El Paso Streetcar rolling again after service suspension during migrant crisis
The El Paso Streetcar is rolling again.
Sun Metro resumed regular service Wednesday after suspending it due to safety concerns from the overflow of migrants near Sacred Heart Church.
On May 6, the city’s Office of Emergency Management temporarily closed Father Rahm Avenue between South Oregon and South Mesa streets. Officials said the closure would allow city staff the opportunity to clean and maintain the area.
They also said that effective May 7, streetcar service along both the lower and upper loops would be suspended to accommodate the city’s response to the humanitarian migrant crisis issue impacting Downtown city services.
The number of migrants in the area around the church has since greatly decreased.
The streetcar system route travels across 4.8 miles on two loops servicing El Paso’s Downtown and Uptown.
Regular hours are from 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. There is no service Monday and Tuesday.
“The El Paso Streetcar is a great public transit service that supports the vibrancy of Downtown and Uptown, so we are looking forward to reactivating the service for the summer months when leisure outings and tourism tend to spike,” Sun Metro Director Anthony DeKeyzer said.
Streetcar rides are free, and all cars are equipped with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility and modern amenities such as free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and bike racks.
Passengers can track the streetcar with the free Ride Sun Metro App, which is available for download on both Android and IOS systems and provides riders with contactless payment options.
Passes, trip planning and service updates also are available.
To learn more about the El Paso Streetcar, visit sunmetro.net/streetcar, call 915-212-3333, or follow @elpasostreetcar on Facebook and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Streetcar rolls again after suspension during migrant crisis
