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El Paso approves two Transportation Alternatives grant applications: Magoffin shared-use path and I-10 Deck Plaza
Summary
Council authorized staff to submit two competitive Transportation Alternatives applications: a Magoffin Avenue shared-use path (requested $11.9 million) and an application for a $25 million I-10 Deck Plaza multimodal deck; both applications will use state transportation development credits to meet match requirements if awarded.
The El Paso City Council voted Tuesday to authorize staff to submit two Transportation Alternatives (TA) grant applications to the Texas Department of Transportation: an extension of the Magoffin Avenue shared-use path and an application for a multimodal deck plaza over I-10.
Capital Improvements Department project manager Joaquin Rodriguez presented both proposals. The Magoffin Piedras/Paisano extension would continue an existing Magoffin active-transportation facility toward the zoo area. Staff requested the full estimated project cost of $11.9 million; because El Paso qualifies as an economically disadvantaged community, no local cash match is required and the city plans to use transportation development credits for the noncash match.
The second application is for an I-10 Deck Plaza project, an upper-deck multimodal structure with pedestrian and bicycle amenities above Interstate 10 in a central corridor. Rodriguez said the city would seek the full $25 million TA allocation for that project; staff stressed that this application is an initial, competitive step and any formal funding commitments would occur later if awarded through an advanced funding agreement with TxDOT.
Council members discussed process and timing. Representative Limon asked how many applications the city could submit; staff said the state limited agencies to two submissions this cycle. Representative Canales asked for assurances that a resolution of support would not bind the city to final financing until an advanced funding agreement is negotiated; staff said the resolution is a required application element and that formal commitments come later if the award is made.
Council authorized submission of both applications by unanimous vote for the Magoffin item and approved the I-10 Deck Plaza application by recorded vote after some members pressed for additional discussion; the resolutions are an initial step in a multiagency, competitive process. Staff said applicants should learn award decisions later in the summer and that, if awarded, funds would be available in federal fiscal year 2027.
