Sun Metro

src: sunmetrobrio.net

Sun Metro Mass Transit Department, simply known as Sun Metro, is the public transportation provider that serves El Paso, Texas. Consisting of buses and paratransit service, it is a department of the City of El Paso, and the agency also serves the rest of El Paso County and Sunland Park, New Mexico. The major hub is located at the Bert Williams Downtown Santa Fe Transfer Center in the surrounding block areas in Downtown El Paso.

Until 1987, Sun Metro was called Sun City Area Transit (SCAT).

Video Sun Metro

History

The agency was headquartered at the historic Union Depot in downtown El Paso until 2014, when it opened a new 37.5-acre (15.2 ha) facility along Montana Avenue southeast of El Paso International Airport.

Maps Sun Metro

Facilities

Bert Williams Downtown Santa Fe Transfer Center, 601 Santa Fe St.
Al Jefferson Westside Transfer Center, 7535 Remcon Cir.
Eastside Terminal, 1165 Sunmount Dr.
Five Points Terminal, 2830 Montana Ave.
Headquarters, 10151 Montana Ave.
LIFT Facility, 5081 Fred Wilson Ave.
Northgate Terminal, 9348 Dyer St.
Union Plaza Transit Terminal, 400 W. San Antonio Ave.
Mission Valley Transfer Center, 9065 Alameda Ave.
Glory Road Transfer Center, 100 E. Glory Road

Sun Metro breaks ground on new transit system - KVIA

src: media.kvia.com

Services

Brio

Sun Metro began operating its express bus service, named Brio, on October 27, 2014, serving the Mesa Street corridor (part of State Highway 20) between Downtown El Paso and the Westside Transfer Center in Northwest El Paso. The frequency of Brio buses range from 10 minutes during weekday rush hours to 15 minutes mid-day from Monday to Friday, and 20 minutes on Saturdays; buses do not run on Sundays or holidays. The line uses 22 purpose-built curbside stations with shelters, ticket vending machines for pre-boarding payment, and real-time arrival information. The 8.6-mile-long (13.8 km) route runs in mixed traffic, but does use transit signal priority. The Brio fleet consists of 60-foot-long (18 m) branded New Flyer Xcelsior articulated buses powered by compressed natural gas, able to carry 72 total passengers and feature on-board WiFi, interior bike racks, and passenger information monitors. The project cost $27.1 million to implement, using local funds and a Federal Transit Administration grant.

Sun Metro plans to open its second Brio route in 2018, extending the system to Mission Valley via Alameda Avenue at a cost of $35.5 million. Further routes on Dyer Street and Montana Avenue are planned, with the former beginning construction as early as 2017.

El Paso Streetcar

The El Paso Streetcar is a new streetcar system under construction and slated to run 4.8 miles (7.7 km) from Downtown El Paso to UTEP. Streetcars will travel north on Oregon Street, turn east at Glory Road/Baltimore, then south on Stanton Street. A downtown loop will travel east on Franklin Avenue, south on Kansas Street, west on Father Rahm, and north on Santa Fe Street. The El Paso City Council approved going forward with the project in July 2014. Construction began in late December 2015 and is projected for completion by the end of 2018. The overall project budget is $97 million. The service will use historic El Paso PCC streetcars that are being extensively refurbished.