TxDOT works with law enforcement agencies together to help traffic control during GO 10 Project

The Texas Department of Transportation is working with the El Paso Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to help traffic flow in West El Paso during highway closures.

During the closure of I-10 between Executive Center and Sunland Park on Sunday, officers were directing traffic along Mesa. Traffic was backed up for miles as drivers were rerouted off of I-10 and onto Mesa and Sunland Park Drive.

As part of the GO 10 Project, TxDot has contracted police officers and sheriff’s deputies to direct traffic. Officers are on patrol along Mesa this week as well, as that portion of the highway is closed overnight.

“I see a lot of people dong silly things that they shouldn’t with all those cones, they don’t know which way to go, so they just make up their own rules. So having an officer out there waving them in the right direction might help,” Westside driver Pete Armento said.

Officials with the El Paso Police Department say the traffic control has led to fewer crashes and better flow.

Last Sunday, TxDot contracted 27 off-duty officers to direct traffic on Mesa and Sunland Park Drive. For night-time closures like those this week, there are fewer officers who are out and only at the major intersections.

TxDot’s District Engineer Bob Bielek says for a full weekend closure it costs TxDot about $40,000. For a nighttime closure it costs about $15,000. For a project like Go 10, which is expected to last several years, TxDot set aside at least $3-4 million dollars just for traffic control.

A spokesman for the El Paso Police Department tells Abc-7 these officers can direct traffic by altering the green times remotely through a wire system where they can interact with the lights or they can also manually wave drivers to makes sure traffic gets past intersections and doesn’t build up.

“Having a police car at every corner you have a different situation, different traffic pattern. It’s always good to have those police officers out there because they see them and pay a lot more attention to what they’re doing,” Bielek said.

Txdot is also working to enforce speed limits. Beginning Monday, officers will be out monitoring 1-10 to make sure drivers aren’t speeding in or near construction zones.