The White House approved a presidential permit giving Cameron County 50% ownership of the

Brownsville and Matamoros Bridge, known as the B&M International Bridge.

"This historic milestone marks an important step toward enhancing international trade, modernizing border infrastructure, and strengthening cross-border partnerships for years to come," Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. said in a statement.

More than 500,000 people cross the bridge every month, the county said, adding that the ownership will give daily commuters hope that long lines could one day be shorter.

In October, the county and Union Pacific agreed on a stock purchase agreement for the acquisition of Union Pacific stock of the B&M International Bridge. Getting the presidential permit was one of the conditions of that agreement.

Now that the county has the permit, Cameron County Administrator Pete Sepulveda said their goal is to work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to lower wait times.

"To develop trusted traveler programs, where individuals coming from Matamoros to Brownsville and if their destination is downtown Brownsville and they're using our new pedestrian bridge and Gateway, we want to have the latest technology there, so that the process is seamless," Sepulveda said.

The county currently generates about $2.5 million from three of the bridges it controls. Adding the B&M International Bridge will bring in an additional $7 million.

Officials say they are also working to finalize agreements with Mexico within the next two weeks. Once those are completed, the transaction can move forward.

Once the deal is finalized, Cameron County will own and operate four international bridges in the county.