11 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com MARCH 29, 2023 • 12 Colors Vinyl Siding • Complete Building Supplies • Patio Covers & Carports • Window Awning Parts • Exterior Vinyl Shutters • Phifer Solar Sun Screens • Custom Aluminum Fabrication • MH & RV Accessories The SIDING SOURCE “Lets Build a Deck”....Composite Decking/Vinyl Deck Railing DUTCH LAP VINYL SIDING (12 COLORS IN STOCK) MOBILE HOME SKIRTING (6 COLORS IN STOCK) CLASSIC RIB METAL ROOFING THE SIDING SOURCE 705 BUS. 83 • ALAMO, TX • (800)-567-3311 90 YEARS OF TRUSTED SERVICE Planning a Project? We Give Expert Advice on all Products and Projects Check us out at www.KautschTV.com FREE ESTIMATES VALLEYWIDE DELIVERY Lic# TACLB00114391E 10 Year Parts and Labor Warranty Mobile Home Installations 2022 Winter Promotion A/C Replacement 2 Ton - $3,500 3 Ton - $3,800 4 Ton - $4,500 5 Ton - $4,700 Free Installation Rio Grande Valley Call 830-399-0177 Text 956-304-8110 is one of only three privately-owned bridges in the U.S. The other two are in Rio Grande City and Detroit, MI. The bridge along with the buildings rented by the federal government’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to process visitors, is owned by Samuel Robert Sparks Jr. and his two sisters, Elizabeth Johnson and Karen Gunter. The siblings inherited it eight years ago when their father died. He had bought what was a somewhat rickety old two-lane bridge in 1980. The bridge has been improved to its present four-lane concrete bridge size along with an additional truck lane. In 2022 a total of 1,092,749 pedestrians came across the bridge to see dentists and doctors, shop for curios, buy medicine, and enjoy the foods, according to Marga Lopez, bridge authority director. Another 505,815 automobiles with an average of two people crossed over last year, which would mean another million visitors, or a total of over two million, a large share of them Winter Texans. In addition, commercial truck traffic accounted for 55,000 crossings as one of the main routes for Valley exports of corn, grain, and rice into Mexico. But for Winter Texans they get to enjoy the imports from down south of oranges, grapefruit, other citrus, avocados, dates, figs, pineapples, strawberries, and a variety of vegetables. The delegation and attendees meeting at the center of the bridge for a ceremony. Photo by Herb Moering A local high school band and baton and flag twirlers entertained on the main street. Photo by Herb Moering
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