Thanks to a public information request filed by our friend Sam Armijo, we have a copy of the City of El Paso’s application for a $5,000,000 grant from the FY26 Community Project Funding, a federal appropriations program, in support of constructing a Deck Plaza over Interstate 10.
According to the Scope of Work, “Funding will be utilized for on-system (TxDOT) structural improvements for the I-10 Deck Plaza including retaining walls, support beams, fire safety, and utilities over a 6-block (0.38 miles) length of Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) in Downtown El Paso, Texas.”
We were curious why the text indicates the project will be 6 blocks long rather than 5 blocks (the dimensions in the feasibility studies and all official documents). We asked the City and were told the Scope of Work “refers to an area of impact with utilities, which will extend beyond the Deck Plaza structural footprint.” This is interesting.
The application claims the project is a “priority for the people of El Paso” because it will “physically reconnect Downtown and Uptown El Paso, de-emphasize the current vehicular-centric environment, and facilitate all modes of travel, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.”
Apparently, this is a much higher priority than fixing our streets or lowering our taxes.
The City of El Paso sent the application directly to Congresswoman Veronica Escobar on or shortly after May 7, accompanied by 37 letters of support, all of which have the same core text.
The letters were signed by four prominent politicians, the heads of several powerful institutions, and a gaggle of local construction firms that stand to benefit directly or indirectly if the Deck Plaza is built.
Of course, $5 million is only a drop in the bucket, and if the City and County fail to procure hundreds of millions more in federal, state, and private funding, we feel certain that certificates of obligation will be issued without voter approval and that taxpayers will be on the hook for decades of principal and interest.
But at least we will see a park rather than the freeway during the 15 seconds it takes to drive across the I-10 trench on the way to downtown!
Here are the signatories:
Tracy Yellen, CEO, Paso del Norte Community Foundation
Tracy Yellen, CEO, Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation
Ricardo Samaniego, El Paso County Judge
Sergio Coronado, El Paso County Commissioner, Precinct 4
Claudia Ordaz, Texas State Representative, District 79
Vincent Perez, Texas State Representative, District 77
Heather Wilson, President, UTEP
Mary Saenz, Association Executive, El Paso Apartment Association
Jon Barela, CEO, The Borderplex Alliance
Joe Gudenrath, Executive Director, Downtown Management District
Ricardo Mora, President & CEO, El Paso Chamber
Robert Nathan, Manager, Texas Government Relations, Schneider Electric
Alan Ledford, President, MountainStar Sports Group
Brad Taylor, Sr. Vice-President & General Manager, MountainStar Sports Group
Josh Hunt, President, Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation
Woody Hunt, Senior Chairman of the Board, Hunt Companies
Peter Spier, President, Avanta Residential
Lydia Hidalgo, President, A Brothers Milling
Ebetuel Pallares, General Partner, Audaz Capital
Miguel Allen, President, Allen Concrete
Alexis Reza, Director of Operations, Border Trucking Compliance Group
Robert Wrinkle, Branch Manager, Sierra Machinery/ROMCO Equipment Co.
Max Villaronga, President & CEO, Raiz Federal Credit Union
Rick Prieto, Senior Vice President, Consor
Andrew Forrest, General Manager, Business and Technical Operations, El Paso Locomotive FC
Charlie Tellez, General Manager, Jobe Materials
Garrett Yancey, General Counsel, Jobe Materials
Ralph Richards, Vice President and Sr. General Counsel, Jobe Materials
Stanley Jobe, President, Jobe Materials
Thomas A. Georges, Vice President of Operations, Jobe Materials
Jorge Ojeda, President, Hawk Construction
Robert Veytia, Branch Manager, 4Rivers Equipment
Joseph M. Ureño, Project Executive, Jordan Foster Construction
Mark B. Soyster, Area Manager, Sundt Construction
Ruben Chavez, Principal, CEA Group
Perla Lucero, Founder/CEO. Urban Flex
Tiffany Menefee, President, Pronto Body Shop
PHOTO CREDIT: Austin-American Statesman