Roadwork at Cave Rock to cause delays next week

Heavy rains in February caused part of the rock face at Cave Rock to fall into the lanes of traffic on Highway 50. A temporary fix was completed at that time.

Depending on the weather, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) plans on closing two lanes in order to further evaluate the damage and secure the Cave Rock rock face and slope on U.S. 50, Lake Tahoe following recent rockfall.

Starting at 9 a.m. and throughout the day of May 27, westbound travel lanes through the tunnel will be closed and both directions of traffic will be alternated through the eastbound tunnel, with up to 30-minute travel delays to be expected.

During the February storm, major rains loosened rocks from above the Cave Rock tunnel, temporarily closing highway lanes near the tunnel. NDOT maintenance crews immediately removed the boulders from the roadway. Rockfall mitigation experts were called in to closely analyze the slope and make recommendations to further stabilize remaining rocks.

Next week’s work will remove any additional rock debris above the tunnel. Experts will also investigate current rock face condition and develop interim strategies to further heighten slope stability and safety. The work will be performed by Hi-Tech Rockfall, considered an industry leader in rockfall reduction and slope stabilization.

“Making sure that drivers can safely get where they need to go is our top priority, and this work is part of a series of upcoming planned improvements to continually enhance travel and preserve safety through Cave Rock,” NDOT District Engineer Thor Dyson explained.

State road conditions, updates and maps are available at www.nevadadot.com.