Cross-border travel and commerce between Belize and Mexico are set to face temporary disruption starting next week, as one of the key connecting border bridges closes for a comprehensive four-month reconstruction project. The Río Hondo International Bridge, which links Mexico’s Subteniente López community to the Corozal Free Zone on Belize’s side of the border, will be completely shut down to all traffic from May 1 through August 31, according to official announcements.
José Kelly, consul for Belize in Chetumal, has issued a public advisory urging all Belizean residents and travelers who regularly rely on the Río Hondo crossing to revise their travel itineraries and make alternative arrangements well in advance. The early planning step, Kelly emphasized, is critical to avoiding unnecessary travel delays and unexpected disruption to personal or business trips across the border.
In a statement confirming the project timeline, Kelly noted that pre-construction preparations for the reconstruction work have advanced on schedule, with all contractors and logistics aligned to meet the four-month completion deadline. To minimize the impact of the closure on cross-border activity, all immigration and customs services that previously operated at Río Hondo have already been relocated to the nearby Chac-Temal International Bridge, the alternate border crossing. At the new location, officials will continue to deliver all standard services, including processing applications for Regional Visitor Cards, conducting vehicle inspections, and carrying out mandatory border surveillance to maintain security.
To support the shift in operations, Mexico’s National Guard has been deployed to the alternate crossing site to manage increased traffic volumes, keep traffic moving smoothly, and uphold the stability of border operations throughout the reconstruction period. The upcoming construction work will deliver much-needed upgrades to key infrastructure on the aging bridge, including improvements to the bridge’s steel superstructure, replacement of the existing deck slab, refurbishment of pedestrian walkways and retaining walls, and updates to outdated traffic signage. Once completed, the renovated bridge will be able to support safer, more efficient cross-border travel and trade for years to come.