The following are weather alerts being sent out by the city. I’ll update this page as new ones are sent out. (Last updated at 17:25 ET)
The City/County Emergency Management is monitoring the weather situation and working closely with City, County, State and School District officials. Currently, the only closures are Transmountain and Scenic Drive.
The City of El Paso Department of Transportation is already working to ensure streets are clear, please see operational breakdown below:
Currently…
• Scenic Drive closed as of 10:00 am
• All 10 department sand spreaders are deployed citywide spreading sand on bridges, overpasses and hospital routes
• Concentration right now is in the northeast with salt and sand spreading
Plan for Day…
• Monitor weather and wet areas throughout the day
• Continue to spread sand and salt at critical locations
• Potentially work throughout the evening to keep ice plan in effect in case of a freeze
• EPDOT has sufficient materials for the event.
The City will continue to update the community should the situation change.
City Services Schedule for Friday Updated at 17:25 ET
City operations that are usually open on Fridays will have a delayed opening of 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (January 23).
El Paso International Airport Updated at 17:15 ET
El Paso International Airport is open and closely monitoring local weather conditions. Airlines are reporting flight delays and possible cancellations due to weather. Passengers are strongly encouraged to contact their airline and/or check their airline’s website for up-to-date information. Hazardous road conditions may exist, so please allow adequate time for your travel to the airport.
Municipal Courts Updated at 17:15 ET
Friday 1/23/15 Court Cancellations:
Court 5 Judge Robledo – 7:00AM & 8:00AM
Court 3 Judge Bonilla – 7:30 AM & 8:30 AM
Cases will be reset and letter sent to defendant with new date
One Stop Shop Updated at 17:15 ET
One Stop Shop, 811 Texas Ave., will adjust their Friday, January 23, operational schedule. They will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 23.
Public Libraries Updated at 17:15 ET
All public libraries will close at 2 PM on Thursday, January 22, 2015 to allow employees safe travel home. They normally open at 1 PM on Fridays therefore it is anticipated they will open on schedule. However if that changes, the library will send notices out to the media and to the public via Facebook and Twitter.
Sun Metro Service Advisory Updated at 17:15 ET
The Sun Metro Brio and routes 14 and 15 are currently experiencing major delays due to weather conditions and traffic.
The public is asked to please be courteous to Sun Metro’s vehicles as they make their way through the slick roadway and reduce traveling speed to help prevent unnecessary anxiety or accidents.
Due to the weather condition Sun Metro ticket offices at the Bert Williams Downtown Transfer Center, 601 Santa Fe and the Eastside Transit Terminal, 1165 Sunmount will close today, Thursday at 2 p.m. Ticket offices will re-open on Friday as regularly scheduled.
For more information about the Sun Metro fixed-route service, call (915)212-3333.
EPDOT Temporarily Closing a Section of Mesa Due to Wintry Weather Updated at 16:45 ET Mesa Street is now open.
El Paso, Texas – Effective immediately, the City of El Paso Department of Transportation (EPDoT) is closing Mesa Street from Executive Center Boulevard to Mesa Hills Drive to allow crews to sand and salt the roadway surface.
Crews are spreading the materials to keep ice from bonding to the pavement. Crews have been spreading salt and sand as part of the community’s De-Icing Plan. They are concentrating their efforts on main roadways, bridges and overpasses. Priority is given to routes to hospitals, fire houses and police stations, as well, as assisting state transportation officials with clearing the highway system. Crews are also responding to signal outages related to the inclement weather.
Mesa from Executive Center to Mesa Hills will reopen once the materials are spread on the road surface. The closure is needed to effectively treat the street due to the high volume of traffic on Mesa. Scenic Drive remains closed as a precaution.
In total, more than 80 transportation workers are responding to the weather event throughout El Paso. Crews will continue to work throughout the day, as needed. EPDOT is monitoring weather conditions and coordinating all response efforts with emergency officials and the local office of the Texas Department of Transportation.
EPDoT recommends that drivers use extreme caution and maintain safe speeds and distances from other vehicles. The public is reminded that bridges and overpasses are typically the first to freeze. Freezing and thawing road surfaces can transition from wet to black ice in a matter of seconds and a drivers best defense is to stay alert, manage their speed and respond to advisory signs and reports.
Motorists are urged to stay off the roadways, if at all possible. Reduced traffic will allow emergency vehicles to move freely during the storm and help to ensure that roads are treated appropriately.
City Employees Updated at 14:56 ET
Due to the dangerous weather conditions, the City of El Paso will release employees at 2:00PM. All essential operations will continue to respond to the weather situation.
El Paso Bicycle Advisory Meeting
The City of El Paso Bicycle Advisory Committee’s monthly meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2015, has been cancelled due to winter weather. The committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held in February.
Trash Pickup
Due to current weather conditions, several Westside neighborhoods will not have their trash or recyclables collected today (Thursday, January 22). Collection trucks are currently unable to safely maneuver these streets; residents affected by this change will have their trash and recyclables picked up tomorrow (Friday, January 23). Streets affected by the weather include: Via Cuesta Dr., Via Alta Ln., Via Bonita Ln., Via Alegre Ln., Ojo De Agua Dr., Los SiglosDr., and numerous other streets in the Franklins neighborhood.
CITIZEN COLLECTION STATIONS (CCS) Updated at 14:55 ET
Effective immediately, all five Citizen Collection Stations will close for the day.
