A new mechanical runaway ramp for trucks has opened near the Interstate 10 interchange in El Paso, Texas.
The Texas Department of Transportation said the ramp is the first of its kind installed in the state, providing a new safety feature for trucks experiencing brake failure along westbound Loop 375, also known as Transmountain Road.
The system is designed to safely stop a 90,000-pound truck traveling 90 mph using a series of eight energy-absorbing net stations bolted into reinforced concrete walls. After each use, the system requires a reset, which generally takes several hours.
“Unlike other runaway truck ramps on Transmountain, this truck arresting system was constructed in the median due to the narrow footprint available at that location,” said TxDOT El Paso District Engineer Tomas Trevino. “It detains vehicles in tight roadway geometry, such as the area closer to I-10.”
Project designers said similar ramps have been built in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, but they are typically constructed on mountainsides.
“This is probably the most unique trap that we’ve designed,” said Michael Beecen, designer at Beecen, Brackin and Associates. “First, it being the first mechanical system installed in Texas, but it is in a median and we have never done a median application. This is the first of its kind in the nation.”
The area has seen several runaway-truck incidents in recent years. While this is the first mechanical ramp system in El Paso, it will be the fourth runaway ramp on Loop 375. Other safety measures for trucks include enhanced permanent signage that provides additional warning of existing truck runaway ramps in both directions.
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