Beginning on Sunday, December 11, 2016, the northern portion of Hawthorne Street between Rim Road and Schuster Avenue will be closed to through traffic in both directions as contractors prepare to start Phase II of UTEP’s Hawthorne Street Pedestrian-Bike Enhancement Project.

The new construction project will involve some demolition and reconstruction and should last about a month. Detour signs will help drivers and pedestrians navigate their way around construction.

Motorists still will have access to the V-1 (Mike Loya Academic Services Building) parking lot and the Highlander Apartments, 1700 Hawthorne St., via the driveways closer to Schuster. Once completed, the contractors will close the southern side of Hawthorne between Rim and Schuster to start Phase III, which also should take about 30 days.

Phase I of the project began in early October 2016 on Hawthorne from Schuster to Crosby Avenue. The major part of the work is expected to be completed by Dec. 9, 2016. The goal is to make this gateway to the University safer, more efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

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When finished, Hawthorne will have one lane in each direction that will be marked for co-use with bicyclists. There will be no center lane.

The road will continue the look of Hawthorne on campus. It will feature wide sidewalks with ADA-approved ramps, native and drought-resistant trees, shrubs and flowering plants with an irrigation system, and additional lighting. The V-1 lot will have one wide driveway. All work is scheduled to be completed in February 2017.

Federal funds are being used for this UTEP project that is being built by the Texas Department of Transportation in collaboration with the City of El Paso.

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