U.S. Route 54 in Texas - El Paso Business Loop

El Paso Business Loop

Business U.S. Highway 54-A or Bus. US 54-A is a business route of US 54 at El Paso commissioned in 1990. The 12.5-mile (20.1 km) route begins at US 54 and State Highway Loop 478 at the Patriot Freeway. The route runs along Dyer St. through northeast El Paso near Fort Bliss to its northern terminus at the New Mexico state line. The roadway continues forward into New Mexico for 0.3 miles (0.5 km) over a local road not recognized by New Mexico as a state highway that becomes a one-way entrance ramp merging with US 54. Highway signs in New Mexico direct southbound traffic to turn on State Line Drive just within Texas to access Bus. US 54-A.

Bus. US 54-A and Loop 478 are the former route of US 54 prior to construction of the Patriot Freeway. Bus. US 54-A was created when Loop 478, which originally followed the route to New Mexico, was shortened to its current terminus at the beginning of the business loop. Loop 478 was first intended in 1969 to be the replacement for US 54 over the route and was planned to be signed as Business US 54 once the current US 54 was completed. Bus. US 54-A was concurrent with US 54 until 1991.