Nov. 8--EL PASO -- A much-traveled, but very narrow street in the Lower Valley will get a $3.3-million upgrade that will allow traffic in the area to flow more smoothly.

The city will widen Roseway Drive between Zaragoza Road and Presa Place from the current 15 feet to 36 feet.

"The street is very much below the city standards," said Sam Rodriguez of the city's engineering department. "The construction will bring the street up to standards and help make commutes in the area better."

Construction on the project will start in the spring and should be completed by the end of 2010.

Although the street will be more than twice as wide, the configuration of the two-lane road will not change.

The extra room will allow drivers to safely maneuver around parked cars and make way for the semi-trucks that use the road on a daily basis.

Because many people use Roseway to travel north on Zaragoza, that intersection has been plagued with traffic for decades.

City engineers plan to build a dedicated right-turn lane on Roseway and Zaragoza that should help clear many traffic concerns in the area.

A city spokeswoman said the project has forced the city to buy 16 parcels of land along Roseway that were needed to expand the street. Already $600,000 has been spent in buying land for the project.

Six of the 16 parcels were bought in their entirety, while the rest were only partial. Two more properties are still needed for the project, and city officials said negotiations have

already started.

"It's about time they take care of this problem," said Roseway resident Reyna Salas. "This street is a big mess. Too much traffic and very little room."

Besides the street widening, the city plans to build a sidewalk and make several sewage and drainage improvements.

Rodriguez said new drainage pipes will be installed once the ground is torn up for construction and that the sewage part of the project will take the longest to complete.

The city also plans to build a large water retention pond in the area as part of this project to address flooding issues in the area.

Gustavo Reveles Acosta may be reached at greveles@elpasotimes.com; 546-6133.

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