EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The I-10 Widening West Project is halfway done, according to officials with the Texas Department of Transportation.
According to TxDOT, the I-10 widening project is expected to take 3 1/2 years to complete and as of right now, they are about halfway done with the work.
“They are projecting a completion date of early 2025, instead of late 2025,” said Jennifer Wright, with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Wright told KTSM the need for the project was due to the tremendous growth of the Sun City, especially on the West Side.
“The area has rapidly moved from a very rural area to an urban area where you see a lot more houses going up. There’s a lot more businesses in place and with that rapid expansion of growth in that area, it was clear we needed to increase the number of lanes on I-10 through there and make these operational improvements,” Wright said.
Wright added that drivers will see more detours over the net few months.
“As ramps are built that will attach those outside lanes to the frontage road,” she explained.
Starting Monday drivers can expect overnight closures.
“They’re going to close in alternating fashion. The frontage roads in each direction — North Desert and South Desert, but they won’t both be closed at the same time,” Wright said.
One El Pasoan said the construction affects his daily commute to and from work.
“Sometimes there’s traffic backed up all the way.” Luis Mendez said.
Mendez also told KTSM it even plays a toll on work as customers rather not go that direction due to the traffic.
I-10 Widening West is a $170 million project which will expand and improve Interstate 10 in West El Paso County. The project will widen I-10 from two lanes in each direction to three between North Mesa Street and Vinton. The project also reconfigures on-ramps and off-ramps (ramp reversals) between North Mesa Street and the Texas-New Mexico state line.
To keep up with the project, click here.
