I-10 Executive Center ramp to remain closed for 18 months to 2 years

Here’s a fun fact from the Texas Department Of Transportation: the segment of road between Sunland Park and U.S. 54 is No. 71 out the 100 most congested road segments in Texas. And here’s a not so fun fact: 9 miles of it is under construction.

The Border West Expressway project will provide an alternate route for I-10. Right now the area is in the early stages of building multi-ramp interchanges that will connect Executive Center Boulevard and Spur 1966. The new multi-ramp interchange will also connect Loop 375 with Paisano Drive.

“All of the work that is going on today is mostly underneath,” said TXDOT District Engineer Bob Bielek. “They are out there drilling drill shafts for future expansion of the bridge and some things getting the slopes ready.”

To review, drivers headed west past Executive Center, the freeway is down a lane and the merging causes backup sometimes as far as the Downtown exit. Drivers can’t get onto I-10 west from Executive because the ramp is closed. The detour, which is Paisano, is also under construction.

“Starting next year it’s going to be a lot worse,” Bielek said. “There’s no way around it, no way to make it simpler.”

ABC-7 learned that next year is when the surface construction will start, meaning drivers will see the engineers working, and will have to slow down and deal with rubber-necking. And remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

“I would not look for that ramp to open up for the next 18 months to two years to get on Executive Center on to I-10 West,” Bielek said.

Bielek suggests avoiding rush hour. If possible, leave for work earlier or later, leave from work earlier or later. And check the websiteBorderwestexpressway.com for updates.