Crews continue to make progress, the Nevada Department of Transportation reported Monday evening. Working with a contractor, NDOT dislodged another large boulder from the roadside slope Monday. The boulder crashed onto the empty roadway.
More boulders remain at the top of the water-saturated roadside slope, according to NDOT. Engineers continue to evaluate the situation and monitor the other boulders atop the slope.
Five large boulders crashed onto the road near Logan Creek Drive north of Cave Rock over the course of three days last week. NDOT shutdown the highway Wednesday after the fifth boulder came down. The eastbound lanes were closed at the time due to previous rockslides. No vehicles were involved in any of the slides.
Crews have placed two rows of concrete barrier rail on the closed eastbound side of U.S. 50 to help capture additional boulders. Large bags of gravel will be placed behind the barrier rail to help prevent rock fall onto the westbound lanes.
While there is no estimated time of reopening the roadway, we continue to make progress removing monolithic-size… https://t.co/dCaKwPdIJz
— Nevada DOT (@nevadadot) February 14, 2017
UPDATE 3:40 p.m. US 50 to remain closed indefinitely near Lake Tahoe
U.S. 50 in the Kyburz area will remain closed indefinitely due to multiple mud slides, the California Department of Transportation stated in an update Monday.
According to Caltrans, this section of U.S. 50 will remain closed at least through Tuesday morning and potentially longer.
The area — a narrow two-lane section of U.S. 50 about 2 miles east of Kyburz — was the site of a third mudslide on the highway that occurred after several days of heavy rain.
The slide, a mix of sand and boulders, is about 400 feet long and has been slipping for several days.
UPDATE 8:15 a.m. MONDAY: Mudslides keep US 50 closed near Lake Tahoe
Multiple mudslides have kept U.S. 50 closed between Strawberry and Pollock Pines for several days, and California Department of Transportation officials predict the highway will not reopen until Monday evening at the earliest.
Meanwhile, U.S. 50 remains closed east of Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side near Cave Rock. That closure, which stems from safety concerns in the wake of rockslides, was implemented Wednesday. There is no estimated time for reopening the highway.
On the California side, heavy rain over the course of several days triggered a series of mudslides along U.S. 50 between Meyers and Placerville.
“Caltrans and an emergency contractor are working on three slides in a 12-mile area, and several smaller slides are also active near the highway,” a press release from Caltrans stated Sunday afternoon.
The third slide came down Saturday 2 miles east of Kyburz in a narrow two-lane section of U.S. 50. The slide, which has been slipping for several days, is about 400 feet long. The press release form Clatrans stated this area of the highway would remain closed at least through Monday night and possibly longer.
Photo of Hwy 50 mudslide area at IceHouse. Hwy will be closed due to multiple slides through Mon 6 pm. pic.twitter.com/VVSXZ3PJ5g
— Caltrans HQ (@CaltransHQ) February 12, 2017
Meanwhile, Interstate 80 between Reno and Truckee has been bogged down with traffic since Sunday morning due to a rockslide near the California/Nevada state line in Verdi. Only one westbound lane has been open because of emergency work.
The congestion, coupled with high amounts of weekend ski traffic through the Truckee/I-80 corridor, has made travel difficult; according to NDOT, crews expect to have the debris cleared by 10:30 a.m. Monday, although that could be delayed.
Motorists should check the Caltrans website for current road conditions.
US-50 still closed at Cave Rock on the east shore. @nevadadot pic.twitter.com/G3KJhRyeD9
— CHP South Lake Tahoe (@CHPSouthLake) February 13, 2017
ORIGINAL POST SUNDAY: US 50 remains closed, will not open Sunday
U.S. 50 will not reopen on the California side between Meyers and Placerville Sunday. On the Nevada side, the highway remains closed near Cave Rock east of Lake Tahoe with no estimate for when the road might reopen.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) tweeted around 8:30 a.m. that multiple active mudslides would keep U.S. 50 closed Sunday.
A map on the Caltrans website shows closures at Strawberry and at Pollock Pines on U.S. 50.
Motorists are being advised to use an alternate route, while local residents with proper identification will be allowed access from U.S. 50 west.
U.S. 50 has remained closed since Friday when a string of mudslides made the highway impassable. An update on the situation is expected at noon Sunday.
Motorists should check the Caltrans website for current road conditions.
Hwy 50 remains closed due to multiple active mudslides . We will NOT reopen today 2/12. Update at noon.
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) February 12, 2017
On the Nevada side, U.S. 50 has been closed near Cave Rock since Wednesday. Five large boulders fell onto the eastbound lanes over the course of three days.
Another large boulder remains atop the slope above the highway, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). The boulder is resting on an unstable surface and the situation is not safe.
NDOT officials previously stated that because of the situation there is no estimated time for reopening U.S. 50. A look at NDOT’s incident log just before 10 a.m. showed there is no estimated time for reopening U.S. 50.
Just kidding! But good luck getting here. Drive safely!!! pic.twitter.com/GNcO3irNzZ
— CHP South Lake Tahoe (@CHPSouthLake) February 12, 2017