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As preparations related to the the El Paso Streetcar Project continue, the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority and Sun Metro are planning several testing and training operations in the coming weeks.

On Monday, August 13, 2018, Sun Metro will begin training streetcar operators during daytime hours from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This will be the first opportunity for the public to share the road with the Streetcar while it operates in daytime traffic throughout its route.

Officials with the CRRMA stated, “We remind the public to always follow standard safety procedures when driving, cycling or walking: Obey traffic laws and cross safely at designated locations.”

Additionally, contractors working for the CRRMA will conduct electrical testing along the Uptown Loop between 7:00 p.m. and midnight on Monday, August 13, 2018.

During this test, contractors will intentionally short-circuit some of the electrical components in a controlled environment to ensure safety mechanisms are properly functioning. Those along the Uptown Loop at the time may hear two loud ‘booms’ during this test. There is no danger to members of the public.

The Uptown Loop includes Franklin Avenue, Stanton Street, Glory Road, Baltimore Drive and Oregon Street.

On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, the CRRMA will resume other overnight on-street vehicle testing which will require intermittent street and lane closures along the Uptown Loop.

More information on those closures will be released in the coming days.

While residents will be seeing a lot more of the iconic trolleys, they are not passenger service just yet.

The CRRMA and Sun Metro each have several more months of testing and training to ensure the system can operate safely for the public. In the coming weeks, you’ll likely to see streetcars running more often along the route but, again, you won’t be able to board.

Below are some important tips to remember as we begin seeing the streetcars out-and-about more often:

• Other than traveling on a fixed route, the streetcars will operate much like other vehicles. They will have a maximum speed of approximately 25 miles per hour, obeying all traffic laws and — in most cases — they will travel with other vehicles in a travel lane.
• The Streetcar is powered by lines running above the street which carry 650 DC volts of electricity. Every line is fully energized. Never touch the wires.
• Don’t ride your bike along the rails; your tire can get stuck between the rail and the pavement. When you cross the rails, do so at a 90-degree angle.
• Pedestrians should also use extra caution when crossing the rails or walking near the streetcar line. Always LOOK both ways and LISTEN for the streetcar before stepping in the crosswalk.
• Motorists should never cut off the streetcar whether it is moving or standing. Never block the tracks while parking or changing lanes.
• For more information, call (844) 252-RAIL.

Officials with the Streetcar project are giving motorists on the Westside a heads up about upcoming trolley-related work.

During the early morning hours of Thursday, May 31st, motorists in the Kern Place area should expect a four-hour closure of Mesa Street very early on Thursday morning.

In order to install the cross-span wires, which support the overhead contact wires which will eventually power the streetcars, all lanes at the intersection of Mesa Street and Baltimore Ave./Glory Road will be closed between from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. 

Motorists travelling in this area should follow marked detours.

In addition, Franklin Street will be closed to all traffic from Santa Fe to Mesa Streets between the hours of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1, 2018. Franklin Street will be closed for continued streetcar testing.

After being mothballed for more than four decades, undergoing two years of extensive renovation, and making a 3,600 mile round trip to the Keystone State, the very first of El Paso’s vintage streetcars is back in the Sun City.

Monday morning, the truck carrying Car No. 1506 enterd Downtown El Paso accompanied by an escort and traveled to Father Rahm Avenue where it will be unloaded.

Once the streetcar has been unloaded, it will be transported into the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) at 601 South Santa Fe Street for inspection by the CRRMA and Sun Metro.

The CRRMA and the City of El Paso will soon announce public events to celebrate the streetcar’s homecoming.

Car No. 1506, part of the fleet of streetcars which ran in El Paso until 1974, is the first of six vintage Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars to be refurbished and modernized as part of the $97 million El Paso Streetcar Project

El Paso’s fleet of six historic Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) streetcars left El Paso on November 12 and December 10, 2015, bound for extensive renovation by Brookville Equipment Corporation in Brookville, Penn.

Each of the six streetcars will be painted in one of three vintage color schemes from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Car No. 1506 is painted in the red and green 1970s color pattern.

The return of the first streetcar will allow the CRRMA to begin a rigorous, months-long testing phase to ensure the system is safe before Sun Metro begins operating the service for the public.

In the coming weeks, streetcars will be running along the 4.8 mile route but passengers won’t be able to board. An exact date for the beginning of on-street testing has not been announced.

Below are some important tips to remember as we welcome the first streetcar back to El Paso:

• Other than traveling on a fixed route, the streetcars will operate much like other vehicles. They will have a maximum speed of approximately 25 miles per hour, obeying all traffic laws and — in most cases — they will travel with other vehicles in a travel lane.
• The Streetcar is powered by lines running above the street which carry 650 DC volts of electricity. Always consider every line to be fully energized. Never touch the wires or anything touching the wires.
• Don’t ride your bike along the rails your tire can get stuck between the rail and the pavement. When you cross the rails, do so at a 90-degree angle.
• Pedestrians should also use extra caution when crossing the rails or walking near the streetcar line.
• For more information, call (844) 252-RAIL.

