The El Paso Streetcar Project is already rolling toward reality. Construction on the 4.8 mile route is underway at several locations from South El Paso to Downtown to the University of Texas at El Paso campus. Construction includes utility relocation, construction of a new maintenance and storage facility, sidewalk repairs, installation of rail, the placement of 27 stops, the complete reconstruction of some streets, and resurfacing work on other streets.
The Route
The route will run in two loops. The Downtown Loop runs along Santa Fe Street, Franklin Avenue, Kansas Street and Father Rahm Avenue. The Uptown Loop runs along Franklin Avenue, Stanton Street, Baltimore Drive, Glory Road, and Oregon Street. The route will connect the international bridges, retail areas, government buildings, convention center and downtown ballpark with the medical center, University of Texas at El Paso and several historic neighborhoods.
The Cars
The route will be serviced by Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcar vehicles – the same vehicles that ran on El Paso streets until 1974. As part of this project, six vintage El Paso streetcars are being expertly restored for the rigors of daily service. While the cars are decades old, they’ll be outfitted with modern amenities including air conditioning and wifi. Each of the six cars will be painted in one of three original color schemes from the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s.
The Project
Construction of the project is being managed by the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority using Texas Department of Transportation funding and a design provided by the City of El Paso. Once operational, Sun Metro will operate and maintain the Streetcars and associated facilities.
This complex project is being completed by Paso del Norte Trackworks, a joint venture of Granite Construction and RailWorks. These companies have worked on other similar streetcar projects in cities including New Orleans and Tucson.
For more information on construction impacts, sign up for regular email updates and check out facebook.com/elpasostreetcar and our YouTube page. You can also reach the project team directly by calling (844) 252-RAIL or via email at elpaso.streetcar@gmail.com.
Progress
Below are some images of the progress of the maintenance facility. Click on an image to enlarge it.
