Could This Texas Construction Nightmare Finally Be a Thing of The Past!?

Oh El Paso, Texas. I love you, I really do. But there’s a few construction projects across the city that really need to be completed before I go crazy!

Seems like only yesterday (it was 2 years ago actually) I was posting about my frustration with Pellicano St.

Well, after more than two years of standstill, the Pellicano Widening Project might finally be getting back on track. *Cries in Spanish* BUT it’s not without a legal mess. *Gasps in Spanish*

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Let’s Rewind And Explain The Delay:

According to a report by KFOX, the contractor in charge of the Pellicano widening project, J.A.R., was having issues with meeting deadlines. The project was supposed to be completed in July of 2022 but when the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, which oversees the project, noticed the deadline issues, they were forced to file a default claim.

“They claimed a wrongful default and through several letters asked for a meeting with us to discuss the claim and the wrongful default that they were arguing, we eventually said sure, we’ll have a meeting here are some dates,” Telles told KFOX.

Before CRRMA was able to resolve the wrongful default claim, J.A.R. filed for BANKRUPTCY!!!

Long story short, the Pellicano Widening Project had no end date because now both companies had to deal with multiple court dates to resolve the issue.

Fast Forward To Now, What’s The Update:

According to a recent article by KVIA, Raymond Telles, Executive Director of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA) said that a surety company is working to hire a new contractor to continue construction, estimating about six weeks to sort through bids. Funding is ready, and the focus will be on the north side of Pellicano, but the project still has some hurdles.

"The surety’s move to negotiate hiring a contractor is happening outside the legal dispute,” Telles clarified, referring to an ongoing claim against the original contractor. This claim, filed by the initial contractor who’s now in bankruptcy, has delayed the process as the court weighs whether the default was justified.

If a ruling on November 13 confirms the default, the surety company will have to act, officially pulling them back into the project.

The CRRMA isn’t giving exact start dates, but Telles hinted a decision soon could fast-track work in early 2024.

So, for now we will just light a candle and hope that Pellicano Street will soon be completed.