Click here to view bilingual safety videos produced by the CRRMA as part of the El Paso Streetcar Project.

As crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks turn their focus toward overhead power systems, they’re also finishing up minor street and sidewalk work at various sections along the 4.8 mile route.

That work will require a handful of lane restrictions and street closures over the coming weeks.

On Wednesday, August 30, 2017, Yandell Drive will be reduced to a single westbound lane at Stanton Street so crews can make adjustments to water valves in the street; Also at this time, Stanton Street will be closed to thru traffic between Yandell Drive and Montana Avenue and an eastbound lane on Montana Avenue will be closed at Stanton.

During the morning commute, these closures will impact motorists who use the Mesa Street exit off of I-10 westbound to access Downtown. Motorists should consider using Cotton Street to Texas Avenue to access downtown.

In the evening commute, these closures will impact motorists who use Yandell Drive to access I-10 westbound and those who use northbound Stanton Street to leave the Downtown area.

Motorists should consider Santa Fe Street or Campbell Street as alternate routes out of Downtown.

These closures will be in effect for 24 hours only meaning impacted streets will re-open on Thursday, August 31, 2017.

Stanton Street and Oregon Street will close for approximately one week between Yandell Drive and Wyoming Avenue. This closure is anticipated in early September, but an exact date has not been announced.

The closure is necessary to allow crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks to place the final sealant on specially formulated concrete recently used to adjust the driving surface of the bridges to match the height of the newly installed rail.

Crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks continue stringing wire for the Overhead Catenary System (OCS) at various locations throughout the 4.8 mile route of the El Paso Streetcar Project.

This work is done with a police escort. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution around this work.

But for a section about 25 feet long, all rail for the El Paso Streetcar Project has been placed along the entire 4.8 mile route stretching from South El Paso to Downtown to the Kern Place/UTEP area.

On Thursday, August 10, 2017, El Pasoans are invited to take a few moments out of their day to stop-in and sign what will be the very last piece of rail which will be placed as part of the El Paso Streetcar Project.

“In the coming weeks, crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks will weld that final piece of rail into place signifying the end of major construction work for this project,” said Raymond Telles, executive director of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority.

“However, that doesn’t mean the streetcars are ready to roll just yet — crews must continue work on the overhead system which will power the streetcars which are still being renovated in Brookville, Penn. When those streetcars return later this year, we’ll begin a 6-12 month testing phase which must be completed before the City of El Paso is able to begin streetcar service,” Telles added.

The CRRMA will have special markers and commemorative giveaways available in the 500 Block of North Stanton Street in Downtown El Paso between 10am and 1pm.

All lanes of Mesa Street are once again open to traffic at Baltimore Drive/Glory Road —earlier than expected, according to the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority.

Glory Road has also re-opened between Oregon Street and Mesa Street and Baltimore Drive has re-opened between Mesa Street and Stanton Street.

“Completion of rail work across Mesa Street is a huge milestone for the El Paso Streetcar Project,” said CRRMA Executive Director Raymond Telles. “In addition to making life easier for thousands of commuters, re-opening Mesa Street also signifies the completion of one of the last major pieces of rail work for this project.”

Rail work continues at locations on Oregon Street and Stanton Street in Downtown El Paso. Telles also invited members of the public to come “Make Your Mark” on the El Paso Streetcar Project later this week.

On Thursday, August 10, 2017, El Pasoans are invited to take a few moments out of their day to stop-in and sign what will be the very last piece of rail placed as part of the El Paso Streetcar Project. The CRRMA will have special markers and commemorative giveaways available in the 500 Block of North Stanton Street in Downtown El Paso between 10am and 1pm.

“In the coming weeks, crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks will weld that final piece of rail into place signifying the end of major construction work for this project,” Telles said. “However, that doesn’t mean the streetcars are ready to roll just yet — crews must continue work on the overhead system which will power the streetcars which are still being renovated in Brookville, Penn.

When those streetcars return later this year, we’ll begin a 6-12 month testing phase which must be completed before the City of El Paso is able to begin streetcar service.”

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists should use extra caution in the coming days as a new temporary traffic pattern is now in place on North Stanton Street as part of the El Paso Streetcar Project, according to the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority.

While North Stanton Street remains reduced to a single northbound lane between Yandell Drive and Cincinnati Avenue, northbound traffic has moved from the east side of the street to the west side of the street between Rim Road and Cincinnati Avenue. This change in traffic pattern is necessary to give crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks room to safely construct boarding platforms and complete paving along Stanton Street.

All cross-streets between Schuster Avenue and Cincinnati Avenue have re-opened at Stanton Street. Meanwhile, Hague Road, Crosby Avenue and Rio Grande Avenue remain closed to thru traffic immediately west of Stanton. Intermittent closures of cross-streets will continue as rolling paving operations continue along some parts of Stanton Street.

