Boat ramps to get upgraded

Cameron County Parks Director Javier Mendez had good news and bad news late Friday afternoon.

The good news is that improvements are coming to the county's boat ramps on State Highway 48 between Brownsville and Port Isabel.

The bad news is that the area will be closed to the public from July 7 until December 22.

"I know this is short notice," Mendez said, "but the pieces all fell into place at the last minute." He added that if the contractor finishes early the park will be reopened early.

He explained that the ramps will be upgraded, the docks will be rebuilt, the parking lot will be paved, solar-powered security lights will be installed, and a restroom facility will be constructed. A pavilion will be built for a picnic area.

The closure, he said, is due to liability issues while the construction work is proceeding.

The improvements are paid for with a grant of more than half a million dollars from Texas Parks and Wildlife, he said.

"It's a 75-25 project, so the county will pay 25 percent of the cost," he added.

Mendez explained that this is only the first stage of many planned improvements.

"That's a very popular boat launching park," he said, "so we need to get the word out all over the Valley if we can."

He said he plans to distribute flyers announcing the closure to bait shops all around the area, including in Brownsville, and that a "Closed" sign will be erected at the entrance to the parking lot.