If you're looking to drive across the bridge from the United States of America to Mexico, this…read morebridge is easy. No wait, no lines, no hassles. If you're going the opposite way, into Texas, this bridge is a nightmare. This is the larger of the two bridges that span the Rio Grande River in Laredo. It's newer than Bridge #1, and has a larger staff. If you're coming to America, expect loooooonnnnng lines that creep along slooooowly. While waiting in line, you're technically still in Mexico, and they sell chicle gum and ugly, carved religious statues. In the US side, customs and immigration agents are overworked, surly and mean. If you're a Gringo, and on foot, expect to get waived through pretty quickly. If you're not, expect to get scrutinized, hassled, searched, and questioned. Even if you're beyond intoxicated, they still try to question you. When you bring your car across, expect La Migra to dig through your car for no good reason. They often bring out a dog, and I've even had them tear panels out of the dash of the car. When they replaced them, they never fit naturally again. I don't like how they can damage peoples' vehicles without consequence. At the end of the process, they ask you if you have anything to declare- plants, food, liquor, tobacco, etc. If you answer yes, they expect you to pay duty (taxes) on the purchases if it's over the duty-free amount. The amount you can bring across the border, and the taxes levied depends on whether you have a Texas drivers license or not. If you're travelling with a non-Texan, stick all of your purchases with them. However, they don't supervise you to see if you go from declaring the goods to the place that you pay the taxes. I've seen people declare an excess of goods, and just walk out without paying a dime in taxes. These guys are inept. Once, when crossing this bridge, I witnessed an immigrant crossing the Rio Grande directly underneath this bridge. I leaned over the bridge, watching the immigrant swim across the river with a plastic bag full of clothes over his head, get out of the river, put on his clothes in the bushes, and flee into Laredo, Texas. This all happened directly under the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in broad daylight. Nobody cared.

I would rate this negative 10 if I could. So far we've been…read morewaiting to cross around 3 hours and we are barely a 1/3rd of the way through. This is ridiculous . You would think they would have a better system, like more bridges to cross. I mean come on, make things more efficient, it's literally like the border patrol people want to work longer and harder and less efficient. Bunch of morons. It's better just to go to Piedras Negras and drive a little more. This sucks!!!

Ever since this bridge opened we have used it regularly. It bypasses the long lines in Laredo…read moreespecially now with one of the crossings closed to traffic. It's actually a more direct route to our home town in Mexico. It probably saved us an hour. The Christmas/New Year season is a little crazy but we crossed around 1pm and it took us just under an hour. Usually there's no line at all. This time there were street vendors. I hadn't seen them here before. One time I stopped on the Mexican side to get my visitor permit to go further into the country and when I was done my dad walks in to check on me. The agent looks at my dad and says "I know you". My dad asked him who was his dad. Turns out he was my cousin's kid I hadn't seen since he was 4 years old. I had no clue we were related! I highly recommend using the Colombia bridge for crossing the border unless you absolutely have to visit Laredo. Who knows who I will run into next time.