Smart Public Rail Transit System for El Paso

El Paso, TX, USA and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico form the largest bi-national metropolitan area in the United States and Mexico. Currently, both cities rely on separate public transit bus networks that are not linked and the only cross-border connection is available through three major international bridges opened for cars and pedestrian traffic. In 2017, the City of El Paso adopted the Resilience Strategic Plan to make El Paso smarter. The plan proposes among others the development of Rapid Transit System Corridors in El Paso. This paper presents a high-level proposal how a passenger rail system could be used to complement the existing and future Bus Rapid Transit system as well as local circulator bus system. The proposed rail network is intended for passenger transportation in El Paso, but also beyond into the surrounding region including a cross-border link to Ciudad Juárez, without which the network cannot be considered complete.