The Border Highway East (BHE) Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study has been finalized and approved by TxDOT’s Environmental Affairs Division. The study included community discussion and a visioning process for transportation improvements along the U.S.-Mexico border in southeast El Paso County. The study began in May 2013, and a draft PEL Report was completed in October 2014.
On Aug. 21, 2015, the study was presented to the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Policy Board (TPB), which serves as the regional planning and programming agency. The MPO adopted the BHE PEL Study, and its results and recommendations are to be included in the El Paso MPO’s long-term planning process.
Project Limits
The study area included Loop 375 near the Zaragoza International Port of Entry (POE) and extended south to the Fabens International POE. I-10 and the Rio Grande served as east and west boundaries.
Previous Studies
A feasibility study was conducted and published in 1997 for portions of the BHE PEL Study area that identified the following challenges:
Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study
The PEL study expanded on the area previously studied in 1997 and identified and documented transportation needs based on collaboration with the public as well as local, state and federal agencies. The issues identified included:
Transportation improvement alternatives were identified through a collaborative process. The alternatives were analyzed through three levels of evaluation. The alternatives that satisfied all criteria were presented within the PEL as recommended improvements. The improvements consisted of widening existing roadways, new alignment roadways and multimodal improvements.
More Information
Contact Us
Project Manager
TxDOT El Paso District
13301 Gateway West
El Paso, TX 79928-5410
(915) 790-4200
Email