NDOT improvements on U.S. 50 Dayton project in progress

Long-term improvements for the Nevada Department of Transportation’s U.S. 50 Preservation Project in Dayton will begin this summer, NDOT senior project manager Eric Scheetz reported to the Lyon County Commission on Thursday.

Project features including signalized intersections at Cardelli and River Boat roads and Six Mile Canyon and Fort Churchill roads, the maintenance of 12-foot travel lanes and median installation at intersections for access control.

Scheetz said the project will begin at Fortune Drive and continue east of Chaves Road. After receiving public comment and exploring constraints, including maintaining access to the highway, Scheetz said, speed limits would be maintained at 55 mph from east of Fortune Drive to east of Bryce Street.

Scheetz said 12-foot travel lanes would be maintained, with median installation at intersections for access control. High-T intersections would include access control as needed, and there would be no roadway widening or new travel lanes added.

“Whatever we do, we have to coordinate with you, CAMPO (Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) and Dayton to make sure solutions are amenable to everybody,” Scheetz said.

The project schedule is to complete a 60% design and environmental review by this summer or early fall, finish the final design by summer 2025 and begin construction in 2026. A public information meeting will be held on the project this fall after the 60% design phase. Notices will be sent out for the meeting, according to NDOT.

According to NDOT public information officer Meg Ragonese, more recent data indicate that daily traffic on some sections of the highway has increased from 12,500 vehicles daily in 2014 to over 18,000 in 2022.

Commissioner Scott Keller asked to receive the input on the public meeting when it was complete.

“We want to make sure it’s okay with that community,” Keller said. “That is a transportation corridor. It’s not their boulevard. It’s our highway.”