Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the joint venture formed by J.D. Abrams L.P. and Kiewit Infrastructure South Company have reached commercial close on the Loop 375-Border Highway West Extension project in El Paso, USA.

The project will add capacity by providing a new four-lane, controlled access facility from Racetrack Drive, near Doniphan Road to just west of Downtown and then to U.S. 54 making a full circle around the city by connecting to the portion that links U.S. 54 to Zaragoza Road in East El Paso.

The project involves:

• 5.6 miles of tolled lanes, ramps, interchanges and intersection improvements
• demolition of existing Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad mainline and cross-over track
• new alignment of approximately 10,000 feet of Union Pacific Railroad mainline track
• 2,000 feet of setout track
• one mile of Burlington Northern Santa Fe cross-over track

The private partner will develop, design and construct the project; and maintain the project for a period of 15 years. The new road is scheduled to be operational by fall of 2017.

The construction of this segment of Loop 375, or the Border Highway West Extension, will be broken up into three sections with construction starting at Racetrack Drive to Executive Center, then moving onto to Santa Fe Street and Santa Fe Street to U.S. 54.

The total project investment is estimated at US$800 million.

El Paso stands on the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte), across the border from Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The county  has experienced significant growth over the past several years.