EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso City Council voted to delete an agenda item that asked the mayor to send a letter to the federal government expressing the City’s concerns over the controversial Bridge of Americas expansion project.
The council voted 6-2 to delete the item at the Tuesday, Jan. 30 meeting.
District 8 Rep. Chris Canales and District 2 Rep. Josh Acevedo were the only 2 council members opposed to deleting the item. The other representatives said there were too many questions unanswered to have Mayor Oscar Leeser send a letter to the federal government asking to consider the option of eliminating commercial vehicle traffic from the project.
Residents who live near the Bridge of the Americas have been opposed to the expansion saying that it will increase pollution and traffic and damage their health.
Some community members were upset at the action or lack of action taken by the City Council.
Brittany Medellin, a member of Familias Unidas del Chamizal, said: “At the very worst we were expecting a ‘no’ for the motion to not pass. Instead, what they decided to do was much worse. They decided to not hear the residents at all about how this affects our community. They silenced our voices completely so that we’re not heard.”
City Council did say they would like to conduct more public input on the project and hold discussions with stakeholders before sending a letter to the federal government’s General Services Administration.
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