West Rail Joins Brownsville’s Trails Network

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West Rail Joins Brownsville’s Trails Network

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City Commissioner Rose Gowen, center with scissors, and Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., left holding ribbon, among the community leaders celebrating the opening of the West Rail Trail. (Courtesy)
City Commissioner Rose Gowen, center with scissors, and Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., left holding ribbon, among the community leaders celebrating the opening of the West Rail Trail. (Courtesy)

Brownsville’s extensive network of hike-and-bike trails has a new addition with the opening of the West Rail Trail.

The nearly 7-mile-long trail was officially opened on Oct. 14 at Oliveira Park during a ceremony with remarks from Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. and Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez. The $8-million trail project runs from Palm Boulevard in the heart of the city and on northward past Alton Gloor Boulevard. It then concludes at Expressway 77/83.

Local residents and community leaders gather to celebrate the opening of the West Rail Trail. (Courtesy)
Local residents and community leaders gather to celebrate the opening of the West Rail Trail. (Courtesy)

The city committed to funding the trail and did so initially before receiving a large reimbursement from the American Rescue Plan. Cities may use these funds at their discretion as it relates to pandemic-related expenditures. The Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization will provide $900,000 for future benches, shade structures and other amenity additions along the West Rail Trail.

The opening of the trail this month culminates a years-long effort to convert an old 12-foot-wide rail line into one of Brownsville’s longest hike-and-bike trails. There was much debate and controversy over what to do with the railway property after the Union Pacific’s line relocation away from the city’s center. Developers envisioned a toll road or a new north/south thoroughfare. An advocacy group – Friends of the West Rail Trail – formed to oppose those efforts and to campaign for a nature/walking trail.

The new West Rail Trail runs nearly seven miles - north/south - from Olmito and Expressway 77/83 to Palm Boulevard  near downtown Brownsville. (VBR)
The new West Rail Trail runs nearly seven miles – north/south – from Olmito and Expressway 77/83 to Palm Boulevard  near downtown Brownsville. (VBR)

Providing Options

The latter efforts succeeded, thanks in no small part to the presentation of a petition with thousands of names on it to the Brownsville City Commission. One of the leaders for those efforts – City Commissioner Rose Gowen – spoke at the dedication ceremony about what the West Rail Trail will mean for Brownsville.

“You should be able to move through your city in multiple ways,” Gowen said. “You shouldn’t be stuck just moving by car or bus, you should have options. With trails, people can go safely to places they go everyday, like work, school, and home.”

Gowen said the West Rail Trail’s design is interactive in connecting with bus stops and parking lots. The new trail that runs from near downtown Brownsville out to Olmito and past the 77 Flea Market will do just that in providing a new corridor for fitness and travel. 

“Our trails network in Brownsville interacts with infrastructure so our people can move through the city whenever and however they want,” Gowen said.

Ricardo D. Cavazos is a Rio Grande Valley native and journalist who has worked as a reporter, editor and publisher at Texas newspapers. Cavazos formerly worked as a reporter and editorial writer at The Brownsville Herald, Dallas Times Herald, Corpus Christi Caller-Times and San Antonio Light. He served as editor of The Monitor in McAllen from 1991-1998 and from there served for 15 years as publisher at The Herald in Brownsville. Cavazos has been providing content for the Valley Business Report since 2018.

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