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| Drivers who want to continue on Pebble Hills Boulevard must take a long alternate route. |
Drivers traveling east on Pebble Hills Boulevard currently hit a dead end just about 800 feet west of Zaragoza Road. On the other side of Zaragoza, Pebble Hills continues to the east. It’s a gap in the City street that has existed for many years, and a problem officials are trying to fix.
Unwitting drivers and neighborhood residents alike must take alternate routes, some through residential streets, to get to Zaragoza Road. Tierra Mina Drive and Tierra Sonora Drive have become makeshift detour routes in the area.
Two properties stand in the way of the completion of Pebble Hills Boulevard in this area, and an item on the City Council meeting agenda indicates that officials have made “several” offers to the owners of the properties to acquire the land.
City Council voted on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 to approve a $176,064 contract with Moreno Cardenas, Inc. of El Paso for design and construction management services related to the project. The City will still be responsible for right-of-way acquisition.
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| The City is trying to acquire two properties that would allow the extension of Pebble Hills Boulevard. |
According to the contract’s Scope of Work, $600,000 is budgeted for actual construction, an amount the contractor expects is too low. Construction will consist of some demolition work, drainage work, street construction, sidewalks, ramps, bicycle lanes, and fencing. Lighting, landscaping, and traffic lights will also be incorporated into the construction phase.
The tentative Project Schedule shows that construction documents may be ready by January 2014. Construction bidding may begin at the time if the City has succeeded in purchasing the portion of the properties needed to extend the street.