Sudden Funding for Downtown Streetcar Project?

Ted Houghton, the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) chairman, told the El Paso Times today that he expects funding for the Downtown streetcar project to be approved this week. This comes more than a year after the City of El Paso completed its streetcar study the State said would be required to acquire funding.

Bus Rapid Transit Work to Close Two Lanes on Mesa Street

Two lanes on Mesa Street southbound will closed beginning Monday, December 9, due to construction of a Brio Rapid Transit station near Sun Bowl Drive. The lane closures should be in place for one week.

City to Hold Meeting on Sun Metro Public Art Finalists

The designs of three semi-finalists were recently chosen for an art piece planned for the new Sun Metro Operations Center, and now the City of El Paso wants the public’s input on the concepts.

Bike Share Continues Despite TxDOT Moves

The Texas Department of Transportation’s El Paso district engineer, Robert Bielek, considers the tentative Bike Share program a “boutique” program unworthy of federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. 

Bike Share Program Scaled Down, Still Alive

City officials decided to move forward with a smaller bike share program earlier this month after the Texas Dept. of Transportation held back $1.6 million in federal funds.

Northgate Transit Project Nears

Two years ago, the City of El Paso acquired and began demolishing the long-blighted and vacant Northpark Mall. Plans were drawn up to create a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) at the site that would include various housing types, retail, park, and civic spaces laid out in a smart growth design. But the 23 acre property has seen little activity since.

City Bike Plan in the Works

City officials are using $100,000 in federal funds to develop a Bike Plan for El Paso. The City focused on five surface streets over the summer, using cameras to gather bike usage statistics on Hondo Pass Avenue and Rushing Road in Northeast El Paso, Belvidere Street and Redd Road in West El Paso, and Edgemere Boulevard in East El Paso.

Northgate Project Gets Federal Transit Dollars

The now vacant former Northpark Mall site in Northeast El Paso could soon see renewed activity in the form of a Transit Oriented Development (TOD). Transit officials announced last week that the Northgate Transfer Center project will receive $10.3 million in federal funds, part of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program.