The Nevada Department of Transportation’s Pyramid Highway widening and improvement project has reached a milestone, with project construction 50 percent complete.
The project launched in May 2023, and construction is currently on schedule.
Major project construction completed thus far includes:
- Approximately 225,000 cubic yards of earthwork removed to make way for highway widening
- Earthwork and new roadway paving on the west side of the highway between Queen Way and Los Altos Parkway was completed in October 2023
- Equivalent of one and a half miles of new storm drain installed thus far
- Construction of 10-foot wide shared use path and barrier rail between Queen Way and Los Altos Parkway – path remains closed as part of finished construction, and is anticipated to open this summer “A big thanks to the dedicated project team and construction crews who have successfully brought us to the halfway point of construction on this important project,” NDOT Director Tracy Larkin Thomason said. “I want to thank Pyramid Highway motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, and the entire Spanish Springs community, for their understanding as construction continues to make travel on Pyramid Highway safer and smoother for all.”
The next major construction milestone will come as crews launch initial paving of northbound lanes from Queen Way to Los Altos Parkway in May. Construction of a shared use path between Disc Drive and Queen Way is also expected to be completed by the end of May. Then, crews will construct a shared use path from Los Altos Parkway to Golden View Drive after screening walls are fully constructed.
Through summer 2025, drivers will continue to see the following traffic control on Pyramid Highway between Queen Way and Golden View Drive as part of the project:
- Lanes are slightly reduced in width and shifted through the work zone 24/7.
- Lanes are reduced to one lane overnight primarily between 8 p.m. to 7a.m. Sunday evenings through Friday mornings.
- While the majority of delays are brief, drivers can anticipate travel delays of up to 30 minutes through the work zone.
- Speed limits are reduced through the work zone 24/7.
- Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain available, with marked pedestrian detours in place in certain sections of the work zone.
- Access is not available to the BLM recreation area on the west side of the highway during construction.
- Periodic overnight single lane closures will take place on cross streets in the area, such as Disc Drive and Los Altos Parkway.
Construction schedule is weather permitting and subject to change.
The approximately $66 million, two-year project will widen and improve two and a half miles of the highway which is currently traveled by 50,000 drivers daily. When substantially complete by summer of 2025, the project will have widened approximately one and a half miles of Pyramid Highway from four to six lanes between Queen Way and Los Altos Parkway and reconstructed three quarters of a mile of existing four-lane roadway from Los Altos Parkway to Golden View Drive. A protected 10-foot wide shared use path, five-foot bike lanes, raised medians, smart traffic signals, as well as enhanced lighting, landscape and aesthetics and drainage infrastructure are also part of the project.
With as many as 50,000 vehicles traveling the highway on a daily basis, the improvements will enhance traffic mobility and safety on the heavily-traveled corridor.
The NDOT project is in partnership with the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC) and the Federal Highway Administration, and in collaboration with Washoe County, the City of Sparks, and other regional stakeholders. The RTC secured a $23 million federal BUILD grant to support construction. Additional phases to complete the project are included in the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan.
Project information is available by logging onto PyramidHighway.com, by calling (775) 230-7282 or texting “PYRAMID” to (775) 242-9168 to sign up for project updates.
Additional state highway information is available at dot.nv.gov or by calling (775) 888-7000.
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