El Paso OKs streetcar study
Written by Douglas John BowenCity Council members in El Paso, Tex., on Tuesday voted 6-to-2 to approve $1.25 million for an engineering and environmental assessment for a streetcar system.
The vote qualifies the Texas border city for $90 million in funding from the Lone Star State to build the system, envisioned to stretch two miles from the city’s Downtown bridge to the existing Glory Road transit terminal near the University of Texas at El Paso.
URS Corp. will conduct the study, anticipated for completion by early this fall.
Another $3 million will be required from the city to finish the design, but 95% of the project reportedly will be funded by the Texas Department of Transportation.
Among other Texas cities, Dallas and Austin are advancing streetcar routes as transportation options.
