EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — A vacant lot in East El Paso has become a renewed safety concern after storms pushed large pipes from the property into a busy roadway along Gateway Boulevard West near Airway Boulevard, prompting questions about who is responsible for securing the site and when the problem will be fixed.
“Now it’s a safety concern. Whenever there’s a rainstorm, whenever there’s a windstorm, these things fall onto the roadway,” a viewer said.
Video and photos shared with FitFam showed debris in the street after the storms, and TxDOT cameras captured the aftermath along the roadway.
Cleanup crews were seen at the site earlier today.
Emily Schmalz reports on Storms push pipes from East El Paso lot into Gateway Blvd West roadway, raising alarm (Credit: KFOX14)
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The viewer said he has been reporting problems at the property for years.
“But this issue’s been going on for several years,” he said.
He said he first contacted the former City Representative Cassandra Hernandez about the property when she represented the area from 2020 to 2024.
“And they would tell me, we’re looking into the area, we’re looking into the problem, but nothing was addressed,” he said, adding, “This was during COVID.”
After the issue remained unresolved, the viewer said he contacted current area representative Deanna Rocha last September through letters, emails, and phone calls.
He said he received a response in March stating the property is currently involved in municipal court litigation and the city is limited in what action it can take until that process is complete.
“I had to follow up with an email, and they tell me, well, code enforcement goes around. They shoo the homeless individuals. They keep track of the graffiti,” the viewer said.
But that’s not enough.
Rocha told KFOX14/CBS4 she has been working on securing the property since last summer.
City officials said responsibility for securing the pipes lies with the property owner, who has agreed to relocate the pipes farther from the roadway.
The city said it will continue monitoring the site to ensure corrective action is taken.
Property records show the lot is owned by Gateway El Paso LLC, which acquired it in 2024.
KFOX14/CBS4 attempted to contact the company, but no contact information was found.
Meanwhile, KFOX14/CBS4 contacted the previous owner by phone and social media and was referred to a bankruptcy group involved in the property’s transfer.
The viewer said he remains concerned about the location and the volume of traffic nearby.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one that doesn’t like seeing those items there along the freeway. We have thousands of vehicles passing through El Paso right next to the I-10,” he said.
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He also said he wants clearer answers about enforcement and cleanup.
“Now, why does the city not take action and have these items removed from that property?” he said.
“How come they haven’t resolved it?” He also asked, “Further, who’s going to go pick up these items and put them back on the property? The city? TX-DOT?”
For now, the city said the property owner has agreed to relocate the pipes farther from the roadway, but questions remain about when that will happen, what additional enforcement could take place and when the court process will be complete.
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