“Scenic Drive is completely closed in both directions due to damage to the roadway,” the El Paso Police Department posted to Facebook on Wednesday night. “For your safety. Avoid the area. Closed until further notice.”
The post included a photo of a large hole in the road after heavy rain and thunderstorms swept through the region Wednesday. Residents filled the comments with concerns that repairs could take longer than expected or that the damage might become permanent.
“That looks like a deep cave!!,” Lettie Ortega wrote. “It’ll be really sad if Scenic drive stays closed permanently.”
“That’s not a quick, easy fix!!!,” wrote Gary Sapp.
The City of El Paso also urged motorists to take alternate routes and said it would share updates as they become available.
The El Paso Scenic Drive is a roughly two-mile winding stretch, famous for its city views along the edge of the Franklin Mountains. The roadway, which reaches an elevation above 4,000 feet, is a popular attraction for panoramic views of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, particularly at sunset.
Storms also caused several other notable impacts around the city this week.
At El Paso Airport, an outside awning collapsed amid a downpour of heavy rain, according to KFOX 14, though no injuries were reported. Heavy rain flooded streets across the city, snarling traffic, stalling cars and creating hazardous driving conditions. Some residents also took steps to protect their homes from damage.
A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for El Paso County through Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service El Paso office.
Another round of thunderstorms is expected in the region Thursday night, with scattered storms returning again Friday afternoon east of the Rio Grande.
“The already-saturated ground around El Paso and south-central NM, as well as the Sacramento Mountains, are obviously a concern,” El Paso forecasters wrote in their outlook.