EL PASO, Texas — A new safety feature, designed to catch runaway trucks on Loop 375 (Transmountain Road), is now open to the public.
The Texas Department of Transportation reported the new development this week.
According to the report from Lauren Macias-Cervantes, the mechanical runaway truck ramp opened July 1 and is the first of its kind installed in Texas. The addition provides a safety option for big rigs experiencing brake failure along westbound Loop 375, near the I-10 interchange.
“Unlike other runaway truck ramps on Transmountain, this truck arresting system was constructed in the median due to the narrow footprint available at that location,” said TxDOT El Paso District Engineer Tomas Trevino. “It detains vehicles in tight roadway geometry, such as the area closer to I-10.”
Project designers say ramps like these exist in Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, and are typically constructed on mountainsides, making the new El Paso system unique.
“This is probably the most unique trap that we’ve designed,” said Michael Beecen, designer at Beecen, Brackin and Associates. “First, it being the first mechanical system installed in Texas, but it is in a median and we have never done a median application. This is the first of its kind in the nation.”
The system is designed to safely stop a 90,000-pound truck traveling 90 miles an hour using a series of eight energy absorbing net stations bolted into reinforced concrete walls.
After each use, the system requires a reset, which can be done in as little as four hours.
This area has seen several runaway truck incidents in recent years, and while the ramp was constructed with semis in mind, it is open for all vehicle types. Drivers who need to use the system are encouraged to stay centered on the ramp for optimum results.
While this is the first mechanical ramp system in El Paso, it will be the fourth runaway ramp on Loop 375. This stretch of road has three existing gravel truck runaway ramps, one westbound and two eastbound.
Other safety measures for trucks include enhanced permanent signage that provides additional warning of existing truck runaway ramps on both directions.
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