Stanton Street is scheduled to re-open to north-south traffic between Crosby Avenue and Cincinnati Avenue by the end of May. Baltimore Drive will close again when rail crosses Mesa Street at Glory Road/Baltimore Drive in mid-June.

As crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks complete installation of some of the most complex rail and switching mechanisms along the entire 4.8 mile route along Santa Fe Street, they are turning their attention to the reconstruction of the intersection of 4^th Avenue and Santa Fe Street.

The reconstruction will begin in early May and is necessary to withstand the rigors of daily traffic and buses entering Sun Metro’s Burt Williams Downtown Transfer Center.

To accommodate this work, Santa Fe Street will be closed to thru traffic between 3^rd Avenue and Father Rahm Avenue. Also at that time, 4^th Avenue will be closed between El Paso Street and Santa Fe Street. Lane restrictions will be in place on El Paso Street at 4^th Avenue as well.

Because work will be confined to the intersection, both streets will remain open for local access. However, no vehicles will be allowed to pass through the intersection as it is being reconstructed. Temporary pedestrian crossings will also be in place.

The reconstruction of the intersection is scheduled to be completed by the end of May. This is the last work for the El Paso Streetcar Project which will require complete closure of Santa Fe Street.

The following traffic impacts will remain in place during the week of April 23, 2017:

Complete Closures:

• Glory Road between Randolph Drive and Mesa Street
• Oregon Street between Cincinnati Avenue and Glory Road
• Stanton Street between Main Drive and Franklin Avenue
• Santa Fe Street between 4^th Avenue and Father Rahm Avenue

Lane Restrictions:

• Kansas Street between Missouri Avenue and Main Drive
• Kansas Street between Texas Avenue and Paisano Drive
• Oregon Street between Yandell Drive and Nevada Avenue
• Franklin Avenue between Kansas Street and Santa Fe Street
• Father Rahm Avenue between Kansas Street and Santa Fe Street

Final utility relocation for the El Paso Streetcar Project along Glory Road will require traffic in the area of the University of Texas at El Paso’s Don Haskins Center to detour beginning later this week.

Beginning on Friday, March 24, 2017, Glory Road will be closed to thru traffic between Mesa Street and Oregon Street. Motorists who use Glory Road to access UTEP from Mesa Streets should use Cincinnati Avenue to Oregon Street as an alternate route. Traffic will be able to access the Glory Road Transfer Center and Parking Garage through the intersection of Glory Road and Oregon Street during this closure.

Crews from Paso del Norte Trackworks continue their work on concrete crosswalks on Santa Fe Street at Main Drive adjacent to the Judson F. Williams Convention Center.

To accommodate this work, northbound traffic remains detoured off of Santa Fe Street onto Main Drive, El Paso Street and Franklin Avenue. Southbound traffic remains able to travel south on Santa Fe Street through lane restrictions in the area.

High-impact closures on Santa Fe Street near Southwest University Park will be completed by the El Paso Chihuahuas’ home opener on April 6.

Santa Fe Street is once again open to thru traffic between Paisano Drive and 4^th Avenue. Santa Fe Street will remain closed between 4^th Avenue and Father Rahm Avenue through May.

The following traffic impacts will remain in place at other locations throughout the 4.8 mile route during the week of March 20, 2017:

Complete Closures

• Stanton Street between Yandell Drive and Baltimore Drive (open to northbound traffic only)
• Baltimore Drive, Robinson Avenue, Blanchard Avenue, University Avenue, Blacker Avenue, Hague Road, Crosby Avenue, Cliff Drive and Rio Grande Avenue between Stanton Street and Mesa Street
• Santa Fe Street between Father Rahm Avenue and 4^th Street
• Stanton Street between Main Drive and Franklin Avenue

Lane Restrictions

• Mesa Street at Franklin Avenue
• Franklin Avenue between Santa Fe Street and Kansas Street
• Kansas Street between Franklin Avenue and Father Rahm Avenue
• Oregon Street between Yandell Drive and Nevada Avenue
• Father Rahm Avenue Drive between Kansas Street and Santa Fe Street

Six Sun Metro routes in the downtown area that had been impacted by the Streetcar construction zone are returning to their regular route service effective immediately

• Route 205 (Brio) will resume its original boarding location on Santa Fe Street near the downtown transfer center on Monday, March 20, 2017.
• Routes 10, 11, 14, 15, 70, and 75 will no longer be detouring on Mesa Street and will return to their original routes on Oregon Street providing service from the Downtown Transfer Center to the Glory Road Transfer Center.

Supervisors and notifications are on site to inform passengers of the change as Sun Metro passengers may have grown accustomed to the detours on Mesa Street. For more information about Sun Metro, visit sunmetro.net or call (915) 212-3333.