Downtown street changes will affect commuters

On almost any day of the week you can find drivers traveling from east El Paso to downtown.

Many of those drivers take the Cesar Chavez Border Highway.

With the massive $600 million Border West Expressway project already in construction, changes near downtown are almost unavoidable.

“They’re changing access from south downtown to the border highway,” said engineering manager for the city’s traffic department, Rudy Pino.

“These will be permanent changes,” Pino said.

The changes that will significantly impact a driver’s commute.

Park Street will be closed off to the Cesar Chavez Border Highway completely.

“It’s good idea because there’s kids here, always playing,” Elizabeth Mata said.

As Mata watches the kids she tells ABC-7 there can be drawbacks as well.

“It’s where all the people from this neighborhood come in through,” Mata said.

Also on the list of changes:

Kansas and Campbell streets, both one way, will become two-way streets for a few blocks.

“In order to keep traffic flowing through the downtown area we need to change these streets to two-way streets,” Pino said.

Kansas Street will also be closed off from the border highway as well as Mesa and Santa Fe streets.

Campbell and Oregon streets will still have access to the border freeway and people driving west to downtown will now have another option.

“In order to get to downtown you’ll use the Paisano Coles Interchange,” Pino said.

The interchange is already under construction.

The changes to the streets is expected to begin in November.