More bike lanes are coming to El Paso, to make the city more bike-friendly. People who use the lanes daily said they’re happy to finally see El Paso recognize the need. “I try to stay on the bike as much as I can,” said avid bicyclist, Cesar Flores.
Cycling has become a hobby and exercise trend for many folks in the borderland.
“It’s a stress reliever,” said avid bicyclist Arturo Poblano. They said being out on the roadways isn’t always ideal. “Because there’s always that little zone, that you don’t want to encroach on their lane and you don’t want them, of course, encroaching in your area,” said Flores.
A multimillion project is being worked by the city of El Paso to make sharing the road less stressful. City Council approved a two-phase project, this week, to create more bike lanes.
The 1st phase focuses mostly on the west and central sides of town, adding lanes on:
- Alabama Street from Atlas Avenue to Arizona Avenue;
- Viscount Boulevard from Montwood Drive to I-10;
- Resler Drive from Belvidere Street to Enid Court;
- High Ridge Drive from Resler Drive to Franklin Hills Street;
- Robinson Avenue from Oregon Street to Virginia Street;
- Fort Boulevard from Alabama Street to Dyer Street;
- Los Angeles Drive from Yandell Drive to Oregon Street.
The 2nd phase focuses on the east side on the following streets:
- Lomaland Drive from Trawood Drive to Pellicano Drive;
- Pellicano Drive from George Dieter Drive to Lomaland Drive;
- Trawood Drive from Springwood Drive to Yarbrough Drive;
- Tierra Este Road from RC Poe Road to Pebble Hills Boulevard; and
- Pendale Road from Yermoland Drive to North Loop Drive.
This is all part of the city of El Paso’s Comprehensive Bike Plan, council approved back in 2016, which is meant to create a broader bicycle infrastructure within the city.
The project in total is $3.5 million, mostly coming from federal funds with contributions from the city. The city said the 1st phase should start construction someone in the next year, while the 2nd phase will start in 2020.
