Beginning Monday, Jan. 10, drivers will see periodic shoulder and single lane closures on U.S. 50 in Dayton as the Nevada Department of Transportation installs livestock fencing to reduce vehicle-horse collisions.
Between Monday and early summer, drivers will see intermittent roadway lane and shoulder closures weekdays between 6 a.m.-6 p.m. on small sections of U.S. 50 between State Route 341 and Chaves Road in Dayton. Periodic side street detours will briefly take place as cattleguards are installed on the highway. Drivers will also see brief lane closures this spring for final roadway lighting installation.
Four strand, four-foot high livestock fencing will be installed on both sides of the highway in these areas:
• Between State Route 341 intersection to just west of River Street (near “Our Park” in west Dayton)
• Between Fortune Drive and western Occidental Drive
• Between Six Mile Canyon Road and Chaves Road
To continue residential and business access to the highway, fencing is not being placed in high-density residential and business areas. Roadway lighting will be placed on the highway at the end of each fenced section for enhanced visibility.
The fencing is aimed at reducing vehicle-animal collisions and enhancing safety for all. Between 2017 and 2019, 27 horse-related crashes were reported in areas where fencing will be placed. Across the state, horses are the animal species third most likely to be involved in a vehicle-animal collision, with an average of approximately 35 horse-related crashes statewide every year. Tragically, motorists who hit horses are more than twice as likely to be injured or killed than drivers who collide with a deer.
The more than eight miles of new fencing will join the nearly 24 miles of existing highway fencing on U.S. 50 between Dayton and Silver Springs. Many other highways bordering the Virginia Range wild horse populations have also been fenced, including USA Parkway and U.S 50A north of Silver Springs. In addition, NDOT has installed three wildlife under-crossings in the Virginia Range.
Additional state highway information is available at dot.nv.gov or by calling 775-888-7000. Also follow @NevadaDOTReno on Twitter for traffic and project updates in northern Nevada, and @nevadadot on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates from across the state.
DRIVING SAFELY IN WILDLIFE-PRONE AREAS
• Obey all speed limits, traffic signs and regulations.
• Wear seatbelts and limit distractions while driving.
• Heed animal warning signs. Be alert for the potential of wildlife, particularly where wildlife warning signs are posted.
• Actively scan all sides of the road as you drive and look for any signs of wildlife.
• Slow down or otherwise adjust driving speeds if necessary to help reduce the chance and impact of an animal collision.
• Remember that many accidents are not due to colliding with wildlife but are the result of driving into another car or truck in the opposite lane while trying to avoid colliding with the animal.
