How-to
Stuck in El Paso? The Spaghetti Bowl and Loop 375 Explained
Stuck on an El Paso freeway? Give three things: the road, your direction and the nearest exit or mile marker. In the Spaghetti Bowl, say which of I-10, I-110 or US 54 you're on. On Loop 375, use the name on the sign. TxDOT's free HERO trucks patrol I-10, Loop 375 and US 54 at set hours. Call them at 915-790-4376. If anyone is hurt, call 911 first.
Why is the Spaghetti Bowl so hard to describe?
The Spaghetti Bowl is a three-level interchange. I-10, I-110 and US 54, the Patriot Freeway, all meet there. Ramps cross over ramps. From inside a stalled car, every lane looks the same.
"I'm in the Spaghetti Bowl" is a start, but it isn't enough. A driver on I-10 can't reach a car on a ramp one level up. So pin it down with these:
- The road you were on before the split. I-10, US 54 or I-110.
- Which way you were headed. East toward the airport, west toward downtown, or north toward Fort Bliss.
- The ramp you were taking. On I-10 it's Exit 22B, signed for US 54 east and I-110.
- Whether you're up high or down low. A ramp in the air, or the main lanes on the ground.
Watch out for I-110
I-110 is short. It runs just under a mile south from I-10, along US 54. It ends at the Bridge of the Americas into Ciudad Juárez. On the way, it passes over Loop 375, the César Chávez Border Highway.
If your car is limping and you're on I-110 southbound, stop on the shoulder before the bridge. Tows stay on the US side. A partner can't follow you across.
Which Loop 375 name should I give?
Loop 375 is one route number with five names. Most people in El Paso use the name, not the number. Your driver will too. Look for the nearest sign and read it out loud.
| Name on the sign | Where you probably are |
|---|---|
| Transmountain | Over the Franklin Mountains, from I-10 near Canutillo to US 54 in the Northeast |
| Purple Heart Memorial Freeway | The Northeast, around Fort Bliss |
| Joe Battle Boulevard | The East Side, down to I-10 at Americas Avenue |
| César Chávez Border Highway | Along the Rio Grande, into downtown |
| Border West Expressway | Between UTEP and the border |
Then add the last cross street or exit. "Joe Battle southbound, just past Montana" beats "somewhere on 375."
Should I use the exit number or the mile marker?
Either one works on I-10. TxDOT's HERO program lists Transmountain at mile marker 6 and Horizon Boulevard at mile marker 38. The exits line up close to those numbers. Here are the ones El Paso drivers end up near most:
- Exit 6: Transmountain, Loop 375 on the West Side.
- Exit 13: Sunland Park Drive and Paisano Drive.
- Exit 22B: the Spaghetti Bowl, US 54 and I-110.
- Exit 25: Airway Boulevard and the airport.
- Exit 34: Joe Battle Boulevard and Americas Avenue.
- Exit 37: Horizon Boulevard, toward Horizon City and Socorro.
Loop 375 and US 54 use small reference markers instead of exit numbers in TxDOT's list. If you see a marker post near you, read the number. It helps anyone looking for you.
Is there free roadside help on El Paso freeways?
Yes, at set hours. TxDOT's El Paso District runs HERO, short for Highway Emergency Response Operator. It started in June 2020. Crews drive marked patrol trucks, and the program has its own dispatchers. TxDOT's TransVista Center also watches the freeway cameras.
Where and when HERO patrols
- I-10: from Transmountain (mile 6) to Horizon Boulevard (mile 38).
- Loop 375: from I-10 on the West Side around to Paisano Drive.
- US 54: from Loop 375 down to McCombs Street.
- Weekdays: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Weekends: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with fewer trucks out.
What a HERO truck can do
TxDOT says crews help at no cost. They change flats and add air. They bring gas, diesel and water. They jump dead batteries and do minor repairs. They also move stuck cars out of travel lanes and off shoulders. Call 915-790-HERO, which is 915-790-4376.
When won't a HERO truck come?
A lot of El Paso breakdowns fall outside the program. Plan on your own help in these spots:
- After 9 p.m. Your belt snaps on I-10 near Airway at 10:30 at night. The shift is over.
- Early weekend mornings. Weekend patrols don't start until 9 a.m.
- Past the ends of the route. I-10 toward Canutillo and Anthony, or east past Horizon toward Clint and Fabens.
- Surface streets. Montana Avenue, Dyer Street, Zaragoza Road and Mesa Street aren't on the list.
- Parking lots. Your battery dies in a lot at the Fort Bliss gate. No patrol truck is coming there.
TxDOT's page doesn't list a tow to a repair shop. Crews clear cars out of the lanes. If your car won't run, you still need a tow to a shop or home.
How do I get help when HERO isn't an option?
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network, not a tow company. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. You can see how it works.
Your partner can handle the light-duty jobs that strand people on Loop 375 and I-10:
- Jump start when the car clicks and won't turn over.
- Flat tire change, putting on your spare.
- Car lockout when the keys are inside.
- A tow for cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups to a nearby shop or home.
Once a driver accepts, you get their name, photo and truck by text. You can track your truck on a map, so you know when to look up.
What should I do while I wait?
Get the car as far off the lane as it will go. Turn on your hazards. On a freeway, stay inside with your belt on, unless the car is smoking. If you're stuck in a live lane, or anyone is hurt, call 911.
Texas has a Move Over or Slow Down law. Drivers must move over a lane, or slow to 20 mph below the limit, for tow trucks, police and TxDOT trucks with flashing lights. Plenty of people don't. So don't stand between your car and traffic.
Had a small crash with no injuries, and both cars still drive fine? Texas Transportation Code 550.022 says to move off the freeway as soon as you can. On I-10, the frontage road is Desert Boulevard on the West Side and Gateway Boulevard through Central and the East Side.
Before a long drive across town, check DriveTexas for closures. A closed ramp at the Spaghetti Bowl changes your route home.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
For towing anywhere from the Upper Valley to the Mission Valley, see our El Paso towing page.
El Paso Breakdown Questions
Is the TxDOT HERO truck in El Paso really free?
Yes. TxDOT says HERO crews help at no cost. They patrol parts of I-10, Loop 375 and US 54. Weekday hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
What number do I call for HERO?
Call 915-790-HERO, which is 915-790-4376. It's for help on the covered freeways. If anyone is hurt or you're stuck in a live lane, call 911 instead.
I broke down on Transmountain. What do I say?
Say "Transmountain," then which way you were going: toward the West Side or toward the Northeast. Add any marker post number you can see. Stay in the car with your hazards on.
Can my car be towed to Juárez from the Bridge of the Americas?
No. Tows stay on the US side. If you're on I-110 heading to the bridge and the car is failing, stop on the shoulder before you reach it.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: TxDOT El Paso HERO Program, Texas Transportation Code 550.022, DriveTexas.
