Laredo council directs staff to draft MOU with Green Corridors for southbound toll authority

The Laredo City Council on Monday directed city management to draft a memorandum of understanding with Green Corridors LLC that would have the city act as the toll authority for southbound crossings at a proposed private bridge into Mexico.

Mayor Victor D. Trevino said the administration is seeking a formal agreement after what he described as federal approval of the project. "This project ... received a presidential permit," Trevino said during council discussion, citing recent contacts with the White House and federal officials. He moved to instruct management to prepare a formalized agreement and bring it back to council for approval.

Why it matters: The mayor and proponents said the arrangement would generate revenue the city could use toward bridge expansion and related infrastructure. Green Corridors is a private development; city staff would negotiate terms of an MOU and any future contract.

Mr. Carlson, who identified himself as a representative of Green Corridors in remote public comment, told council the company is "committed to working very closely with Laredo city officials and stakeholders" and said the venture is meant to complement, not compete with, existing trucking and port operations. He described plans to use local labor and to coordinate with regional education institutions on high-tech jobs such as robotics and software to operate automated terminal systems. "We're committed to wherever possible hiring local talent, creating local jobs," Carlson said.

Council members asked for details about site control and local job estimates. Carlson said Green Corridors has letters of intent with local landowners and estimated that each terminal, once operating, would support roughly 100–200 full‑time jobs depending on automation levels, with thousands of construction‑period jobs in the supply chain.

Council action and next steps: Mayor Trevino made the motion to instruct management to draft the MOU; a member of the council seconded for discussion. The motion carried on a voice vote. Council instructed the city manager’s office to negotiate terms and return a formal agreement for council consideration. No final toll or revenue figures were adopted at the meeting.

Council members and staff said negotiations would be handled through the city manager’s office and legal review would be part of the draft MOU. Mayor Trevino announced a press conference to follow with state and federal partners to discuss recent bridge permitting updates.

Provenance: Discussion began when the item was introduced under communications and public hearing items related to bridge projects and continued through public comment by a Green Corridors representative and council follow-up questions. The council vote directed staff to return with a draft MOU for approval.