CARSON CITY — Eastbound Interstate 80 traffic will be detoured to travel over interstate ramps at West Winnemucca exit 173 beginning Jan. 2 as the Nevada Department of Transportation makes bridge repairs.
Beginning Jan. 2 through late February, eastbound Interstate 80 traffic will be diverted to travel over the West Winnemucca exit 173 ramp weekdays between 7 a.m.-5 p.m., with reduced work zone speed limits in place approaching the ramp.
While motorists can still travel through the area, drivers should plan for slight travel delays. Westbound interstate lanes will not be impacted.
Additional ramp detours will intermittently take place through early spring 2024 for finishing construction.
The repairs were initially scheduled to launch Dec. 18, but were rescheduled. The construction schedule is subject to change.
West Winnemucca Boulevard over I-80 at exit 173 will also continue to be reduced to one direction through spring 2024.
Out of an abundance of caution, NDOT previously reduced travel over the West Winnemucca bridge to one lane to reduce weight carried by the bridge.
Repairs will be made to the underside of the bridge carrying West Winnemucca Boulevard over I-80.
The bridge was damaged, potentially from being hit by an unreported high-profile vehicle, with scraping and slight misalignment of the bottom of the bridge girder.
Heat straightening will be used to repair the damage. Multiple engineering inspections have been conducted to ensure that the bridge remains in safe and operable condition prior to repairs.
The bridge will continue to routinely be inspected as part of NDOT’s dedication to preserving Nevada bridges.
Recently released analysis of 2022 U.S. Department of Transportation bridge inventory data shows approximately 99 percent of Nevada’s more than 2,000 public bridges being in fair or good condition.