Go 10: The Long Road towards Development
By Sergio Olivas
On September 15th, 2016, a man jumped in front of a moving Brio bus on Mesa near Executive. As shocking as the statement presents itself, the incident caused heavy congestion along Mesa street. El Paso police limited traffic flow by closing the rightmost lane of Mesa heading westbound. El Pasoans complained about the traffic as many cited at least half an hour in delay to leave immediate proximity from the University of Texas at El Paso. Prominent routes travelling westbound in El Paso include Interstate-10, Paisano Dr., Executive Dr., and Sunland Park Drive. However, these alternate routes were experiencing construction as well, limiting their sufficiency to address congestion.
The accident, along with the different construction projects, accumulated into horrid congested traffic flows and frustrated drivers. What led to the accumulation? The construction projects are part of the ‘Go 10’ project in which the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to spend $158 million until 2019 rebuilding roads in the westside of El Paso, specifically near the Sunland Park area. The plan aims at adding nearly six miles of road lanes and upgrading I-10 connection between Paisano, Sunland Park, Resler, and Mesa.
While the infrastructure may need an upgrade to accommodate increase in traffic flow over the years, there are more costs associated than the $158 million. Construction management regularly close lanes and roads in “short” or “long” intervals, depending on the need of the work. For example, Interstate-10 may be closed overnight between the hours of 9PM though 5AM. Long term shutdowns include Paisano from Executive to Sunland which has been closed since late 2015. In addition to lane and road closures, the speed limit along Interstate-10 was reduced between Executive and Sunland Park exists from 60 miles per hour to 50 miles per hour in the name of traffic safety.
As these costs may seem burdensome to motorists, the immediate benefits should not be overlooked. A short term economic benefit includes the need of construction jobs in the westside of town. In fact, the University of Texas at Arlington offered a certification program for El Pasoans who would receive proper training to work in the construction field – potentially in the Go 10 project. In addition, one way TxDOT is trying to mitigate congestion along Mesa is through its partnership with 27 local businesses through “Traffic Jam specials.” These specials are intended to get motorists off the roads to limit traffic while supporting local businesses. The overall success of the initiative requires further investigation to validate its effectiveness. In the long run, according to Robert Bielek who is the El Paso TxDOT district engineer, the renovations through the Go 10 project could potentially lead to the creation of more businesses as well as a larger tax base.
What do the events of September 15th have in relation to the Go 10 construction projects? While the pedestrian’s story is a tragedy, the effects of the single incident became a part of a broader story in infrastructure development. Different traffic accidents occur within the effected roads of the Go 10 project. During the duration of this journey, these accidents will continue to lead to frequent frustration and poorer congestion than normal. In all, El Paso drivers need to exercise patience until the project’s completion. A list of ongoing closures may be found here. Additional resources may be found at the Go 10 webpage at go10elpaso.com.
The accident, along with the different construction projects, accumulated into horrid congested traffic flows and frustrated drivers. What led to the accumulation? The construction projects are part of the ‘Go 10’ project in which the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to spend $158 million until 2019 rebuilding roads in the westside of El Paso, specifically near the Sunland Park area. The plan aims at adding nearly six miles of road lanes and upgrading I-10 connection between Paisano, Sunland Park, Resler, and Mesa.
While the infrastructure may need an upgrade to accommodate increase in traffic flow over the years, there are more costs associated than the $158 million. Construction management regularly close lanes and roads in “short” or “long” intervals, depending on the need of the work. For example, Interstate-10 may be closed overnight between the hours of 9PM though 5AM. Long term shutdowns include Paisano from Executive to Sunland which has been closed since late 2015. In addition to lane and road closures, the speed limit along Interstate-10 was reduced between Executive and Sunland Park exists from 60 miles per hour to 50 miles per hour in the name of traffic safety.
As these costs may seem burdensome to motorists, the immediate benefits should not be overlooked. A short term economic benefit includes the need of construction jobs in the westside of town. In fact, the University of Texas at Arlington offered a certification program for El Pasoans who would receive proper training to work in the construction field – potentially in the Go 10 project. In addition, one way TxDOT is trying to mitigate congestion along Mesa is through its partnership with 27 local businesses through “Traffic Jam specials.” These specials are intended to get motorists off the roads to limit traffic while supporting local businesses. The overall success of the initiative requires further investigation to validate its effectiveness. In the long run, according to Robert Bielek who is the El Paso TxDOT district engineer, the renovations through the Go 10 project could potentially lead to the creation of more businesses as well as a larger tax base.
What do the events of September 15th have in relation to the Go 10 construction projects? While the pedestrian’s story is a tragedy, the effects of the single incident became a part of a broader story in infrastructure development. Different traffic accidents occur within the effected roads of the Go 10 project. During the duration of this journey, these accidents will continue to lead to frequent frustration and poorer congestion than normal. In all, El Paso drivers need to exercise patience until the project’s completion. A list of ongoing closures may be found here. Additional resources may be found at the Go 10 webpage at go10elpaso.com.