Members of the El Paso City Council have given their approval to a project that will see the replacement of a downtown bridge crossing over the tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad.
In a resolution, council members gave their stamp of approval to an agreement forged by the City and the State of Texas to tackle the bridge project under the auspices of the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program.
The project, which will also see new pavement, concrete curbs, and gutters, comes with a price tag of $420,000. That cost will be shared by the federal and state government, with no expense borne by the city.
According to the agreement, once the bridge work is completed, the City of El Paso “shall accept full ownership and operate and maintain the facilities.” Those services will be performed “for the benefit of and at no charge of toll to the public.”
The bridge in question is located at North El Paso Street, between E. Franklin Avenue to the north and W. Main Drive to the south.
The Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program is operated by the Federal Highway Administration and provides funding for the replacement, rehabilitation, and preservation of bridges either in poor condition, or in fair condition “at risk of declining into poor condition.”
By Garry Boulard
