Alternating directions of Interstate 580 will be reduced to one lane south of Reno beginning Wednesday, Sept. 13 as the Nevada Department of Transportation performs maintenance to prepare bridge anti-icing systems for winter, according to a news release.
Sections of I-580 will be reduced to one lane from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. weekdays Sept. 13-21 between Mt. Rose Highway and old U.S. 395A exit 16 (Bowers Mansion area).
During the majority of work, only one direction of travel will be reduced at a time. The majority of lane closures will take place on southbound lanes Sept. 13-15, while the majority of lane closures will take place on northbound lanes Sept. 18-21.
Speeds will be reduced to 55 mph through the work zone.
Drivers should anticipate moderate travel delays, particularly with separate road work to improve neighboring sections of I-580.
No lane closures will take place on weekends.
Crews will perform routine annual maintenance to clean and refresh the automatic anti-icing systems on four I-580 bridges between Mt. Rose Highway and the Bowers Mansion area.
The anti-icing system helps delay ice formation on bridge surfaces. As potentially wet, freezing conditions set in, pavement sensors on each bridge automatically activate spray disks embedded within the concrete. Each recessed disk sprays a potassium acetate anti-icing solution. This solution is further spread by traffic, helping delay and reduce the formation of ice.
During summer months, the system periodically sprays brief bursts of water to remove roadway dirt from the nozzles.
Crews perform similar winter maintenance to prep the system for winter each year. Through the coming month, the system will be converted from a summer water solution to a wintertime potassium acetate anti-icing solution.