El Paso City Council rejects plan to reopen Scenic Drive daily to pedestrians for summer

UPDATE: El Paso City Council on June 9th has voted down a proposal to reopen Scenic Drive on a daily basis to pedestrians for the summer from July 4th through Labor Day.

ORIGINAL REPORT: EL PASO, Texas -- Hiking and walking trails have reopened across the city. Scenic Drive is just one of the eight trails now open to the public since the Covid-19 pandemic, but only on Sundays.

Dozens flocked to the popular road on the Sunday after it was closed to pedestrians and motorists for several weeks.

As parks, pools, and recreation centers remained closed this Memorial Day weekend headed into the summer, El Paso City Council will be discussing a way to re-open Scenic Drive everyday for pedestrians.

City Rep. Peter Svarzbein said if approved, having Scenic Drive open only for pedestrians would be able to give El Pasoans an opportunity get some extra steps in and some fresh air all while adding more space to social distance. 

“Right now, we have the summer that's approaching, UTEP is out. We know that more businesses, more restaurants, more bars are opening up, let's go and have another opportunity to keep this road closed for cars so that we can encourage people to be outside and be healthy," Rep. Svarzbein said. "This just gives El Pasoans another place, another opportunity to go out, to get some exercise in a safe and socially distancing way.” 

For now Scenic Sundays will run between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. during the spring and summer.

For a list of complete walking and hiking trails, click here.