El Paso council approves to review safety, possible heavy truck limits on Transmountain

EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso City Council unanimously approved a motion Tuesday aimed at reviewing possible restrictions on heavy commercial traffic on Transmountain, as part of a broader effort to prevent crashes on the roadway following several deadly incidents.

During Tuesday’s meeting, city council approved a motion directing city leaders to work with the Texas Department of Transportation to evaluate additional safety measures along Transmountain Road, including potential restrictions on heavy commercial truck traffic.

The approved agenda item, introduced by City Rep. Alejandra Chávez, who represents West El Paso and the Upper Valley, calls for evaluating the feasibility of establishing alternative designated truck routes, reviewing applicable state and federal regulations, and identifying the steps needed to pursue implementation.

According to Chavez, once city leaders submit alternative routes for review, TxDOT will then evaluate whether any proposed route is safe for semitrucks to travel, as the proposed routes must comply with federal and state regulations.

“Every life lost on our roadways is one too many,” Chávez said. “While safety improvements have been made along Transmountain, the recent tragedies underscore the importance of examining what additional proactive measures can be taken to protect everyone who travels this corridor.”

She added the initiative also supports the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan, which seeks to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries through proactive roadway safety strategies.

“ This completely aligns with Vision Zero at the City of El Paso so that we prevent any tragic deaths in the future. Our commitment to Vision Zero means continuing to look for ways to prevent tragedies before they happen,” Chávez said. “Today’s action is an important step toward identifying practical solutions, strengthening our partnership with TxDOT, and improving safety for everyone traveling along Transmountain Road.”

As part of the proposed effort, the city will also ask TxDOT to reevaluate speed limits, set up signage prohibiting commercial vehicles from traveling in the left lane, and suggest inspections of brake temperature to ensure proper function.

The city manager is expected to return to City Council in 30 days with different options to move the proposal forward.

Meanwhile, the approved motion comes as the El Paso Police Department is continuing commercial vehicle enforcement along Transmountain Road, including targeted inspections of heavy trucks and enforcement of speed, vehicle safety, and size and weight requirements.

The inspections are part of the “Enough is Enough” initiative, which was launched in response to last week’s deadly crash in which a semi’s brakes failed, triggering a multi-vehicle crash that killed a man.

During Tuesday’s meeting, El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas provided an update on the inspections, stating that from October 21 to 25, combined agencies have inspected 142 commercial trucks, over 400 violations were written, taken 50 commercial vehicles out of service and issued 10 non hazardous citations.

Tags: