NDOT announces construction of Silver Springs roundabout

Churchill County motorists will encounter additional delays traveling west on U.S. Highway 50 through the Silver Springs area toward Carson City.

According to the Nevada Department of Transportation, motorists will use frontage roads around the U.S. 95 Alternate junction while NDOR constructs a permanent traffic roundabout. Motorists will also notice fully-paved one-way frontage roads that have been constructed on the outside of the current intersection. Motorists will drive the frontage roads in a counterclockwise direction, making right-hand turns to access roads and businesses in the same manner as a traffic roundabout. Speed limits will be reduced to 20 mph on the frontage roads.

The temporary detour is scheduled to be in place through the end of the year as a permanent roundabout is installed to replace the existing flashing traffic signal at the junction. The concrete roundabout will make intersection travel safer and quicker with free right turns between U.S. 50 and southern U.S. 95 Alternate. According to national studies, NDOT said roundabouts can reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by up to 87%.

The roundabout is part of a project to widen U.S. 50 from a two-lane to a four-lane divided highway between Roy’s Road in Stagecoach and the U.S. 95A junction in Silver Springs. Eight frontage roads are also being constructed, tying local access roads into major intersections for safer designated turns to and from the highway. Roadside lighting will be installed and enhanced for improved visibility and safety at major intersections. Roadway drainage improvements are also being made.

Fourteen miles of new four-strand, four-foot high livestock fencing will be constructed on both sides of the highway to reduce vehicle-animal collisions and enhance safety. The nearly 10 miles of highway to be widened is traveled by about 6,000 drivers daily. During the past month, motorists should be aware of small herds of wild horses grazing near or along U.S. 50 between Stagecoach and Silver Springs.

The approximately $50 million highway project by contractor Granite Construction Co., marks the final phase of widening of U.S. 50 to four lanes between Carson City and Silver Springs. During the past decade, NDOT has widened U.S. 50 from eastern Dayton to the Stagecoach area from two to four lanes.

Project updates are available at nevadadot.com or by calling 775-888-7000