Route 375 around El Paso?

[tkcas01]

I will be traveling I-10 east tomorrow Friday 9/11) and will likely hit it at about rush hour - 4pm or so. I am trying to decide whether to stop for the night perhaps in Anthony and make a fresh push eastward on Saturday, or if perhaps taking the 375 loop around would make sense.

I am in a DP with toad. I'd like to get a bit past El Paso tomorrow, but not really if it means crawling bumper to bumper. Another option might be to stop at the Anthony welcome center, have dinner, and continue for a couple of hours after rush hour - hoping I can find a park before dusk.

Suggestions?

[tkcas01]

frizzen wrote:
Guess I put mine up too late

Yes, I was already locked and loaded. That looks like a good route too. I'll try that next time! I-10 through El Paso is not really that fun even off-hours, but I definitely didn't want to hit it at 5pm.

[NMDriver]

OP Thanks for coming back to up date.

[frizzen]

Guess I put mine up too late

[tkcas01]

OP REPORT

I was trying to cover ground and did make it to Van Horn as I wanted to. I just did the 375 loop.

As expected, I hit the I-375 Loop cut-off on I-10 West of El Paso about 4pm on Friday. It had started to rain and traffic was picking up but moving well. Man, that is ONE HILL!

It's just up and over right there on the west end of the loop, but it is an 8% grade in places. After that it is smooth sailing, nice pavement, no delays. It was not until I got about 3 miles from the I-10 interchange East of El Paso that traffic started to back up, but even at rush hour on a Friday it was not bad at all.

Turns they are not quite through with the construction on the east side there. Looks like maybe the west-bound I-10 ramps are done but getting onto I-10 east-bound you have to navigate on surface streets.

Either the signage was not that good, I was not paying attention, or both, because I blew right past I-10 and had to do a go-around. It's a great alternative to I-10 through El Paso if you are hitting near rush hour.

[frizzen]

x2 on what Traver8 said. If you want to avoid downtown take NM 404 over the mountains through Anthony gap. 7 miles or so to traffic circle go south on road that is eventually MLK. 54 south to spur 601. This is the route I take if I am coming in from that direction. Follow the loop around the east side of town. Get off at Pelicano to connect to I 10 east. The east bound ramp isn't done yet. Easy access for fuel at Clint or Fabens exits with lowest diesel prices around.

As 2 gypsies said, the drive on 180 towards Carlsbad and then south to Van Horn is a pretty drive. But about 60 miles longer than I-10. Get off at Montana for this route. If you need fuel there is a Wal Mart that is easy to get in and out of a half mile east of where you get on Montana. If May's Cafe in Cornudas is open they make a hell of a good hamburger.

[The_Texan]

TexasShadow wrote:
if you aren't in a real hurry, your idea to rest and eat at Anthony, then drive on through El Paso later is ok, but it is a pretty long haul to Van Horn. So if you don't want to do that, staying overnight at the welcome center is your best bet.

Have stayed overnight at the Welcome center on multiple occasions and never had any problems. It is very well patrolled by LE and we always felt very safe there.

[TexasShadow]

if you aren't in a real hurry, your idea to rest and eat at Anthony, then drive on through El Paso later is ok, but it is a pretty long haul to Van Horn. So if you don't want to do that, staying overnight at the welcome center is your best bet.

[2gypsies1]

Take 375 to 62/180 east toward Guadalupe Nat'l Park. Then pick up 54 south to Van Horn. A nice drive.

[tkcas01]

Traver8 wrote:


Where are you thinking of trying to get to for the evening?

Terry

Looking at the availability of RV parks on rvparkreviews, looks like I should shoot for Van Horn.

[Traver8]

I am local to El Paso and can confirm that Loop 375 does connect well at both ends but I do believe that there is still some construction on the Western end.

[Traver8]

Hello, if you are going East then I suggest that you do take something other than I-10 through town. There are two choices - either Loop 375 which will take you over the mountains and around to the East side of town or you could exit and take NM 404 then connect with Hwy 54 Southbound to Loop 375.

Either of these would have less traffic congestion than I-10.

Loop 375 from I-10 is over the mountains and has some long grades on both sides.

NM 404 route is flatter with only a short portion with any significant grade but it is only a two lane road until you connect with Hwy 54.

Where are you thinking of trying to get to for the evening?

Terry

[TucsonJim]

I know they've been doing a lot of construction since 2012, but I didn't think it was done yet.

[tkcas01]

TucsonJim wrote:
I might be mistaken, but the 375 loop does not connect on both ends of I-10 as I remember. You'd have to cut across the Woodrow Bean Transmountain drive between I-10 and the 375. In the late afternoon, isn't most of the traffic flowing from downtown to the West on I-10?

On Google Maps 375 definitely hits I-10 on both ends. I posted this same question on irv2 and got a local responding there...

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f42/route-375-around-el-paso-262809.html#post2739171

[TucsonJim]

I might be mistaken, but the 375 loop does not connect on both ends of I-10 as I remember. You'd have to cut across the Woodrow Bean Transmountain drive between I-10 and the 375. In the late afternoon, isn't most of the traffic flowing from downtown to the West on I-10?