Santa Teresa, NM

Ever heard of that place? You may, in the future.

Most of New Mexico's southern border abuts against the state of Texas. But, moving westward, Texas ends at El Paso, while New Mexico extends westward to the Arizona border. All of which is a way of saying that part of New Mexico's southern border adjoins Mexico.

Mexico happens to be the largest trading partner of the U.S. Many American manufacturers have their products parts assembled in Mexico, then shipped back as finished products. Mexican store shelves are crammed with U.S. brand products. Agriculture trade is huge. Much of your grocers produce comes from Mexico when it becomes too cold to grow it on U.S. farms.

Much of that trade travels north and south along the route of the old Spanish Camino Real (royal highway) which ran from Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico. A historic trade route! That route passed through El Paso, Texas, named originally El Paso del Norte by the Spaniards. That translated to The pass to the north, which pretty well describes the geography there... a fairly narrow pass between two mountain ranges.

That pass was adequate for the old Spanish ox carts, but today, the hundreds of trucks and trains which transport the commerce between our two nations, has caused quite a congestion.

And, since the Rio Grande delineates the border at El Paso, all trade traffic must cross bridges! Another impediment.

Smart planners on both sides of the border determined that they could skip west of the mountains that formed the west wall of El Paso's "pass" and find a much less congested route to the north. They built a modern, efficient Port of Entry on the Mexico-New Mexico border, at the little town of Santa Teresa. This is beyond the Rio Grande so there are no bridges. Extra lanes can be added to hiways, less expensively.

Doña Ana County, NM, built its airport nearby and New Mexico greatly improved the highway from Santa Teresa, northward. A huge freight handling depot was built to accommodate the truck freight traffic through the new POE. A number of businesses have sprung up in the area to serve the increasing population in the area.

Now, a $400 million rail facility is nearing completion at Santa Teresa, and will open early in 2014. This will greatly increase rail traffic between our two nations.

Trade routes have historically determined population growth and area development. The Santa Teresa route will be no different. Albuquerque, currently New Mexico's largest city, was built along the old U.S. Highway 66 (now Interstate 40) a major east-west trade route.

And, remember, the world does not end at Mexico. Latin America is booming. Trade with Brazil and other South American nations can only grow.

I predict that the Santa Teresa route will be even more important and that eventually the population there will surpass that of Albuquerque.