The design phase for the $207 million Downtown Interstate 10 Deck Plaza project in El Paso is slated to start this year. The project will build a deck plaza over I-10, enhancing the downtown area’s mobility and available mixed-use spaces. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
The project is broken down into four phases, with El Paso overseeing the initial two phases covering design and construction. The project’s third phase is estimated to cost an additional $204 million to fund facility development, planned to be executed through a series of public-private partnerships (P3s).
The plaza will reconnect neighborhoods historically divided by the original construction of I-10. The project’s vision features green space, hike and bike trails and additional recreational amenities covering approximately five city blocks.
Notable features included in the park’s design include large, flexible open spaces, a children’s discovery zone, native horticultural gardens and park overlooks. Additional amenities include a visitor’s center, shade pavilions and seating, restrooms, water features, landscape terraces and gateway shade structures.
The project will also feature a civic room with a lunch plaza and cafe, multi-sport courts, a dog park, multiple pedestrian walkways, utilities, storage areas and a truck plaza. The area’s entry plaza will lead into the largest planned structure – the Metrosport fieldhouse and pavilion.
The city plans to provide plenty of space for future development opportunities, carving out plots of the deck’s real estate to be converted later in the project’s lifecycle. The project will emphasize ADA accessibility, mobility and connectivity for El Paso residents, supporting easy transit access and sustainable operation practices by conserving water and energy while reducing the city’s heat island effect.
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