Old Clear Creek Road to close to public

A newly formed homeowners group, Clear Creek, LLC, plans to close public access to Old Clear Creek Road about three miles from Highway 395, a managing member of the board said Tuesday.

Mike Arnold, who's lived in the Clear Creek area for about 10 years, said residents there are concerned about liability on the privately owned road that is also popular with hikers and cyclists.

"In my opinion, it's been a minor miracle we haven't had anybody get hurt up here," Arnold said. "There's been a number of close incidences."

Old Clear Creek used to be Highway 50 until the state opened the current highway up Spooner Summit. The old route was then turned over to property owners.

The narrow, winding road passes through two counties, public lands, private homes and tribal property, making it difficult to assign responsibility for upkeep.

Two years ago, Carson City and Douglas County officials said they'd work together to maintain the road if it were first brought up to standards.

They placed the burden of making initial improvements on the residents, which would have cost about $2.7 million.

"There was not a lot of interest in it at that time," said Carson City Transportation Manager Patrick Pittenger. "Because they weren't interested, that was the end of that."

Pittenger said he had not heard of the plans to close off the road.

Arnold said the group is still working out the logistics, but initial plans are to build a gate, giving access to residents, emergency personnel and others who need access, such as delivery drivers.

He estimated the gate would be installed sometime around the end of the summer.

Arnold said the public no longer needs access to that road. A former state-owned meeting place, Clear Creek Camp, was demolished in 2007.

The only need the public would have, he said, is access to the trailhead at the top of the road. A new Highway 50 off ramp solves that problem, he said.

He suggest recreational users go instead to the U.S. Forest Service trails at the top of the canyon rather than use the private road.

"That's a great place for hiking and biking," he said.

He said he already stops and talks to pedestrians and cyclists, warning them of the dangers on the road. He said many respond kindly and don't return. Others, he said, have become angry and continue to use the road.

"I don't want to see anyone get hurt on this road," he said.

Residents along the road, he said, contribute to its upkeep and will pay for the gate, although no formal process for donations is in place.

Pittenger said improvements are planned for the city owned portion of the road, which runs past Fuji Park and Costco.

He said work will begin next month to build sidewalks, parking, a frontage road and a bus stop in front of Fuji Park.