The City of El Paso is proposing to permanently close the right hand lanes in both directions of Piedras Street between Yandell and Montana. This will make permanent the narrowing that is delineated by striping that was supposed to be a test by creating new curbs, planters etc. As part of the project, the road surface will be completely rebuilt and in cooperation with El Paso Water the water and sewer lines will be replaced. To accomplish this, Piedras in this area will be completely closed for 10 months!
MOST OF THIS PLAN IS A TERRIBLE IDEA!
1. TERRIBLE IDEA #1—CHOKING TRAFFIC FLOW
The City’s euphemism for this is a “Road Diet”. It should be remembered that anorexia and bulimia are a form of dieting that can cause death. So to can this “Road Diet” in Five Points.
Piedras is a major artery and collector from Paisano Drive to the old Beaumont on Ft. Bliss. It is the dominant north/south business street. It is the major means for Manhattan Heights and neighborhoods north to access I10 and the business of Five Points. It is also part of the traffic pattern for the Eastside-Central Coalition Black History Museum and Tour for which a brochure is being prepared. Traffic is now backing up to this area and beyond during train crossings north of Pershing. TXDOT is proposing to route northbound traffic from Alameda directly north on Piedras rather than Raynor. All of these factors call for increased ability to move traffic, not to reduce that ability.
2. TERRIBLE IDEA #2—FAVORING SOME BUSINESSES OVER OTHERS AND NEIGHBORS
While fancy new planters, trees and other amenities may be welcomed by business in the two-block stretch, what about the interests of other businesses who depend on traffic from I10 for their existence and other neighborhoods that use Piedras for shopping and I10 access. Is it fair or reasonable to make potential patrons wait or put themselves at risk at the choke points just for aesthetics for a few.
3. TERRRIBLE IDEA #3—RELYING ON FOUR YEAR OLD DATA AND INCOMPLETE OR INACCURATE “FACTS”
This concept was first sprung on the Five Points Area pre-COVID. FPDA had concerns and raised objections from the beginning. As FPDA has tried to keep track of the, status, the City, through various officials, told us that “there is no funding”, “there are no firm plans at this time”, etc., etc.. Suddenly, we find out from Representative Acevedo that it’s, moving along, we have a presentation by Ismael Cepeda of Capital Improvements stating that the plan is 60% complete. We then met with the City Manager, the City Engineer and former Deputy City Manager Ellen Smyth to voice our concerns over Piedras, Memorial Park and Trowbridge plan implementations that either did not involve residents or ignored their input and were assured that this would not be the case going forward. At a District 2 Meeting, Mr. Cepeda informed the audience that the plans are now 90% complete and Representative Acevedo says the money is already allocated and the plan can probably not be stopped. Through all of this, and despite all sorts of reassurances, not a word to FPDA.
Mr. Cepeda presented a slide that showed “Stakeholder Engagement”. Who were they? Did they include Manhattan Heights, the Eastside-Central Coaltion, the owners of the former Chase building, the owner of Morra Mia Restaurant? Was it just the owners directly on the two-block stretch? Are all those businesses still there? His slide also said all businesses agreed with the plan. Who is “all”? The slide said they met with the Five Points Business Association. Who is that? All the above questions are rhetorical, the answers being obviously “no” or “who knows”.
At the beginning, FPDA asked for copies of traffic studies that Capital Improvements was touting as supporting the plan. We were told that they were too complex for lay people to understand. One of the FPDA representatives present had a master’s degree in engineering and another has been a practicing architect for over 40 years, has taught at various institutions, been the principal of his own firm for over 30 years with many major projects. How demeaning and dismissive can one be? We have never been provided the studies we requested. That is probably moot today because much has changed since pre-COVID. I would submit that Café Pantera, Morra Mia and the new restaurants in the former Chase building were not in existence at the time and that much of the traffic for those areas flows through the subject stretch.
Most unforgiveable, business that have spent millions of dollars since the original inception of this plan were totally unaware before investing that the City was proposing something that could be fatal to the future of their businesses. They would still be unaware were it not for the notice given by FPDA. Is this how the City promotes small businesses and neighborhood redevelopment?
4. TERRIBLE IDEA #4—“ROAD DIET” AS THE ONLY MEANS FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
Mr. Cepeda stated that one of the motivations was pedestrian safety. One of the other so-called “Entertainment Districts” the infamous Cincinnati Street, had a worse problem,
State Highway 20 also known as Mesa Street. A “Road Diet” was, of course, unacceptable so they erected pedestrian fences at the curb to compel “potential fatalities” to cross at controlled intersections. If it’s good enough for Texas 20, surely it’s good enough for Piedras Street.
5. TERRIBLE IDEA #5—COMPLETELY CLOSING PIEDRAS FOR “10 MONTHS” FOR ANY REASON
Businesses cannot and do not survive prolonged street closures. The City has proven this time and again with ill-conceived projects that do not take into consideration the realities of business. The newer businesses in the Pershing/Piedras area that represent millions of dollars of investments have voiced their concern and opposition. Even one of the long-established businesses in the subject area was unaware of the closure and is very concerned. Between the City and El Paso Water Utilities, the track record for completing public works projects on time is not the best to be charitable. In our own neighborhood, think Trowbridge. This subject area hasn’t seen the light of day in many years and there are therefore many unknown surprises lurking beneath the asphalt that could spell many delays. The 10 months could turn into 2 years. In addition, one of the businesses to the north has spoken of known problems existing with her water supply and is concerned that once they open the street they will find it necessary to move north—or south and asks what then. If infrastructure replacement is necessary without the “Road Diet”, even if it costs more, and takes more time, alternate ways of doing it must be found to keep Piedras Street partially open during the process to preserve the viability of the neighborhood business. The City owes it to those whom it has kept in the dark and allowed to make huge financial commitments in ignorance. It also owes it to the neighborhoods and long established businesses who have not been considered “stakeholders” and thus ignored even though Piedras is a part of their everyday lives.