Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A new runaway truck ramp on the Trans Mountain highway aims to prevent devastating accidents by safely stopping out-of-control large vehicles.El Paso Today
A new, state-of-the-art runaway truck ramp is coming to the Trans Mountain highway in El Paso, Texas. This will be the first mechanical runaway ramp of its kind in the United States, using a series of strong steel nets bolted into concrete blocks to gradually slow down and stop runaway vehicles, including trucks weighing up to 90,000 pounds traveling at speeds up to 90 mph. The current gravel-filled runaway ramps on Trans Mountain have not been effective in preventing serious accidents involving large trucks that have lost their brakes.
Why it matters
Trans Mountain is a notoriously dangerous highway corridor in El Paso, with a history of serious and deadly accidents involving runaway trucks. The new innovative ramp system is designed to better manage these types of emergencies and improve safety for all drivers on the road.
The details
The new runaway truck ramp will be located in the median of Trans Mountain, a first-of-its-kind application. The mechanical system uses a series of strong steel nets bolted into concrete blocks to gradually slow down and stop runaway vehicles, including trucks weighing up to 90,000 pounds traveling at speeds up to 90 mph. This is a departure from the current gravel-filled runaway ramps on Trans Mountain, which have not been effective in preventing serious accidents.
The new runaway truck ramp is expected to open this summer.There have been several serious and deadly accidents on Trans Mountain in recent years involving runaway trucks.
The players
Trans Mountain
A major highway corridor in El Paso, Texas that has a history of serious accidents involving runaway trucks.
KVIA
A local news station in El Paso that reported on the new runaway truck ramp coming to Trans Mountain.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
What’s next
The new runaway truck ramp on Trans Mountain is expected to open this summer, providing a more effective safety feature to help prevent serious accidents involving large trucks on the busy highway corridor.
The takeaway
The innovative new runaway truck ramp on Trans Mountain represents an important safety upgrade for a notoriously dangerous highway, using a first-of-its-kind mechanical system to better manage emergencies and protect all drivers on the road.