EAGLE PASS, Texas — Trustees on the Eagle Pass Bridge Board spent the Oct. 27 special meeting assessing proposed increases to commercial vehicle fees and a new tractor-only crossing fee to help fund hazardous-material response and additional processing infrastructure.

Staff described the proposal read on the agenda: increase the toll-tag per-axle rate for trucks and buses from $5.50 to $6.50 and increase cash per-axle payments (as read at the meeting) from $6 to $10; establish a $25 fee for tractors without trailers. Staff said the commercial increase is intended to underwrite design and construction of two additional commercial processing booths for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and to create a reserve for emergency response to spills.

"We are considering that now to be a hazardous cargo at the Port of Eagle Pass," staff said, referring to fuel-hauling tractors that have caused spills at the crossing. Staff told trustees that several previous incidents required costly cleanup and significant staff time. They said the proposed fees would create a financial reserve to respond if a future spill or accident occurs and to fund improvements to commercial processing capacity.

Staff added the per-axle increase would average about $5 additional per typical five-axle trailer under the toll-tag change. Staff also said regional comparisons show Eagle Pass would remain less expensive than nearby Del Rio by about $1 per trailer after the proposed change.

Board members discussed equity between commercial and passenger users, the rationale for keeping traffic streams separate for accounting, and whether shortfalls for passenger fee changes could be offset by commercial revenue. Staff said they generally prefer to keep traffic-type revenues and projects separate so that fees track the improvements they pay for.

Staff said they have engaged with private-sector transporters and that the sector acknowledged the need for system improvements. No final ordinance was adopted; staff will take trustees' comments and present the commercial fee proposal, as discussed, to mayor and city council for approval.

Trustees also discussed insurance and liability: staff said Mexico-registered vehicles have at times lacked insurance coverage that can be used to pursue cleanup costs in the United States. That uncertainty was part of the rationale for creating a local financial reserve funded by higher commercial fees.

The board took no formal vote on the commercial changes at the meeting; staff will provide a written record of trustee comments and present the item to council at the next meeting.