Texas DOT to open dragnet runway truck ramp in median in El Paso

The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) is close to opening a new runaway truck ramp near I-10 in El Paso.

In an April 6 project update, TXDOT announced that “a new runaway truck ramp on Loop 375/Transmountain is almost ready for use!”

TXDOT says the runaway ramp is designed to stop a 90,000 pound truck traveling at 90 m.p.h.

The runaway ramp will provide a stopping option for commercial vehicles experiencing brake loss close to I-10. Since the ramp is in the median of the roadway, trucks will need to use the left lane of Loop 375 westbound to access it.

Officials say that this is the fourth runaway truck ramp on the roadway and the first dragnet arrest system, or “mechanical” arrest system, to be deployed in El Paso.

“This is probably the most unique trap that we’ve designed,” said Michael Beason of engineering firm Beason Brackin. “First being, the first mechanical system installed in Texas, but it is in a median, and we’ve never done a median application. This is the first of its kind in the nation.”

TXDOT says that the runaway ramp was constructed in the median “due to the narrow footprint available at that location.”

The runaway ramp is expected to open in summer 2026.

See the video below for more.