Stimulus at work in El Paso: Easing East Side traffic snarls

[fakeguy]

Originally Posted by smguy101

This is great news for El Paso
But If you look at the interchange, all you really need right now is 4 ramps to alleviate congestion, especially at the Rojas Intersection.

I think that is the plan, they are going to pick 4 of these ramps to build. If I am not mistaken.

[Gary Siete]

Which 4 would make most sense?
I suspect priorities are eastbound to northbound to ease evening rush hour, and also westbound to southbound, and northbound to westbound to help border traffic.

[Six Foot Three]

Here's where i'm confused as before the federal stimulus money was approved for the 4 ramps at this project the city council earlier this year approved the $1 billion dollars of bond money for improvements to I-10, Loop 375 thru downtown, the Northeast Parkway and the Americas Interchange new ramps so now where is that original city council bond money for the Americas Interchange going to??

[Chuco]

Originally Posted by Chuco

Some say that these ramps will be completed within 3 years and will create 200 to 3000 new jobs, so this is all good news.

Oops, I meant 200-300... not 3000.

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Informative as always Chuco !! We need you for mayor !

6/3

Thanks 6-3!

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Here's where i'm confused as before the federal stimulus money was approved for the 4 ramps at this project the city council earlier this year approved the $1 billion dollars of bond money for improvements to I-10, Loop 375 thru downtown, the Northeast Parkway and the Americas Interchange new ramps so now where is that original city council bond money for the Americas Interchange going to??

I'm kind of confused too 6/3, but here is what I got from the EP Times:
"For the scaled-down, $146 million project, the city will put in about $21 million of its own federal stimulus money and $50 million from property tax revenues. The remaining $76 million will come from the Transportation Department's pot of federal stimulus money"
Loop 375, I-10 exchange OK'd: Stimulus cash to help ease traffic tie-ups - El Paso Times
So I guess the city is investing $71 million of its own money to help construct the 4 new ramps, but I'm still confused because I think some of the money was originally supposed to go to building only 2 ramps on the Loop 375/I-10 interchange (in the $1 billion mobility plan).. so I'm not sure how this works out either..
---

Just in future highway projects, El Paso will now have:
$367 million - Spur 601 (Inner Loop Freeway) currently under construction.
$1.036 billion - EP Mobility Plan - Widen Loop 375 on the West Side, build 4 lanes on Loop 375 from Dyer to US 54, I-10 improvements, Loop 375 Southern Corridor, Northeast Parkway land acquisition for future construction.
$146 million - I-10/Loop 375 four ramp Interchange.

So this means that more than $1.549 billion in highway projects (that are already approved) will be coming to El Paso in the next few years.

Awesome!!!

[usmc el paso]

Originally Posted by Chuco

Oops, I meant 200-300... not 3000.

Thanks 6-3!

I'm kind of confused too 6/3, but here is what I got from the EP Times:
"For the scaled-down, $146 million project, the city will put in about $21 million of its own federal stimulus money and $50 million from property tax revenues. The remaining $76 million will come from the Transportation Department's pot of federal stimulus money"
Loop 375, I-10 exchange OK'd: Stimulus cash to help ease traffic tie-ups - El Paso Times
So I guess the city is investing $71 million of its own money to help construct the 4 new ramps, but I'm still confused because I think some of the money was originally supposed to go to building only 2 ramps on the Loop 375/I-10 interchange (in the $1 billion mobility plan).. so I'm not sure how this works out either..
---

Just in future highway projects, El Paso will now have:
$367 million - Spur 601 (Inner Loop Freeway) currently under construction.
$1.036 billion - EP Mobility Plan - Widen Loop 375 on the West Side, build 4 lanes on Loop 375 from Dyer to US 54, I-10 improvements, Loop 375 Southern Corridor, Northeast Parkway land acquisition for future construction.
$146 million - I-10/Loop 375 four ramp Interchange.

So this means that more than $1.549 billion in highway projects (that are already approved) will be coming to El Paso in the next few years.

Awesome!!!

Dang!! That is a lot of money for highway construction!!!

[smguy101]

Originally Posted by Gary Siete

Which 4 would make most sense?
I suspect priorities are eastbound to northbound to ease evening rush hour, and also westbound to southbound, and northbound to westbound to help border traffic.

The four that would make perfect sense to me would be:
1: From I-10 East to Lp 375 Northbound
2: From Lp 375 Southbound to I-10 West
3: From I-10 West to Lp 375 Northbound
4: From Lp375 Southbound to I-10 East

The ramps to/from Lp 375 Southbound really dont need to be constructed yet because there are no traffic lights from I-10 to the on ramp and there isnt really any significant traffic going that way. and traffic to/from Lp 375 to I-10 is a real crapture the entire day really.

[usmc el paso]

Originally Posted by smguy101

The four that would make perfect sense to me would be:
1: From I-10 East to Lp 375 Northbound
2: From Lp 375 Southbound to I-10 West
3: From I-10 West to Lp 375 Northbound
4: From Lp375 Southbound to I-10 East

The ramps to/from Lp 375 Southbound really dont need to be constructed yet because there are no traffic lights from I-10 to the on ramp and there isnt really any significant traffic going that way. and traffic to/from Lp 375 to I-10 is a real crapture the entire day really.

I totally agree with you.

[led154]

I do agree that this intersection needs to be finished, but we should stop here. what el paso needs is mass transit, not more highways. We will just become a replica of los angeles, and phoenix. The solution always seems to be, build more highways. Then in a few more years, those have reached capacity. Then more spending comes into play for new highways. This is unsustainable for budgets. Investing in a large mass transit system not only provides income through fares, but can be easily upgraded for higher rider usage.

[usmc el paso]

Originally Posted by led154

I do agree that this intersection needs to be finished, but we should stop here. what el paso needs is mass transit, not more highways. We will just become a replica of los angeles, and phoenix. The solution always seems to be, build more highways. Then in a few more years, those have reached capacity. Then more spending comes into play for new highways. This is unsustainable for budgets. Investing in a large mass transit system not only provides income through fares, but can be easily upgraded for higher rider usage.

Agreed! But the El Paso Transportation authorities already have a plan to start implementing a Bus Rapid Transit System to be installed in about a year with the first lines going from downtwon to Mesa and UTEP. It will gradually go to all the major county regions and in about 2017 they hope to transform those same routes into a Light Rail System. But we do need an improved freeway system badly, the good thing is we are doing it.

[led154]

The transportation plan I doubt will work. Riders will probably be the same riders that ride the system today. The bus rapid transit is just a glorified bus. They placed a Bus Raspid Transit system in Boston called the Silver Line. Most people I ask hate it. When I ask others, what if they replaced the Green Line (light Rail) with a Bus system. Most said they wouldnt ride it. Why dont they just invest in a major plan without all the spending on buses that no one will use