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La Entrada al Pacifico Study FAQs

Is this study related to the Ports to Plains Corridor Study?

Not directly. The Ports to Plains Corridor Study analyzed a proposed corridor from Denver, Colorado, to the Texas Rio Grande Valley. While many of the same factors will be considered for La Entrada (such as freight movement, existing and planned infrastructure, etc.), the two proposed corridors only overlap from the Midland/Odessa area to Lamesa, Texas.

Isn't there already a designated La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor?

Yes. Effective June 1997, when signed into law by then Governor George W. Bush, TX House Bill 2115 designated the following roads as the future roads of La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor:

SH 349 from Lamesa to Midland,
I-20 from Midland to Odessa,
US 385 from Odessa to Fort Stockton, and
US 67 from Fort Stockton to Presidio.

The 109th U.S. Congress (2005-2006) designated La Entrada al Pacifico National High Priority Corridor #56 as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, or SAFETEA-LU; it also known as Public Law 109-59. It was signed by President George W. Bush in 2005. View the official designation.

What are the chances of another route being designated as the La Entrada al Pacifico Route?

As the alternative analysis process begins, several alternatives will be considered, including the currently designated route, other existing highway routes, new location alternatives and a rail alternative. The purpose of a corridor feasibility study is to find the most viable route within the specified study area. If another route proves to be feasible as identified through the alternatives analysis process, it will be included in the Corridor Development Plan in order to identify improvements to that facility.

This will not eliminate the current state and federal designation that exists for the La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor. Instead, the national designation would remain, and improvements for another corridor would be recommended, or the designation may change to include the other route(s).

How will the proposed improvements be identified and prioritized?

As part of the feasibility study process, evaluation criteria will be developed to allow all alternatives to be screened and compared to one another as a group. These criteria could consist of such elements as environmental impacts, travel efficiency, economic impacts, engineering cost and many more. The alternatives evaluation process will rank the corridors and ultimately identify a preferred route.

An economics/risk analysis is also part of this study to identify funding sources to help prioritize any proposed improvements.

How will you handle projected corridor traffic increases through cities such as Alpine and Marfa?

Our study team will consider improvements to existing infrastructure, in addition to looking at alternative new location facilities. These new location facilities could serve as reliever routes for heavy traffic moving through the region.

Is this project consistent with long-range TxDOT plans?

Yes. The existing designated corridor is already part of the Texas Trunk System. The Texas Trunk System is a planned rural, four-lane divided highway network of 10,500 miles that includes and complements Texas? rural interstate highways.

The State of Texas also owns the South Orient Rail Line that will be analyzed as part of the feasibility process. It was purchased by the state in 1999 to save it from abandonment and is currently managed by TxDOT.

Do you know when construction will begin?

No. This study is currently scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2008. If the study recommends any improvements be carried forward, each recommended improvement would still need to go through the preliminary engineering design process and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process before final design and construction could take place.

How will corridor improvements be funded?

As part of the feasibility study process, funding sources will be identified as part of a corridor finance plan after corridor alternatives have been identified, evaluated and ranked. Improvements must be identified and prioritized within the preferred corridor(s) before the corridor finance plan can be finalized. The plan may include a large range of finance options, including traditional TxDOT funding or public-private partnerships.

How can I stay informed about the project and get involved in the decision-making process?

You can stay informed about the project by:

visiting this Web site often, as it will be updated with the latest information made available by our study team,
asking to be included on the mailing list database, or letting us know any of your questions/concerns by e-mail,
calling the toll-free hotline at (800) 517-4652, or
providing written comments or requests to be added to the mailing list by contacting:
Peggy Thurin, P.E.
Texas Department of Transportation
17111 Preston Road, Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75248-1232.

Once you are on the mailing list, you will receive the latest project newsletter.

How can I be sure my comments are heard?

Each and every comment received is provided directly to the project study team. This includes comments by e-mail, the project hotline and mail. Your comments will also be included in a project comment database that the team will review throughout the project to ensure all comments are taken into account as part of the study process.

What factors contribute to potential growth in truck traffic along the corridor?

There are many factors in Mexico that could contribute to potential growth in truck traffic through Presidio.

Improvements to the Pacific Coast Mexican ports, including the Port of Topolobampo
The ability of these Mexican ports to handle large cargo ships from Asia that currently go to the overburdened ports at Los Angeles and Long Beach
Improvements to Mexican highway and rail infrastructure between Topolobampo and Presidio
Proposed improvements to the Panama Canal

Another factor to be considered is freight diversion from the border crossing at El Paso. Currently, this crossing is over capacity. If improvements were made to Mexico's highway infrastructure that allowed easier freight traffic access to the Presidio border crossing, it would be possible some freight diversion could take place.

This feasibility study is tasked with gathering data from Mexico that will allow the study team to determine the impacts of these improvements and the likelihood that the infrastructure improvements will be made.

Is building an improved road the only alternative?

No. The feasibility process will include analyzing rail alternatives and improvements, in addition to roadway alternatives and improvements. A no-build alternative will also be included in the process.

Will you consider using the South Orient Railroad as an alternative for the La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor Study?

Yes. As part of the La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor Feasibility Study, several different alternatives will be considered, including roadway and rail. Since the South Orient Railroad does provide the only connection to the Presidio Port of Entry and provides a connection to Fort Stockton and McCamey, this rail line would be a likely alternative to be considered. But additional improvements are required before significant rail activity can occur.

Are you considering the no-build alternative?

Yes. A no-build or do-nothing alternative is always included as part of the feasibility process. A no-build alternative will be carried forward and evaluated using the same evaluation criteria applied to other alternatives.

Because the purpose of this study is to determine feasibility, a no-build alternative will be carried through to the end of this study. Subsequent NEPA studies will also analyze the no-build alternative during the formal environmental documentation phase of the project.

While a no-build alternative will not provide any significant additional capacity, routine maintenance and safety improvements may be included to bring the facility up to current standards.