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Study will determine if La Entrada is needed
Avalanche staff report
The Texas Department of Transportation emphasized in a report released Wednesday that it is not in the business of promoting the La Entrada al Pacifico trade corridor.
Rather, TxDOT and the consultants working with them on a $2 million study are in the initial stages of assessing the "potential" of a trade corridor, its impacts and the potential traffic flow.
In its press release, TxDOT said the potential of La Entrada trade corridor in West Texas and its impacts to local and regional mobility are the focus of an ongoing study.
The study, which will determine what, if any, highway improvements are needed to meet anticipated trade demand, is currently focusing on data collection and travel demand modeling, according to members of a team at work on the study.
The two phases are the first of four in the study: data collection, travel demand modeling, alternatives identification/screening and a corridor development plan.
Results of each step are being presented to the public at meetings scheduled throughout the study, as well as in meetings with local citizens on a technical advisory committee (formerly called stakeholders) representing various local and regional interests.
In the initial phases underway now, team members are analyzing each of the route
alternatives in the region, based on demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, economic, safety and engineering, and studying expected travel demands along these routes - including commercial traffic - projected for the year 2030.
The La Entrada al Pacifico corridor was designated from Lamesa to Presidio by both state and federal authorities to promote commercial traffic from the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Western Mexico through West Texas.
"The purpose of this study is not to promote a trade corridor," said Amadeo Saenz, TxDOT's assistant director for engineering operations. "It is to assess the potential of a trade corridor and forecast trade flow at the Presidio Port of Entry."
Effects of foreign imports and freight diversion from other ports of entry with
Mexico will be assessed and used to determine the impact at Presidio, according to Saenz.
"Once a realistic trade number is determined, then -and only then- can local and
regional impacts on the Texas roadway network be assessed," he said.
"If the forecasted trade flow at the Presidio Port of Entry is significant over the next 25 years, this study will help form a plan that will minimize the impacts to the area,"
explained Saenz. "If the forecasted trade flow is relatively low, then the study will be
modified to only address safety and local mobility needs."
He said that the study is designed to identify existing local and regional impacts in the study area and plan for any future needs expected to occur as a result of continued growth in the region and the potential impact of trade flows from Presidio.
"Due to funding limitations and competition from other projects statewide, a plan is needed that addresses mobility deficiencies and is sensitive to the environmental and
community vision," said Saenz.
We are still fairly early in the study process and no outcome has been determined," said Saenz. "Public involvement is a significant part of the process and we greatly appreciate input we have received already."
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