New Border Crossing Between U.S. And Mexico

In a move designed to improve trade and transport, the U.S. and Mexico opened a new border crossing, on Monday.

The first new border entry point to open in a decade connects the Texas town of McAllen by the Anzalduas Bridge with Reynosa in Mexico.

McAllen's Mayor said the crossing cost $100 million and has been 100% constructed with recycled materials.

Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico, flew in for Monday's inuaguration event with U.S. Trade Representative, Ron Kirk.

Local newspaper, San Antonio News, quoted Kirk saying, "This bridge is more than a link between Mexico and America, between north and south. It is also a potent symbol of our connectiveness. You all knew that a new crossing would bring benefits to this entire region, and those benefits begin today."

The border between the U.S. and Mexico is the busiest in the world, with some 350 million crossings per year. According to figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce, trade in both directions between the two neightbors adds up to around one billion dollars, daily.

As well as opening the new border crossing, Calderon has pushed through an impressive package of other Mexico investments in infrastructure during a difficult economic period.