Borderland Expressway (formerly Northeast Parkway)
Project purpose
TxDOT's El Paso District is dedicated to enhancing regional mobility and traffic movement into and through the city of El Paso, Texas
The purpose of the proposed project is to address regional system linkage and system capacity by providing an alternate route to I-10. The proposed Borderland Expressway would complete a route around the northeast side of El Paso suitable for truck and other through traffic, diverting traffic from the city center.
Project limits
The proposed Borderland Expressway Project (formerly Northeast Parkway project) would be a new location roadway from Loop 375 (1.8 miles east of Railroad Drive Overpass) to FM 3255 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard), 0.5 miles south of the Texas/New Mexico State Line). It is approximately 10.8 miles in length.
Proposed improvements
Proposed improvements include:
- Construction of a new location divided roadway
- The project will consist of four 12-foot-wide travel lanes (two lanes in each direction), a median that varies, and open ditches throughout most of the project.
- Limited frontage roads (only between Bus US 54/Dyer Street and Railroad Drive)
- A dedicated shared use path along the southbound roadway and a 350-ft-Right-of-way.
- A grade separation over the Union Pacific Railroad Roadway grade separations will include:
- Loop 375 (with entrance and exit ramps) US Highway Business 54 (Dyer Street) and Railroad Drive (with entrance and exit ramps)
- US Highway 54 (with entrance and exit ramps)
- FM 2529 (McCombs Avenue) (with entrance and exit ramps)
- Stan Roberts Sr. Ave (overpass only)
- FM 3255 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard) (with entrance and exit ramps)
Construction would be phased. Construction phases are proposed as follows: frontage roads from Railroad Drive to Business US 54 (Dyer Street); mainlanes from Railroad Drive to FM 3255 (MLK Jr. Boulevard); and mainlanes from Business US 54 (Dyer Street) to Loop 375 (mainlanes).
TxDOT is conducting an Environmental Assessment for this project. An EA is a report thatuments existing social, economic and environmental conditions, assesses impacts of the proposed improvements and identifies potential mitigation. The EA will also evaluate the impacts of doing nothing, also called a No-Build Alternative. The No-Build Alternative represents the case in which the proposed improvements would not be constructed. The No-Build Alternative is the baseline condition for comparison against potential impacts under the Build Alternative.
Public involvement
TxDOT hosted a public meeting for the Borderland Expressway Project (formerly Northeast Parkway Project) on July 26, 2018, at Tom Lea Elementary in El Paso. The purpose of the meeting was to present the proposed build alternative of Northeast Parkway and to offer the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide input on the proposed project.
TxDOT will hold a virtual Public Hearing with an in-person option to present the Preferred Alternative and to offer the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide input on the proposed project on June 9, 2022. The materials can be viewed on the Public Hearing page under Meeting materials.
Next steps
- Hold virtual Public Hearing with in-person option to present findings from the EA and accept public comment and testimony.
- An environmental decision by TxDOT is expected late 2022.