Big changes coming to Stanton Street, including the region’s first two way bike lane
If you’ve driven on Stanton street recently, you may have noticed some changes, all part of the Regional Mobility Authority’s (RMA) streetcar project.
The RMA is about to finish work on El Paso’s first protected, two way, bike lane on the east side Stanton street. Four foot high delineators are placed between the bike lane and the northbound driving lane for added safety for bicyclists.
The former two lane street has been reduced to one lane in each direction. Starting on the west side of Stanton street, the new design will have one parking lane, a southbound driving lane, a center streetcar lane that can also be used for left turns when clear, a northbound driving lane, and the two-way protected bike lane.
At each intersection, bikers have a designated green lane to cross the street, but the paint has already begun fading away before the bike lane’s official opening. RMA spokesperson Martin Bartlett told ABC-7 the green paint was applied when temperatures were too cold, causing it not to bond to the road properly.
Bartlett also said that smaller driving lanes and more street elements cause drivers to slow down, making it safer for pedestrians. However, the RMA still urges motorists to pay attention to the new changes as Stanton street has and will continue to change in drastic ways.
The bike lane will also be outfitted with separate street signs and signals. They are expected to be finished within a couple of weeks once the weather warms up enough to paint the lanes.
