Study: Commuter rail service between EP and LC could cost up to $430 million

Would you be willing to ride a commuter train between El Paso and Las Cruces?

A recent study by the Chicago-Based nonprofit Center for Neighborhood Technology looks at the feasibility of such a project. It projects the cost of commuter rail connecting El Paso to Las Cruces at $120 to $430 million.

But the big question is would people in the Borderland use it?

“Between the two counties, there is more than enough of an economic social base to support commuter rail,” said David Chandler, business analyst with the Center for Neighborhood Technology, who thinks the study proves it’s time to start talking about commuter rail between the two cities, like the New Mexico RailRunner that runs from Belen to Santa Fe. “The benefits of transit oriented development are multiple. It’s a job creator, it’s property value builder and it’s an air quality improvement factor.”

The study estimated 4,500 to 7,500 passengers on an average working day. They’d pay between $3.50 and $4 dollars for a one-way ticket. Stops in between would include Anthony, Canutillo and Sunland Park.

The end of the line for the commuter train would be here at the Union Depot station in Downtown El Paso. The tracks that would be used would be the current BNSF tracks that run Las Cruces.

“They are certainly a potential feasible partner that could even be the one that could operate the service,” said David Armijo, executive director of New Mexico’s South Central Regional Transit District. “Nationwide transportation is the second largest expense we have after housing. There’s certainly a lot of interest in this, especially among the young people, the college students that are looking at the future.”

ABC-7 asked UTEP students if they would consider using it?

“That would be really cool,” said UTEP student Briana Galaviz.

“Rather than have to spend the gas to go out there myself,” said UTEP student Liam Cleary, “a commuter train would be so much more simple.”

Added Amy Mullis: “I hardly go out there and there’s a lot out there I’d like to take my daughter to see. So that would make it a lot easier.”

Armijo projected there could be commuter rail service between the two cities in three to five years. The actual cost per trip would be upwards of $15, so there would have to be a government or combination of them willing to subsidize that difference.