Avoid eastbound I-10 in El Paso...

[Desert_Captain]

Came through El Paso last Sunday bound for San Antonio from Tucson....Arrrrrg!

They have completely shut down both eastbound lanes about 10 miles north of downtown. Both lanes are forced to merge right and then exit the interstate and take a convoluted city street detour. It took an hour and half to go 6 miles and this was mid day on a Sunday. I cannot imagine how bad it is during the week.

The construction going on looks to be far from complete so this nightmare will be with us for quite a while. Virtually zero police or department of transportation folks to be found on scene and the insanity got progressively worse the longer we waited.

We will be heading home on Friday but the westbound side of I-10 did not seem to be affected.

:M

[Mich_F]

frizzen wrote:
That RV park is in the south west part of the city. They call this area Mesilla.

There is a shopping area for tourists there. This is also an historical area. If you go a few blocks south to University you will find a micro brewery called The Spotted Dog. Jerry makes some really good beer.

Thank you again :C

[frizzen]

That RV park is in the south west part of the city. They call this area Mesilla.

There is a shopping area for tourists there. This is also an historical area. If you go a few blocks south to University you will find a micro brewery called The Spotted Dog. Jerry makes some really good beer.

[Mich_F]

frizzen wrote:
Whatever you do, stay off 285 between Ft. Stockton and Carlsbad. Lots of oil field truck traffic and the highway is in bad shape.

I think the easiest would be to stay on I10 to El Paso and then go around on the loop.

Check your PMs Mich.

I didn't notice the PM until after my 12:33 post. :S
I guess I'll just stay on 20 all the way to 10, then take the El Paso by pass. We're staying at Hacienda RV, which seems to be a little SW of Las Cruces anyway. We will be visiting relatives who live a little on the NE side of Las Cruces (off 70, I imagine)

[frizzen]

Whatever you do, stay off 285 between Ft. Stockton and Carlsbad. Lots of oil field truck traffic and the highway is in bad shape.

I think the easiest would be to stay on I10 to El Paso and then go around on the loop.

Check your PMs Mich.

[Mich_F]

Desert Captain wrote:

frizzen wrote:
I-10 eastbound in west el paso is closed every Sunday while they are taking down an old over pass. MM 11 or 12.

That is exactly what got us.... wish I had known hence my starting this thread. Local knowledge is a wonderful thing. Thanks!

:C

I normally just look at Google maps or the Garmin 770, or Good Sam trip planner (if it's working) when I head out anywhere, never bothering to ask advice on here or any other forum.
Thanks again for starting this thread, I've learned some valuable information from jumping onto your thread. :B

[Mich_F]

frizzen wrote:
The drive down from Cloudcroft on 82 is a little steep and the speed limit is 35 or 45 in different places. I have been up and down it double towing a flat bed with quads behind my 5er. It isn't bad but be sure you are in tow-haul for the breaking.

Thanks again. All things considered do you think I'm better off getting off I 20 to 84 and all the other routes or staying on I 20 till it hits I 10 ? I'll be in a 32' class C flat towing an F 150, for the first time on a long trip. Have towed a Mazda CX 5 on a tow dolly with no issues.

[NMDriver]

frizzen wrote:
Watch your speed on 404, Dona Ana county sheriffs dept likes to patrol this stretch of road.

They patrol it but almost never ticket on it. The patrol commander for the Sheriff Dept is my neighbor and he said the paperwork involved when they write a ticket on a State road is burdensome and while they do patrol the road the deputies hate to write a ticket on it. 🙂 Still good advice to watch your speed.

[Desert_Captain]

frizzen wrote:
I-10 eastbound in west el paso is closed every Sunday while they are taking down an old over pass. MM 11 or 12.

That is exactly what got us.... wish I had known hence my starting this thread. Local knowledge is a wonderful thing. Thanks!

:C

[frizzen]

The drive down from Cloudcroft on 82 is a little steep and the speed limit is 35 or 45 in different places. I have been up and down it double towing a flat bed with quads behind my 5er. It isn't bad but be sure you are in tow-haul for the breaking.

[Mich_F]

frizzen wrote:

Mich F wrote:
I'm glad this thread is here. :B
Next Wed. I'm heading for Las Cruces N.M. from south FL. I was looking at google maps and the Good Sam trip planner (when it was working for me). I haven't tried my Garmin 770 yet. It looked like I 10 with a few go arounds was the best way to go. I'm wondering if I 20 would be a better way to go? According to Google maps, it's only 18 miles longer, and should take about the same time.

When you come into town from the east take loop 375 north to us 54. Go right on 54 about a mile and a half then get of at Martin Luther King blvd. Take this north to NM 404. There is a round a bout at the intersection. Go over the hill and hit i-10. Its about 7 miles from the round a bout to the I. Watch your speed on 404, Dona Ana county sheriffs dept likes to patrol this stretch of road.

Thanks for the routing suggestion. Second Chance suggested the same route. I'm thinking of trying NM Driver's suggestion of I 20 to US 84 to US 180 to Hobbs then NM18 to US 82 and then US 70 out of Alamogordo. I'm a little concerned with the last segment of that route after checking Google maps.

[frizzen]

I-10 eastbound in west el paso is closed every Sunday while they are taking down an old over pass. MM 11 or 12.

[frizzen]

Mich F wrote:
I'm glad this thread is here. :B
Next Wed. I'm heading for Las Cruces N.M. from south FL. I was looking at google maps and the Good Sam trip planner (when it was working for me). I haven't tried my Garmin 770 yet. It looked like I 10 with a few go arounds was the best way to go. I'm wondering if I 20 would be a better way to go? According to Google maps, it's only 18 miles longer, and should take about the same time.

When you come into town from the east take loop 375 north to us 54. Go right on 54 about a mile and a half then get of at Martin Luther King blvd. Take this north to NM 404. There is a round a bout at the intersection. Go over the hill and hit i-10. Its about 7 miles from the round a bout to the I. Watch your speed on 404, Dona Ana county sheriffs dept likes to patrol this stretch of road.

[Desert_Captain]

Mich F wrote:
My apologies to Desert Captain for the hijack of the thread and thanks to those who offered guidance on which route to take. I'd like to avoid mountain driving as much as possible.

No worries or apologies needed...

I just wanted to share our disastrous experience in hopes that someone else might do better. When we came back through El Paso yesterday there were no delays in either direction though the traffic was insane. Evidently the powers at be decided just to screw the weekend crowd and we were unlucky enough to be there.

I am not a fan of west Texas {pretty boring ride for most of it} except that from just south of El Paso to just west of San Antonio, about 500+ miles, the speed limit is 80, the roads are excellent and you can really make some time. We were in my brides Toyota Solara Coupe {think a Camry on performance steroids... whoo hoo} and I just set the cruise control at 83 and away we went.

It was 1,800 miles round trip and we broke it up into a 600-mile day followed by a 300 miler both coming and going. Would have been at least another day each way cruising 60 - 65 in the Class C at triple the fuel consumption {28.6 vs 9.5}. RV's being prohibited from parking in our host's subdivision made the Toyota a no-brainer selection.

We had a blast and got a great tour of San Antonio {the Alamo, Riverwalk and a couple of rounds of golf at La Cantera - both the Resort and Arnold Palmer signature courses... both of which kicked my butt. :S

[Mich_F]

My apologies to Desert Captain for the hijack of the thread and thanks to those who offered guidance on which route to take. I'd like to avoid mountain driving as much as possible.