A public outreach effort to gauge reaction to the big planned widening of Interstate 10, as it slices through downtown El Paso, is receiving mixed responses.
The outreach, conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation, indicates that area residents are concerned about the scope of the project, the timeline for its construction, and the impact on the environment, among other issues.
Kathleen Staudt, a former political science professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, acknowledged that the downtown I-10 section is currently congested. But in a news conference preceding one Texas DOT meeting, she remarked: “If I-10 is expanded, it will merely attract more cars and semi-trucks. Do we really need to be driving near all these semi-trucks in downtown El Paso?”
Concerns have also been raised regarding the number of businesses and apartment dwellings that would have to be demolished to make way for the widening.
One thing that is clear about the project is that it will come with a big price tag at $1.3 billion, with final plans most likely not officially revealed until sometime in 2026, and actual construction not expected to begin until, at the very earliest, 2027.
For now, it appears that both the north and south alignments of the highway in the downtown area will be four lanes in both directions, with access to the I-10 off University Avenue and Schuster Avenue reconstructed, and a new two-way cycle track to be built alongside the westbound frontage road of I-10.
Properties that may be impacted or demolished include the Triumph Public High School at 1599 George Dieter Drive; the Dalton Brake and Wheel Alignment at 610 Wyoming Avenue; and the Grace Chope Park at 535 W. Missouri Avenue.
The Texas DOT, notes the publication El Paso Inc., has said that the widening project is needed because of “congestion and mobility issues, concerns about traffic incident management, and outdated design standards.”
The Texas DOT expects to continue soliciting input on the project until October 14.
September 30, 2025
By Garry Boulard
