Eagle Pass City Council Approves Resolution to Seek American Rescue Funds to Extend Patsy Winn Blvd. to El Indio Highway
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2021
The Eagle Pass City Council unanimously approved a resolution at their regular meeting on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, authorizing the submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Commerce for funding through the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance Program for Public Infrastructure Work to extend Patsy Winn Boulevard to El Indio Highway (FM 1081).
City Finance Director Jesus “Jesse” Rodriguez, Jr. presented the agenda item to the City Council and advised them that the City of Eagle Pass seeks to apply for a $5 million grant to the EDA’s American Rescue Plan Public Infrastructure Work Program in order to extend Patsy Winn Boulevard from the City of Eagle Pass Patsy Winn Sports Complex to El Indio Highway, connecting vehicular traffic from Main Street (U.S. Highway 277 South) to El Indio Highway (FM 1081). Rodriguez noted that if the City of Eagle Pass were to be awarded the $5 million grant, the City of Eagle Pass would be required to contribute $1.6 million towards the project.
The City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County for many years have discussed the need to connect vehicular traffic from Main Street to El Indio Highway to avoid vehicles in southern Eagle Pass from traveling through Veterans Boulevard or Loop 480, particularly for emergency and law enforcement vehicles responding to emergency calls. With the opening of the Patsy Winn Sports Complex on July 1, 2021, the thoroughfare needed to connect Main Street and El Indio Highway is about one-half completed. The proposed extension would be from McCoy’s on Main Street (U.S. Highway 277 South) to the Patsy Winn Sports Complex to the Lewis Subdivision on El Indio Highway (FM 1081).
Rodriguez noted that a resolution from the City Council was necessary to submit the City of Eagle Pass’ application, which is due no later than January 26, 2022. Rodriguez added that the City of Eagle Pass Economic Development Department led by Arturo Marquez and the Grants Department led by Ronnie Rivera will work with him and City Manager George Antuna in submitting the application to the EDA’s American Rescue Plan Program for Public Infrastructure Work.
Rodriguez added that the City of Eagle Pass has already been awarded one such EDA American Rescue Plan Grant for the sum of $3.5 million for the renovation and purchase of the Riskind’s Building in downtown Main Street for the operation of a small business incubator project.
