Broadcasters and local groups urge TPWD to preserve transmitter access during Wyler Tramway renovation
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Summary
During the El Paso regional hearing, local broadcasters and civic groups told the commission that the Wyler Tramway reconstruction must preserve safe access to television transmitters on Ranger Peak. Broadcasters said current access requires long, arduous hikes following tramway closure and asked that new plans honor prior commitments to preserve
Broadcasters, open‑space advocates and local elected officials used the regional public hearing in El Paso to urge Texas Parks and Wildlife to protect access for critical communications infrastructure and to conserve Franklin Mountains state park lands.
Brenda Deanda Swan, general manager of KVIA (El Paso), described decades of transmitter investments on Ranger Peak and urged that the planned Wyler Bridal Tramway renovation preserve safe access to transmitters and honor the original donation's commitment to broadcaster access. She said engineers must now hike long distances over steep terrain to reach equipment because the existing tramway is out of service, creating public‑safety and service‑continuity risks for broadcast news and emergency communications. David Ishanis (chief engineer, KSCETV) said the hike to reach top‑mount transmitters has become a 45‑minute, uphill trek that limits after‑hours access and emergency servicing.
Local officials and community representatives reiterated broad support for protecting and expanding Franklin Mountains Park. State Representative Vince Perez and the Open Space Advisory Board's Joe Garibay asked the commission to approve land acquisitions and conservation easements (including the proposed Martin Luther King property) and to consider long‑term staffing increases for park trail maintenance and access control, given intense neighborhood growth around park boundaries.
Why it matters: Ranger Peak houses multi‑station broadcast facilities that serve El Paso and surrounding areas; sustained reliable and safe access is important for public‑safety communications and media infrastructure. Public comments also highlighted the value of Franklin Mountains as an urban wilderness resource and community economic asset.
What's next: Commissioners heard the public comments during the regional hearing; the Wyler Tramway renovation remains underway and staff said they will coordinate with broadcasters about access plans. Commissioners authorized staff to proceed with public notice processes on several land items, including the Martin Luther King property discussion and two park‑land disposition/exchange items.
Attribution: KVIA general manager Brenda DeAnda Swan and KSCETV chief engineer David Ishanis described access challenges and asked that tramway plans preserve transmitter access.