Owners Respond to Likely Trolley Route

Luis Arcos has mixed feelings about the potential for a trolley at his doorstep.

“If they do it, yes, it’s good I think,” Arcos said.

His family owns and operates a second-hand shop in downtown El Paso, located on South Orgegon Street, as they have for almost 100 years.

These days business is not the best, Arcos says. Some days his shop only makes $50 in sales. The idea of having a trolley line in front of his business, many times a day , is alluring.

“Business is slow,” Arcos said. “All those people have to wait at the border. All of my customers are from Mexico.”

Local realtors say where transportation improves, businesses thrive. Along with their success come and increase in property values. The increase in property value in turn means higher taxes.

Arcos says he can barely afford the $4,500 a year he pays now. The idea that he would have to pay more means he may someday have to sell his family’s building.

Surveys begin this week on Oregon and Stanton Streets after city council approved the $1.25 million expense, Tuesday.

With those surveys comes the potential $90 million construction cost from the state to build the lines. Future operating costs and maintenence will fall on the city.

The lines would run from the Stanton Street Bridge at the border up to the University of Texas at El Paso.