Project Profile

SMART Starter Line

El Paso, Texas

Project Summary: El Paso’s transit authority, Sun Metro, contracted with TGC to prepare the advanced planning for a fixed guideway system.

Project Highlights

Since the international crossing at the Paso del Norte Bridge processes about 30,000 pedestrians and 8,500 privately owned vehicles every day, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or Light Rail Transit (LRT) based system is essential to relieve congestion and service the demand in this downtown corridor. The SMART Starter Line’s implementation program is unique in that it evolves from a BRT system to an LRT system. As demand grows, some LRT-related improvements are made in the BRT phase in order to minimize future disruption during conversion. The SMART Starter is a part of a larger project to create a seamless international transit link – a transit-based set of policies and procedures to expedite transit travel over single occupancy vehicle travel.

Demand Analysis and Operating Plans

TGC, in cooperation with the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Municipal Institute for Research and Planning, developed a sophisticated Transborder Demand Model to estimate the travel mode choices of people crossing the border under alternative transit service scenarios. An analysis of demographic conditions and transportation networks helped to estimate trip generation patterns and potential demand. Based on this model, operating plans were created to serve the estimated 26,150 passengers per day (for year 2025) for an international fixed guideway system with expedited crossing. Operating plans were then interpolated for earlier years. Operating plans outlined, for example, passengers served, number of vehicles, hours of operation, and cost of operation.

Preliminary Engineering

TGC created the preliminary engineering study for the implementation of a fixed guideway system that would evolve from a BRT system to a LRT system in response to the growth of demand. TGC outlined route alignments, choice of technologies, track installation, maintenance requirements, operating and funding plans, and transit shelters and Livable Communities Initiatives with an eye toward the eventual conversion from BRT to LRT.