El Paso’s Mesa Street project begins final paving operations

EL PASO, Texas -- The North Mesa Street roadway rehabilitation project that has been in the works for over a year now might be coming to an end soon.

Workers began this week on the final pass of asphalt pavement, on the outside lanes going northbound on Mesa.

Jennifer Wright, a Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson, said the repairs on Mesa Street were long overdue.

“The years leading up to this project, the street was really kind of deteriorated and there were base failures and a lot of potholes,” said Wright. “Once we have this, we should have a long period of smooth, pristine, new pavement.”

Owners whose businesses were affected by the construction are now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“We’ve definitely felt the dip, Covid is one thing but then also the addition with the construction and then the constant delays is a frustration,” said Dominic Monteverde, the manager Bryan's Green Care. “Hopefully we can see some tangible customers, and the foot traffic coming back in again, so just crossing our fingers on that.”

Wright told ABC-7 that the operation will continue throughout the week, starting everyday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

TxDOT plans to pave the northbound lanes starting from Baltimore up to Shadow Mountain by the end of the week, but are dividing the operation into 3 segments with day 1 supposed to be ending at Castellano Drive.

However, after a breakdown in operations on Monday, crews were forced to stop at McKelligon Drive and then continued where they left off on Tuesday.

As the temperature gets cooler, Wright said lanes on both sides need to get done.

“We really need to get it paved by mid- to end october, and I think we’re probably on track to do that,” she said.

All traffic on Mesa will be directed to one inside lane as crews work on the outer lanes.

Drivers should expect congestion on Mesa this week or are advised to use Interstate 10 or the Border West Expressway as alternate routes.