Introduction
In 1969, work was underway to extend the federal Interstate 10 (I-10) through El Paso to link the cross-country, east-west highway from Jackson, Florida to Santa Monica, California. The project disrupted the heart of Downtown El Paso - and the fabric of El Paso's urban core - with a sunken freeway.
With the Texas Department of Transportation's plans to reconstruct I-10 from Executive Center to Copia after fifty years, El Paso has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a Deck Plaza over I-10 in the downtown corridor.
With matching funds from the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation, the City of El Paso received a $900,000 FY21 RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a Feasibility Study for the project.
The transformational project is designed to reconnect neighborhoods historically separated by I-10 to enhance livability, provide economic opportunity, add green space, hike/bike trails and other recreational amenities, and celebrate the region's rich heritage and culture. It also supports the City of El Paso's Downtown + Update & Surrounding Neighborhoods Master Plan approved in July 2023.
Project Goals
With input from the community through a series of community meetings held in February-April 2023, the goals of the project are to create:
- Authentic Cultural Crossroads:
- Gathering Space, Symbolism, Heritage, Contemporary Culture, Common Ground, Connecting Neighborhoods
- Inviting Sense of Place
- Active Edges, Amenity and Programming Variety, Shade, Green Space, Native Trees/Plants, Vendor Spaces, Food Trucks, Performance Spaces, Safety, Noise Mitigation
- Enhanced Accessibility/Connectivity
- Street Grid, Walkability, ADA Access, Bike-ability, Transit Access, Vehicular Access, Parking
- Inclusive Economic Development
- Local Business, Local Institutions, Added Affordable Housing, Minimize Displacement
- Sustainability/Climate Action
- Native Planting, Water Conservation, Heat Island Reduction, Energy Conservation, Improved Air Quality
- Implementation Feasibility
- Constructability, Infrastructure, Compatibility, TxDOT Alignment, Traffic Capacity Thresholds, Cost, Phasing, Value Capture