Avoid eastbound I-10 in El Paso...

Las Cruces (just north of El Paso) is my hometown and I still have family there. We always use the loop (375) around the northeast side of El Paso, US 54 on the east side of the mountains, and 404 (Anthony Gap) going to and from Cruces. I-10 straight through El Paso is unpleasant even without construction.

Rob

Not unusual for highways to be shutdown on weekends during major construction to hang new bridge beams or signs or such over highways. Could be the opposite direction on a different weekend. Typically everything is back open on weekdays.

When traveling I often look at google maps on my phone to monitor traffic conditions ahead of us. The roads will show green if moving good, or red if there is a traffic backup, or dark red if a major traffic backup.

I-10 is on our avoidance list whether in El Paso, LA, or farther east. That's one damaged interstate.

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.

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.

I-20 ends and merges with I-10 between Pecos and Van Horn. Moot point as I-10 is all there is going into El Paso. See my post above as how to avoid using I-10 through EP.

Rob

Second Chance 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.

I-20 ends and merges with I-10 between Pecos and Van Horn. Moot point as I-10 is all there is going into El Paso. See my post above as how to avoid using I-10 through EP.

Rob

Thanks, but I was wondering if I 20 was better than going to or from the east. up to where 10 and 20 merge. Is I 20 a better road than I 10 ? I guess I hijacked this El Paso thread. :B

I did look at your earlier thread but couldn't follow your route. I don't see where 404 fits into it. Google maps suggests taking 375 all the way around El Paso. Is throwing 54 into the mix a better way to go ?

As was pointed out the construction closure on I-10 was just for the weekend.

If you are headed to Las Cruces on 1-10 it is often less stressful, but not necessarily faster, to use 375 to US 54 east and get off at exit 31 to Kenworthy and take it north to MLK Blve/FM 3255/War road to NM 404 and back to I-10 (Anthony Gap) at Anthony, NM.

Using 375 from South El Paso to North El Paso as a by-pass is fine for cars but goes over a rather steep up and down mountain pass between US 54 and I-10. It is a 4 lane 55 mph limited access road so if you do not mind the up and down it is a good route.

If you decide to use I-20 then get off in Abilene or Sweetwater to US 84 and go up to US 180. Follow it to Hobbs and then use NM 18 to Lovington and pick up US 82 west to Alamagordo and US 70 to Las Cruces. It is not that much longer time wise but less interesting scenery wise until you get close to Mayhill, NM

I 20 is generally better than I 10 since I-20 skirts the south side of the DFW metroplex, vs I-10 where you have to drive through the center or Houston and San Antonio with no good ways to bypass

Mich F wrote:

Second Chance 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.

I-20 ends and merges with I-10 between Pecos and Van Horn. Moot point as I-10 is all there is going into El Paso. See my post above as how to avoid using I-10 through EP.

Rob

Thanks, but I was wondering if I 20 was better than going to or from the east. up to where 10 and 20 merge. Is I 20 a better road than I 10 ? I guess I hijacked this El Paso thread. :B

I did look at your earlier thread but couldn't follow your route. I don't see where 404 fits into it. Google maps suggests taking 375 all the way around El Paso. Is throwing 54 into the mix a better way to go ?

Not much difference between I-10 and I-10 in west Texas - except taking you a considerable distance north coming from Florida.

Go to El Paso on Google maps and look at 375. West of US-54 at the top, it's known as Woodrow Bean Transmountain Road... you DON'T want to take an RV across that. Look at where 375 intersects US-54 again and follow US-54 north. Where 54 veers off to the northeast, keep going straight north on TX 3255/NM 213. About 9-3/4 miles north of 375, NM 404 will turn west and take you across Anthony Gap back to I-10 on the west side of the mountains. This is a much more suitable route for an RV than Transmountain.

My Apologies to the OP for "feeding the hijack."

Rob

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.