TxDOT says unexpected issues cause delays in Mesa Street construction

Businesses along Mesa Street in west El Paso near Executive and Sun Bowl Drive told CBS4 they have been dealing with construction outside their businesses for about a year now.

Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation in El Paso (TxDOT) said they understand the frustration of the businesses, but explain more problems came about then they anticipated.

“Temperatures have to be 50 degrees and rising,” said Jennifer Wright, spokeswoman for TxDOT El Paso. “Obviously we’re experiencing a more chilly winter than is typical. This year we’ve seen some exceedingly low temperatures and just will not do to pouring asphalt pavement."

Wright explained they’ve been having to push back the deadline for issues crews have been coming across since day one.

“Clay pockets in the road that were deeper and more extensive than anticipated. Utility lines that were not marked because the roadway is over 100 years old that had been subject to overlay and overlay. A lot of those utilities were not marked, and we discovered them as we went,” Wright said.

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Caption: Justin Kree reports on the ongoing Mesa Street construction and how TxDOT said new obstacles are coming about pushing the project back.{{ }}{p}{/p}

Mike Scheinfeld, the owner of Yamaguchi Ramen along the construction route, said business has been slow since they opened their doors.

Scheinfeld blames it in part on the coronavirus pandemic but believes the construction is mostly to blame.

“It’s really killing business. We just opened in February and we didn’t really have a chance to build our clientele and it just dropped off after the construction started,” Scheinfeld said

Wright said she is hoping for an optimistic construction end date by this Summer, but that it’s probably not going to be until the fall because it depends on the weather and if any other unexpected issues come about.