Pedestrians’ awkward walk alternating between the edge of Hwy 100 and the strip will soon be a thing of the past for the people of Port Isabel. The city received a grant from the UT Health System and an ordinance was approved for the construction of a new sidewalk along the busy thoroughfare.
The Texas Department of Transportation provided engineering blueprints for the project. The sidewalk was proposed to provide both a clear path for pedestrians to walk around the area and encourage health in the city.
“We did it for both safety and health reasons,” explains Major Joe Vega. “For many years along Highway 100, there were some areas that had unsafe voids and people would have to uncomfortably cross into the street, so this is a great project. We’re also looking into doing landscaping to continue beautifying the community.”
The new sidewalk, which is roughly a $40,000 project, will start at the small bridge on Highway 100 and continue westbound before ending on 4th Street. Weather permitting, the sidewalk is expected to be completed within a week. The pathway comes at a fitting time as it provides an additional means to exercise prior to the various charitable runs and marathons, which take place in the area during the latter end of the year.
Estevan Medrano
