Park Entrance – Vigilance Needed

by: Judy Ackerman

Expect more calls for action to ensure a safe and appropriate entrance to the Tom Mays Section of our Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP).  As you know, TX Parks and Wildlife Department prefers TxDOT’s option 4 and El Pasoans agree.  Option 4 would allow for safe vehicular access, using an underpass that would also facilitate hikers, bicyclists, and wildlife crossing; serving as a vital connection between north and south portions of FMSP.

At the 15 Apr 2013 Special Meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Transportation Policy Board (TPB), members acknowledged hearing from you, the public, and discussed this topic at length.  The ball is in TxDOT’s court.  El Paso’s transportation expert, State Representative Joe Pickett, said, “… options are still being looked at since the environmental has not been completed.  The [TxDOT] district engineer [Bob Bielek] has committed to the project in 2014, but not sure what option would be proposed or at what cost….  At this point, it is up to TxDOT to provide the when, and how much.”

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