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Engineering staff present five-year CIP process and World Trade bridge planning
Summary
The City of Laredo engineering department explained how capital projects are identified, prioritized and reported, and described active work on airport terminal improvements, bridge expansion and preliminary planning for two international-bridge spans.
Gloria Perez Aveda of the City of Laredo Engineering Department briefed the Economic Development Committee on April 20 on the capital improvement plan (CIP) process, categories and current active projects in the city’s five-year CIP.
Perez Aveda said the capital improvement budget is the annual appropriation for capital spending and is legally adopted by the mayor and city council; the CIP plan identifies projects expected over the next five years and is available on the City of Laredo website. She explained that the city includes projects with construction costs of at least $25,000 or major maintenance costs of $10,000 or more and that the department ranks projects against existing plans such as Viva Laredo and the metropolitan transportation plan.
The presentation outlined five priority levels used to sort projects: mandated (regulatory and public-safety projects), obligated (projects with secure external funding), essential (high-priority projects for public health, safety and economic stability), maintenance (street preservation, facility repairs) and desirable (nonessential community enhancements). Perez Aveda described the annual schedule for the CIP book: October budget kickoff, department submission in December–January, proposed CIP by July, budget workshop in August and council consideration in September.
Committee members asked where to find project progress information and Perez Aveda pointed to quarterly progress reports on the city website (active, completed and future project lists). She said the engineering department prepares a quarterly progress report that tracks design percentage, consultants, status and next steps. Project examples discussed during the session included airport terminal improvements (design phase), bridge expansion work requiring environmental clearances and a presidential permit, and the World Trade Bridge expansion — Perez Aveda said the presidential-permit review is at the final federal stage and that planners are coordinating with Mexican counterparts.
On international crossings, she said the plan envisions two bridge spans with separate northbound and southbound functions; preliminary sketches exist but no final designs or mileages have been set. Perez Aveda noted that the city will pursue funding and additional engineering when the World Trade Bridge expansion reaches appropriate milestones.
Perez Aveda listed contact points for further information: Ramon Chavez, city engineer and assistant city manager; Evelyn Gomez in budget; and staff in engineering and budget offices. She encouraged community input as the CIP book and quarterly reports are updated.
Contact: Gloria Perez Aveda, Engineering Department presentation; Ramon Chavez, City Engineer (contact for CIP).
