Heath Canyon TX Abandoned International Bridge

jmichaelbyrd, on February 3, 2008, said:

When was this picture taken? The pictures I took of this bridge were taken in July of 1992

thank you.

wbaron, on February 3, 2008, said:

This picture was taken in June 2001. I had camera problems that day, so this was the only decent picture I had of this place. Amazing the US would have allowed bridge to Mexico be built and not have a border inspection station. Finally they blocked it with this massive structure. A small explosive would have been easier.

jmichaelbyrd, on February 4, 2008, said:

The bridge was built in 1964 by the Dow Chemical Corp. to transport fluorspar from a mine in Mexico into the USA. In 1964 you could enter and exit Mexico almost as easy as going from one state to another state.

The current owners, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and the Mexican Government, of the bridge hope to reopen the bridge in order to promote tourism in the area. It's my understanding that the only thing holding this up is how to make the border secure in this area.

This is the only bridge over the Rio Grande River between Presidio, Texas and Del Rio, Texas a distance of 330 miles.

Also, there is a concrete roadway, also built by Dow Chemical, just downstream from the bridge that crosses the river, but this roadway is under water when the water level in the river rises which is the reason the bridge was built.

There is a lot of information on the web about the bridge if you google the bridge or La Linda, Mexico.

jtmccrea, on August 14, said:

Very cool photo, I too find it hard to believe they built a bridge wout a border station, but that was an interesting bit of history on why they did.

Another cool border crossing that no longer exists from what I heard was in Big Bend Park in Boqullas Canyon. You would pay a Mexican guy $2 to take you across the river in a little row boat to the village of Boquillas Del Carmen. Did it with a buddy back in summer of 1993 when we were on a cross country road trip. Was a cool little side trip.

wbaron, on August 17, said:

I had heard about others that crossed there. Certainly that was an illegal crossing. But when somebody goes to the expense to build a bridge, the Customs folks should agree to show up or otherwise accommodate the people who use it. That's what's going to happen in Anzalduas TX. That bridge should be finished soon, and Customs will give the people who cross a free inspection. For some reason, that never happened in Heath Canyon.