As KFOX14 News has reported, Sierra Providence Medical Center East is planning to expand, doubling its size. 

City council rep Michiel Noe said the effects will be felt on all sides of town because hundreds of medical workers might be working closer to home. 

"East side nurses, East side ancillary staff now won't have to drive to Central or the West side to work," Noe said. "These people will be able to work right here on the East side. Keeping these people (in East El Paso) instead of traveling I-10 and getting some of those cars off I-10 is important to me. As much traffic as we can keep on this side of town from having to drive back and forth helps. 

The hospital plans to hire 40 new full time people right away. That translates into $2.7 million in salaries. Eventually the hospital will hire 269 full time employees. That translates into $17 million in salaries. 

People that spoke with KFOX crews in Far East El Paso didn't seem to mind the idea of keeping some of the traffic on their side of town. 

"Well it's going to boost the economy," said Gregory Austin, an East El Paso resident. "It's going to help with the job market so it's going to help out a lot." 

The hospital's expansion should be complete by mid to late 2014. The groundbreaking is expected to happen in December.