El Paso: TxDOT seeking to expedite Borderland Expressway

[MaxConcrete]

Project overview starts on page 18
http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/ppd/meetings/111419/presentation.pdf

Official overview document: http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/ppd/meetings/111419/northeast-parkway.pdf

On page 24 the presentation states
"Currently in the FY2024 Letting
Project is desired to be accelerated to FY 2022 Letting given that all ROW, Utilities, Railroad coordination are cleared prior. "

FY 2022 runs from Sept 2021 to Aug 2022, so the acceleration would start the project in about 2 years.

Looking at the maps, schematics and public meeting page (https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/el-paso/072618.html)

• The strange, indirect connection at the south end is due to the Fort Bliss gun range. Taking a direct path from Loop 375 would place the freeway downrange from the gun range.
• Aside from the gun range curve, the alignment looks straight and direct, with good standards overall
• The July 2018 web page says phase 1 will be a super 2 (i.e. one side built). However, there is no mention of a phase 1 in the solicitation and it says "This project is 10.8 miles of 4 lane roadway." So I'm inclined to think the full design will be built
• The presentation (page 20) says the full length will have high mast illumination.
• The facility stops just short of the New Mexico state line. The schematic shows the main lane alignment continuing into New Mexico
• Does anyone know about New Mexico's plans? A quick search found nothing online.

[sprjus4]

Looks like TxDOT is keeping it going with the wide median designs. This particular project is designed to maintain a continuous 68 foot grassy median.

[MaxConcrete]

68 foot grassy median.

LOL!    .....No grass in that area of Texas!

[sprjus4]

68 foot grassy median.

LOL!    .....No grass in that area of Texas!

A 68 foot depressed median 

[sprjus4]

Interestingly enough, once this road is completed, the distance to take Loop 375, the Northeast Parkway, and NM-404 will be shorter than I-10 by about 5 miles.

The completion of the project to the New Mexico line will undoubtedly increase the overall thru traffic count and freight / truck traffic on the loop and the new road.

The need for New Mexico to complete its piece back to I-10 will show a lot more once the traffic starts flocking to the new, shorter alternative to I-10 thru El Paso.

A completed loop could become an I-x10.

[Chris]

I browsed through the schematics, but this new road doesn't appear to have a road number yet. Signs indicate it as the 'Northeast Parkway' (now evidently renamed to the Borderland Expressway).

It will be a toll road? Schematic 6 shows a sign that says 'TOLL ROAD BEGINS 1 MILE'. The other linked documents don't mention tolls.

[armadillo speedbump]

Interestingly enough, once this road is completed, the distance to take Loop 375, the Northeast Parkway, and NM-404 will be shorter than I-10 by about 5 miles.

Are you sure?  Based on the TXDOT schematics it looks to be about 2 miles longer than via I-10.  Which should still often be a timesaver, if the speed limits are logical.

I don't get why they are adding direct connectors for eastbound 375 to northbound Borderlands Pky and vice versa.  Save the money and spend it on finishing the Haggerty and McCombs overpasses on 54.

[edwaleni]

Any upgrades to the Anthony Gap/O'Hara Highway (NM-404) are not in any current plans.

https://dot.state.nm.us/content/nmdot/en/Projects.html

I would imagine NMDOT will wait to see if the new Texas route brings any increases in traffic over to I-10.

With little value to NM, it will probably end up like a lot of bypasses near state lines. The state that wants it, builds it, the other state just takes a wait and see.

[sprjus4]

Any upgrades to the Anthony Gap/O'Hara Highway (NM-404) are not in any current plans.

https://dot.state.nm.us/content/nmdot/en/Projects.html

I would imagine NMDOT will wait to see if the new Texas route brings any increases in traffic over to I-10.

With little value to NM, it will probably end up like a lot of bypasses near state lines. The state that wants it, builds it, the other state just takes a wait and see.

Then there's Maryland and Virginia who are both waiting for the other to build their piece of an outer Washington DC bypass - and as a result there's still no outer bypass.

[DJStephens]

Interestingly enough, once this road is completed, the distance to take Loop 375, the Northeast Parkway, and NM-404 will be shorter than I-10 by about 5 miles.

Are you sure?  Based on the TXDOT schematics it looks to be about 2 miles longer than via I-10.  Which should still often be a timesaver, if the speed limits are logical.

I don't get why they are adding direct connectors for eastbound 375 to northbound Borderlands Pky and vice versa.  Save the money and spend it on finishing the Haggerty and McCombs overpasses on 54.

Better to "unshift" the 375 mainlines at the horrible "spur 601" DDI connection and build the directional interchange that should have been built in the first place.   Plenty of land surrounds that interchange now.   The DDI is becoming overloaded at rush hour times.  And it is only a few years old.   

[yakra]

Project overview starts on page 18
http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/ppd/meetings/111419/presentation.pdf
Official overview document: http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/ppd/meetings/111419/northeast-parkway.pdf

Links are dead now.

Does anyone know about New Mexico's plans? A quick search found nothing online.

https://crrma-production.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/files/000/000/999/original/ITEM_5B_-_Borderland_Expressway_Update_%2803.09.20%29.pdf?1583964993
(March 11, 2020)

NMDOT is working on the New Mexico sections of the Borderland Expressway. NM404 widening will let this year. The RFP for preliminary design on NM213 will be issued soon.

I browsed through the schematics, but this new road doesn't appear to have a road number yet.

Spur 320

Interestingly enough, once this road is completed, the distance to take Loop 375, the Northeast Parkway, and NM-404 will be shorter than I-10 by about 5 miles.

Are you sure?  Based on the TXDOT schematics it looks to be about 2 miles longer than via I-10.  Which should still often be a timesaver, if the speed limits are logical.

At 2:01, this video estimates 51 min via Loop 375 + the Borderland Expressway vs. 65 min via I-10.
3:00: Projections show 28 fewer crashes on the regions highways in the "Opening Year" -- though they don't say what year that's supposed to be.

[DJStephens]

They (the nm department) are doing some type of "throwaway improvements" at the I-10/NM 404 O'hara Rd interchange.  Exit 162.  Concrete ramp surfaces and signal improvements it appears.  Traffic backs up onto I-10 SB everyday.  Some years ago, they did pull the frontage road, along the W side of I-10 further away from the I-10 mainlines, in what appeared to be preparation for a flyover that would carry I-10 SB traffic over I-10 to 404 EB.  This flyover should have already have been built, and it would have needed to have gone behind (south of) the community college branch existing on the SE quadrant of the I-10/404 interchange.   

[In_Correct]

68 foot grassy median.

LOL!    .....No grass in that area of Texas!

A 68 foot depressed median 

Red Brick is much nicer. With perhaps Solar. And Trees. Any thing but Grass.