Some lanes open, but Mesa water main headaches continue
It looks like west El Paso drivers will have a major traffic hassle to deal with for a while longer. Things went from bad to worse Tuesday as a fatal crash shut down I-10, and a water main break closed off Mesa Street. Wednesday, there is some tentative signs of improvement.
The good news is lanes are open, one in each direction Wednesday evening. The main break around 3 pm Tuesday afternoon has been worked on around the clock, according to El Paso Water Utilities.
But the bad news is the overall fix to completely return the busy route to normal could take weeks.
EPWU spokesman Javier Camacho said private contractor Advanced Boring Specialists Incorporated hit a 24-inch water main while installing a natural gas line, and that it took EPWU crews about an hour to shut off the main, fortunately without anyone in the area losing water service.
“Commuters can anticipate that this type of detour will be in place for the next several weeks,” Camacho said, “as of course the water utilities works in coordination with (the Texas Department of Transportation) to make the street repairs that are necessary in the area.”
Once the main itself is replaced, then EPWU will work with TXDoT to fix the gaping holes in the road. And it could all end up costing the contractor that caused it.
“The private contractor that was installing the fuel line will be billed for this project,” Camacho said, “and for the repair work that the utility is going to be making to the 24-inch line.”
The biggest problem for drivers is that there’s no easy side street to get around the part of Mesa being repaired, from I-10 to Remcon Circle. The best plan may be to avoid the area entirely, taking parallel streets to I-10, like Redd Road, Thorn Avenue, Resler Drive or Sunland Park Drive.
