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A new multi-million dollar highway project has been announced to connect parts of New Mexico to El Paso, Texas, with officials revealing the chosen route for the $150 million Border Connector Highway. The project aims to ease traffic congestion for drivers traveling between Santa Teresa and El Paso, with a collaboration between the New Mexico Border Authority, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation.
Bert Thomas, Vice President at Bohannan Huston, the engineering firm managing the project, shared that over 40 potential routes were evaluated before settling on a route that will run parallel to the United States-Mexico border. Thomas explained that the selected route will help alleviate traffic, improve connectivity, and create new business opportunities by linking New Mexico Highway 136 to New Mexico Highway 273.
“Existing roads are already at capacity and experience delays during peak hours, so this new route will help redistribute traffic and ease congestion,” said Thomas.
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The proposed route will stretch from Santa Teresa through mostly undeveloped land, connecting to the Union Pacific Railroad and continuing up to Highway 273. The project aims to enhance connectivity between Santa Teresa, Sunland Park, and El Paso.
About 40% of the funding for the project will come from federal sources, with the remaining 60% from state funds.
Although the highway will pass through some residential areas, Thomas assured that construction would not disrupt existing traffic patterns. “The construction will take place in areas where there are no current traffic flows to disrupt. The work will be done offline, allowing construction to proceed without affecting traffic on existing roads,” he said. The new highway is expected to redistribute traffic, offering relief to the roadways currently facing congestion.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with an expected completion date of 2028 or 2029. Public engagement sessions will be held in January, providing residents with the opportunity to share their thoughts on the project design.
