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September 27, 2000 10:16 AM, EDT

The streets of Laredo, Texas, are being ruined by the North American Free Trade Agreement trade, local officials say, and they contend the city cannot fix the problem because it is not getting its fair share of infrastructure funds from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The population of the city on the Rio Grande has grown by nearly 50% to more than 175,000 people since the trade agreement boosted the flow of goods between the United States and Mexico. Laredo is the main trucking and rail gateway to the interior of Mexico.

Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores pointed to the findings of a study done by her office showing that from 1992 to 1999, TxDOT spent $113 per resident on infrastructure statewide. In the border regions, however, the department spent just $93 for each resident. With 20% of jobs along the U.S.-Mexico border related to Nafta, Flores said she found that ratio to be unacceptable.

Flores also cited state statistics showing 189,573 registered vehicles in Laredo. But the actual number of vehicles using Laredo’s roads are much greater because the city is a main border-crossing point, she said.

For the full story, see the Sept. 25 print edition of Transport Topics. .