El Paso: TxDOT solicits consultant for Outer Loop

[MaxConcrete]

For the map, see page 22 of the presentation for the information meeting.

It's called the Outer Loop Corridor, but it is actually in east El Paso on a north-south axis between US 62/180 and Interstate 10 near Tornillo-Guadalupe International Bridge. The corridor is about 26 miles long. It does not appear to be intended to go further north (to form a true loop), since Fort Bliss is in the path going north of US 62/180.

This appears to be entirely separate from the Northeast Parkway.

The presentation mentions "Ghost Plats" on page 24. If you look at the study area in Google Maps satellite view, you can see patterns in the desert which look like platted street networks. I'm just speculating, but maybe the patterns are a relic of some kind of desert land sale scheme (or scam), and maybe the "owners" abandoned the property which would explain the listed project challenge "Identifying Land Owners".

This appears to be a very preliminary feasibility study, with no expectations for any particular outcome. It may be determined to be infeasible to build a corridor.

[DJStephens]

A coherent vision for a true, high quality El Paso Bypass (Interstate 210) would have been far preferable.  Instead of the hodge-podge that is developing now.   To be more clear, the lack of planning for a straight shot routing from Anthony Gap to the current Loop 375 E of Railroad Drive.  This should have been in place, 35 years ago.   Corridor acquisition would have been cheap and easy then.   

[Bobby5280]

El Paso has been more than big enough of a city to justify a proper, complete Interstate loop through the Anthony Gap and around El Paso. The city limits population passed 500,000 in the late 1980's and is now 678,000. Metro population is 868,000.

It's strange how the super highways built in the El Paso area have been built with inconsistent standards, often dropping below Interstate quality and/or even allowing at-grade intersections or driveways in some places. It's like Texas is having an intra-state battle between the East and West sides of the state. Eastern cities have their mammoth super highways and expansions of those highways. In the Western cities things are being built only good enough to get by. This "outer loop" thing East of El Paso just smells like more of the same. If this highway segment is ever built I would not be surprised if it connected with I-10 as a surface street with traffic lights in a diamond interchange.

[DJStephens]

For the map, see page 22 of the presentation for the information meeting.
The presentation mentions "Ghost Plats" on page 24. If you look at the study area in Google Maps satellite view, you can see patterns in the desert which look like platted street networks. I'm just speculating, but maybe the patterns are a relic of some kind of desert land sale scheme (or scam), and maybe the "owners" abandoned the property which would explain the listed project challenge "Identifying Land Owners".This appears to be a very preliminary feasibility study, with no expectations for any particular outcome. It may be determined to be infeasible to build a corridor.

Believe the area, outside of the E edge of El Paso city limits, and between Montana Avenue (US 62 - 180) and I-10, is loosely defined as "Montana Vista".  It likely was "platted" by surveyors and developers in the past.  Know an individual who owns a 20 acre tract in the general area.  Believe he views it as his retirement nest egg.   Water and utilities will be the biggest hurdle. 
    There is also Horizon City, which lies N of I-10 E of El Paso.  It has seen explosive growth in recent years.   Very intense, overly dense housing has been built, out in this area, this far out to the E of El Paso proper.   East Lake Blvd has become the "spine" of this spurt of growth.