Kingsbury Grade reopens

Kingsbury Grade (State Route 207) reopened at 4:30 p.m. Saturday after closing Friday afternoon to allow crews to remove a slide and remove trees and boulders.

Rockfall mitigation experts spent Saturday bringing down boulders from the top of a roadside slope on Kingsbury Grade. Heavy precipitation had loosened not only the boulders, but trees as well.

The roadway is now clear and traffic is moving from the Carson Valley to Lake Tahoe. Nevada Department of Transportion (NDOT) and their contractor Q&D Construction made repairs to an eroding roadside slope and extensive rockfall.

NDOT has been monitoring roadside slopes across the region, including the slope on Kingsbury Grade which had slid approximately one foot within a recent 24-hour period, posing the threat of bringing mud, rock and debris across the highway. Additionally, approximately four-foot diameter boulders fell from a nearby hill onto the roadway.

Soil saturation and additional winter weather may lead to future road closures as repairs are made to other roadside slopes.

Following this winter’s heavy precipitation, NDOT reminds motorists of the increased likelihood of rockslides, mudslides and avalanches in mountainous areas. Drivers are reminded to always drive safely and watch the road ahead. Updated state road conditions are available by logging onto nvroads.com or dialing 511 before driving.

The section of road is traveled by approximately 5,600 vehicles daily.

For up to the minute road information, visit www.nvroads.com or dial 511 for Nevada road updates.