Contact: Meg Ragonese

NDOT Reaches Milestone In Carson City Freeway Construction

CARSON CITY, Nev. - The Nevada Department of Transportation has reached a milestone in construction of the final leg of the Carson City Freeway, with project work approximately 25 percent complete.

More than 650,000 cubic yards of earth have been excavated from the future freeway, with much of the earth transported underneath South Carson Street via a conveyor system and more earthwork scheduled through the coming months. The earth is being removed as part of standing construction plans to lower elevation of sections of the future freeway to reduce traffic noise and bring the freeway below existing overpasses. Construction of soundwalls and drainage, as well as signage and other electrical systems on the future freeway, is now underway. Future construction phases will include freeway paving, lighting and landscaping.

"Major earthwork and excavation continues to go well, and the future freeway is really beginning to take shape," NDOT Resident Engineer Ashley Hurlbut described. "While there are major elements of construction still ahead of us, great progress has been made thus far and we're well on our way to completing an interstate that will further connect Carson City and the entire region."

Drivers can anticipate periodic lane reductions on South Carson Street near the U.S. 50 intersection starting this spring as roadway drainage, paving and construction at the future intersection begins.

The approximately $42 million project, begun June 15, 2015, will pave and open the last approximately four miles of the Carson City Freeway to traffic between Fairview Drive and the Spooner/U.S. 50 junction in south Carson City. The project is expected to complete, opening the final segment of freeway to traffic, in 2017 and is being constructed by contractor Road and Highway Builders. With funding from federal transportation funds, the state highway fund and Carson City, the freeway is aimed at increasing traffic mobility and safety with an interstate bypass to help remove through-traffic congestion from downtown Carson City. An estimated 43,000 vehicles daily are projected to use the section of freeway by 2035.

Further project information is available at www.ccfreeway.com or by dialing (775) 888-7000.