Highway 395 paving prep underway

With the exception of Minden’s $2.2 million pipeline replacement and some minor delays on Kingsbury, Douglas County residents have seen a fairly light roadwork season this year.

But should the stars align, next year will more than make up for that lull.

State crews are preparing for the resurfacing of Highway 395 between First Street in Minden and Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville.

Work to repave the highway is scheduled to start the middle of next year and is just the first phase of a project that will eventually see the highway repaved all the way to the Carson City line.

Between that work and expected construction of the Muller Lane Parkway, roadwork season will snarl a few Carson Valley routes next year and in 2024.

Residents have already seen surveyors and utility locators working along the highway, which has in some instances caused shoulder closures.

Last week, the Nevada Department of Transportation released its statewide improvement program and asked residents to weigh in.

Included in the program is a list of projects for Douglas County over the next five years, including both paving efforts on Highway 395.

Residents may check out and weigh in on the program by visiting www.dot.nv.gov/projects-programs/proposed-transportation-projects. All public comment must be submitted by Sept. 8 to stip-workprogram@dot.nv.gov.

Repaving the highway through downtown Gardnerville is estimated to cost $14.05 million, up from the original $6 million estimate.

Eventual phases will include obtaining rights of way along the highway for drainage improvements.

There’s another $24 million for structure work on the program that may include bridge work.

Total work for Douglas County also includes $26 million for work on Highway 50 in the Tahoe Basin.

However, nothing is certain, and with increased costs and difficulty obtaining materials, at least one project that was supposed to take place this summer has been delayed.

Long manufacturing lead time for a traffic signal and controller cabinet, transportation has delayed a $2.6 million installation of a traffic light at Highway 50 and Warrior Way, state transportation spokeswoman Meg Ragonese said said last week.

“Instead of launching preliminary earthwork this season only to begin an additional season to install the traffic signal next year, NDOT, in conjunction with Q&D Construction, opted to schedule all construction for one season in the spring of 2023,” Ragonese said. “This will also limit construction traffic impacts for motorists to one season.”

The work will permanently remove on-highway parking from north of Warrior Way to the Zephyr Cove Resort entrance.

“On-highway parking is being removed to reduce safety concerns associated with vehicles parking along the shoulders of the heavily-traveled highway,” she said.