Check NVRoads.com for latest road conditions.
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UPDATE: While emergency measures overnight made a dent in the traffic problem, cars are still backed up this morning, attempting to get home.
Nevada Department of Transportation and Nevada State Police set up a checkpoint at the base of Spooner last night at 8:30 p.m. to turn non-essential traffic away from traveling westbound.
They let residents with identification through but turned all others away.
“Following emergency alerts issued last night for public safety, many drivers traveling westbound on U.S. 50 rerouted to safer valley locations. By approximately midnight, the existing traffic queue on U.S. 50 dissipated,” a NDOT spokesperson told the Tribune. “This helped protect public safety and allowed NDOT highway maintenance staff to plow and treat the U.S. 50 highway surface which had previously been gridlocked and inaccessible to plow operations. NDOT also mobilized highway maintenance staff from valley locations not impacted by the storm to assist with snow removal on U.S. 50.”
The City of South Lake Tahoe activated an Emergency Operations Center Tuesday evening which city officials believe made a difference.
“It gave the road on the California side through South Lake Tahoe a chance to clear up overnight. We expect it to back up again due to continued snow and strongly discourage travel today,” said Lindsey Baker, Assistant to the City Manager.
Governor Steve Sisolak, who declared a State of Emergency last night, tweeted out this morning, “I want to thank all of our first responders and emergency officials who worked diligently through challenging conditions overnight (and for most of the last week) to ensure our roadways and motorists are safe.”
Interstate 80 opened last night to essential commercial vehicles, alleviating some of the stress on Hwy 50.
While the measures last night were an effort to prevent people being stuck in their cars overnight in freezing conditions, snow continues to fall this morning and visitors still want to get home.
Traffic is still backed up on Hwy 50 through South Lake Tahoe.
Based on advise from my team, I will be declaring a State of Emergency in Northern Nevada.
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) December 29, 2021
Highway 50, Highway 207 (Kingsbury Grade) and Highway 28 are experiencing delays, dangerous road conditions and an oncoming storm.
(@nevadadot, @NVEmergencyMgmt, @NV_StatePolice)
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