NDOT News Release
For safety, the Nevada Department of Transportation has temporarily closed U.S. 50 in the Cave Rock area of Lake Tahoe following five large boulders which have fallen onto the roadway.
During the past three days, boulders roughly the size of large passenger vehicles fell from a roadside slope onto eastbound travel lanes. For safety, travel lanes have reduced to one lane in each direction since Tuesday, with both directions of traffic shifted to westbound lanes away from the rock fall area. No vehicles were involved in the slides, and no injuries were reported. The rock fall occurred near Logan Creek Drive north of Cave Rock.
Large boulders remain perched on the destabilized roadside slope, and the temporary road closure is a safety precaution. The road will be reopened once deemed safe.
To enhance traffic safety, NDOT has placed two rows of concrete barrier rail on the closed eastbound side of the roadway to help capture any additional boulders before sliding into traffic. A sloped berm of gravel will be placed behind the barrier rail to help further diffuse and prevent rock fall onto travel lanes.
With traffic safety as top priority, NDOT has dedicated approximately $15 million to enhancing traffic safety by stabilizing roadside slopes to reduce rockslide and other erosion in U.S. 50 at Tahoe. The majority of U.S. 50 roadside slopes in the Glenbrook area have already been stabilized with rock fall netting or reinforced roadside slopes or have barrier rail/wall built at the bottom to contain and collect erosion-related rock fall. Last year, NDOT also extended the westbound, lakeside Cave Rock tunnel entrance. The new approximately 60-foot long and 27-foot tall structure extends the previous tunnel to enhance safety by catching rock fall before it reaches the roadway.
As heavy precipitation continues across the region, 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.
