The long-discussed downtown deck plaza is inching forward again, and the push to literally build a park over Interstate 10 just got a major boost. The Metropolitan Planning Organization\u2019s Transportation Policy Board advanced a recommendation for $25 million toward the project, signaling real momentum even though nothing is officially approved yet.<\/p>\n
What the Deck Plaza Is Supposed to Do<\/p>\n
Renderings of the Downtown Deck Plaza over I-10. Credit: Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation<\/p>\n
Renderings of the Downtown Deck Plaza over I-10. Credit: Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation<\/p>\n
The idea is simple but ambitious. The deck would cover a stretch of I-10 running through Downtown El Paso, creating a massive public space on top of the freeway. Supporters say it could reconnect parts of downtown that were split by the highway, add green space, boost foot traffic for local businesses, and reshape the area into something closer to a walkable urban hub.<\/p>\n
Where the Money Is Coming From<\/p>\n
So far, the early funding is stacking up.<\/p>\n
El Paso County voted in June to put in $1 million for the design phase, using certificates of obligation, which means it didn\u2019t require voter approval.<\/p>\n
The City of El Paso is also contributing $1 million.<\/p>\n
The state has kicked in $10 million.<\/p>\n
The final $8 million needed for the design phase is expected to come from a grant that hasn\u2019t been approved yet.<\/p>\n
With design alone estimated at $20 million, the $25 million recommendation from MPO leaders would help carry the project into the next major step. If everything lines up, the design could be completed by Fall 2026.<\/p>\n
The Big Question: Is This Worth the Price Tag?<\/p>\n
Early estimates put the full build-out of the deck plaza at around $412 million, and that number could change once designers finish their work. It\u2019s a huge investment, and depending on who you ask, it\u2019s either a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform downtown or an expensive gamble when El Paso has other needs competing for attention.<\/p>\n
What Do YOU Think?<\/p>\n
This project is moving closer to becoming a reality, and the conversation is only going to get louder. Do you think a downtown deck plaza would be good for El Paso? Is it a smart long-term investment, or is the price tag too high for what we\u2019d get out of it?<\/p>\n
Let us know what side you\u2019re on.<\/p>\n
Coldplay in El Paso, Texas<\/p>\n
Take a look at photos taken from El Paso photographer, Christian Churches, from Coldplay\u2019s sold out shows in El Paso, Texas.<\/p>\n
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Christian Churches<\/p>\n
El Paso\u2019s March Dust Storm Through Photos<\/p>\n
Gallery Credit: Christian Iglesias<\/p>\n
The City of The 915: El Paso, Texas Through Photos<\/p>\n
El Paso, Texas is a hidden gem full of so much culture, art, and community. These photos show what the city has to offer.<\/p>\n
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: UnSplash<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The long-discussed downtown deck plaza is inching forward again, and the push to literally build a park over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":65333,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[138,140,139,141,142,143],"class_list":["post-65332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-el-paso","tag-el-paso","tag-el-paso-headlines","tag-el-paso-news","tag-featured-carousel","tag-include-in-newsletter","tag-local-el-paso"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}