Doniphan-Paisano connection to be closed 3 days next week

The recently opened Doniphan-Paisano Connection, which has helped ease west side traffic during the lengthy Border West Expressway construction, will close for three days next week.

The connection is located at the intersection of Executive Center and Paisano and runs all the way through a new section of what will be the Border West Expressway to Doniphan.

The closure is expected to begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and run all the way through 9 p.m. on Thursday. The closure is needed so crews can install three massive box culverts in the area. Those box culverts will replace smaller culverts that move water from the area to the nearby Rio Grande.

On Tuesday, they will be moving heavy equipment into the area, including excavators and cranes. On Wednesday, contractors will work with the railroad to complete the work, while trains are diverted for 14 hours. On Thursday, they will move the equipment back out of the area.

“When we opened the Doniphan-Paisano Connection, we knew that there would be intermittent closures and we tried very hard to limit them to overnight and weekends,” said Jennifer Wright, spokesperson for the El Paso District of TxDOT. “this, however, is a unique situation.”

To avoid the closure, drivers can either stay on I-10 or use North Mesa.

TxDOT officials could not promise there won’t be any more closures of the new Doniphan-Paisano Connection, but indicated they will try to limit them to overnight or weekends.