2004. pp. 46–47.
  13. ^ "H.C.R. No. 164 - House Concurrent Resolution" (PDF). Texas Legislature. 2007.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Linda_International_Bridge