El Paso, Texas, which borders New Mexico and Mexico, is the most populous city in West Texas, with approximately 700,000 residents. The nearly 2,500-mile-long Interstate 10 (I-10) runs from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California, to the Atlantic Ocean in Jacksonville, Florida.
El Paso is one of the many cities that I-10 traverses. The massive interstate connects El Paso with other large Texas cities: San Antonio and Houston. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is working on widening a section of I-10 around El Paso. TxDOT expects that the I-10 Widening West project will help alleviate congestion on the city's west side.
A highlight of the project is the expansion of the existing four-lane highway to six lanes. The traffic mix includes a significant number of 18-wheelers.
TxDOT concluded a study of I-10 in 2023. According to a fact sheet about the study, the department focused on I-10 because it is “one of the busiest and most important highways in the Texas transportation network." The study examined "currently planned transportation projects and [analyzed] safety, connectivity, bottlenecks, and other mobility issues."
The fact sheet said that the goal was to "identify transportation needs and prioritize plans, policies, programs, and projects to improve safety, connectivity, and mobility along the I-10 corridor."
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A different study, called Reimagine I-10, focuses on a 55-mile stretch of the highway that runs from the border between Texas and New Mexico through El Paso and ends in Tornillo, Texas, which is southeast of El Paso.
TxDOT’s website said that "with five U.S. and Mexico ports of entry in the study limits and with the use of I-10 as a major east/west freight corridor, the importance of this corridor is far-reaching. Furthermore, El Paso is experiencing significant growth and development, but because of its unique geographical location, El Paso is limited to any alternative routing options, which ultimately puts more demand onto I-10."
The study led to the project at hand.
In addition to widening I-10 over the 7.5-mile project area, the team is demolishing and rebuilding 25 bridges and reconstructing existing outside lanes. The team is repaving the road with continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), which has a longer life cycle than asphalt.
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Other improvements include:
- Installation of safety lighting and high mast lighting
- Installation of four dynamic messaging signs, nine closed-circuit cameras, and wrong-way driver detection systems with LED signs at exit ramps
A significant element of the project is ramp reversals. Upon completion of the project, the existing off-ramps will be used as on-ramps and the existing on-ramps for off-ramps.
The ramp reversals will mean this section of I-10 is configured similarly to how the interstate is in the rest of El Paso. However, the change is not being driven by a desire for symmetry.
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"The way it’s currently configured, all exit ramps are close to the intersections," said Rudy Elias, a Project Executive with Sundt Construction. Elias is responsible for the financials and scheduling of Sundt's projects in El Paso.
The configuration leads to backups that spill onto I-10, which reduces mobility and can be a safety hazard.
With the change, the off-ramps will be moved back three-quarters of a mile, and traffic can use the frontage roads. The new entrance ramps will be closer to intersections, which will speed up entry to the interstate.
"This section of I-10 is based on an old design," Elias said. "We're bringing it up to current design standards."
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When Sundt was brought on to the project, they collaborated with TxDOT to create a schedule that focused on construction progress.
"We worked with the state to develop an alternate phasing plan to keep construction moving forward," Elias said.
Some phases were combined, which helped progress construction more quickly. The original plan called for Sundt and the team to complete one phase before moving on to the next. This prohibition prevented the project schedule from accelerating.
“We worked out a new sequence to maintain the project momentum,” Elias said. “Even as work was finishing in one phase, our team was starting the next phase, ensuring a continuous flow of progress.”
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Elias gave an example of how Sundt worked with TxDOT to revise some of the construction designs in order to minimize time impacts to the schedule.
“We were able to propose options for construction detours that mitigated delays to the construction schedule, while keeping traffic flowing,” he said.
Another challenge Sundt dealt with was more typical — high volumes of traffic.
"When you widen the inside of a freeway, it creates access issues in terms of getting into and out of a work zone," Elias said.
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This issue also impacts the delivery of materials. The team used some existing bridges to maintain production and get deliveries.
Sundt, which was founded in 1890 and is employee-owned, is one of the largest construction companies in the United States. The firm offers a wide range of self-performing capabilities. On the I-10 project, Sundt self-performed the concrete pavement that was used to replace the existing asphalt. Elias believes the ability to self-perform was a key factor in getting the job.
"The experience of our structures crew with concrete paving and earthwork creates added value," he said. "We like large projects that highlight our self-perform work, and this one had a lot of scope that involved Sundt’s self-perform capabilities."
The ability to self-perform has helped Sundt manage the construction schedule as well as quality and safety. Sundt began construction on the project in spring 2022. The 3.5-year project is scheduled to conclude in fall 2025, right on time.
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The project is anticipated to finish at $190 million.
When the project is completed, drivers along I-10 in El Paso will experience a more dependable commute, less congestion, a better-conditioned road, and increased safety.
Sundt was also awarded Phase Two of the I-10 widening in El Paso, which Elias said is "going smoothly, with very few issues.”
- Owner: Texas Department of Transportation
- General Contractor: Sundt Construction, Tempe, Arizona
- Designer: Consor Engineering, Houston, Texas
- Other Key Contractors: Tri-State Electric, Vinton, Texas; Hardy Hole Drilling, El Paso, Texas; Allied Paving, El Paso, Texas; HAWK Construction, Princeton, Texas; Nationwide Rebar, El Paso, Texas
