NV: Carson City freeway (future I-580)

Started by roadfro, August 01, 2009, 09:28:21 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

roadfro

According to this article in the Carson City Appeal, the next phase of the Carson City Freeway is scheduled to open some time in September 2009.


This work will complete Phase 2A of the project, extending the freeway south another ~2 miles to an interchange at Fairview Drive. This will be the temporary end of the freeway until funding is secured to construct the remaining link to the US 50/395 junction south of Carson City.  AASHTO has approved the rerouting of US 50 and US 395 onto the new freeway facility. To facilitate the linking the new freeway with the existing highways on S. Carson St, they have also approved "Temporary" designations for each highway along Fairview Drive.  "Business" designations have also been approved for each of the original alignments through town.

A separate project, the I-580 extension between Carson City and Reno, should be complete before Phase 2B.  Once the final phase of the Carson City bypass is complete, NDOT plans to sign the entire freeway facility along US 395 (between I-80 in Reno and US 50/395 south of Carson City) as Interstate 580.  Currently, only a small 5-mile portion of the route is currently designated as I-580, but this is unsigned at present.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.


Alex

Having just recently driven the US 395/I-580 corridor, I have some photos to share. And FYI, there are a few IR-580 paddles along the 5-mile hidden Interstate.



I thought there would be more progress made to the US 395/I-580 arch bridge since 2005, but alas, its still being built. The approach from the north appears to need a lot more work too...



U.S. 395 enters the Carson City Bypass and splits with U.S. 395 Business on the north side of Carson City. Several of the signs placed for the freeway here and further north have allocations for Interstate 580 shields.



All traffic departs the Carson City Bypass for the US 50 SPUI. US 395 travels west with US 50 current to its original alignment. There are no shields along the cosign however.


Descending at the current southern end of the US 395 Carson City bypas

roadfro

Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
Having just recently driven the US 395/I-580 corridor, I have some photos to share. And FYI, there are a few IR-580 paddles along the 5-mile hidden Interstate.

How recently were you here?  I wish I'd have known...it's been a while since I've met up with a fellow roadgeek.

By "IR 580 paddles", I assume you're referring to the white mileposts.  The last time I drove the Carson City Freeway, I was looking for milepost panels and all of them I saw listed US 395.  Might you have a picture?

Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
I thought there would be more progress made to the US 395/I-580 arch bridge since 2005, but alas, its still being built. The approach from the north appears to need a lot more work too...

The separate I-580 Extension project hit a snag in May 2006, when the previous contractor and NDOT could not reach an agreement on some construction aspect of the Galena Creek Bridge.  That contractor terminated their contract with NDOT, which necessitated repackaging the remaining work and rebidding the project.  This set the project back at least 6 months (probably closer to a year or more).  Part of the bridge was originally supposed to be complete in late 2006.

They also changed the construction method for the Galena Creek Bridge.  The method the current contractor used was to place an engineered fill in the creek (complete with large culvert to maintain stream flows), giving crews a foundation to erect falsework to ease in construction of the arch.  The fill is visible in the first photo above, as the light gray and blackish material immediately below the arch.  Supposedly, this method is supposed to shave around 6 months off the construction timeline.  Once the bridge is done, the fill/culvert will be removed and the contractor will replant all vegetation that was covered by the fill.

As far as the remainder of the extension through Pleasant Valley, most of the mountainside bridgework is completed.  Much of the roadbed/paving work has to wait until the Galena Creek Bridge is finished, so crews can transfer cut/fill material within project boundaries.  Work on building the SR 429/Bowers Mansion Road interchange as well as completing the SR 431/Mt Rose Interchange should be ongoing right now.  I haven't driven out that way lately to check up on the construction...I've been meaning to.

Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
U.S. 395 enters the Carson City Bypass and splits with U.S. 395 Business on the north side of Carson City. Several of the signs placed for the freeway here and further north have allocations for Interstate 580 shields.

All signs installed/replaced in the last few years at the I-80/US 395 interchange and the revised US 395/Plumb Lane SPUI have left space for future I-580 shields.  After looking at the signing plans for Phase 2B of the Carson City Freeway (available on the project website), I realized that NDOT will not be signing I-580 right away upon opening Phase 2B; only US 395/50 shields will be installed.  However, all the BGSs will leave room for the I-580 shields, and this is called out for in the BGS sign design sheets.

Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
All traffic departs the Carson City Bypass for the US 50 SPUI. US 395 travels west with US 50 current to its original alignment. There are no shields along the cosign however.

Hmm, I thought there was a set of US 50 & 395 shields westbound, just west of the US 50 SPUI.  It shows up in Google Street view.  In any event, that section along William St (current US 50/hidden SR 530) will be resigned Business US 50 once Phase 2A opens in the coming months.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

Alex

Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM
Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
Having just recently driven the US 395/I-580 corridor, I have some photos to share. And FYI, there are a few IR-580 paddles along the 5-mile hidden Interstate.

How recently were you here?  I wish I'd have known...it's been a while since I've met up with a fellow roadgeek.


Drove Interstate 80 from the Bay Area to Reno on July 18, with a stop down at Lake Tahoe. Stayed overnight and then headed southward via U.S. 395 to CA-14 and Los Angeles on the 19th. If I'm ever there again, I'll let you know!

Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM

By "IR 580 paddles", I assume you're referring to the white mileposts.  The last time I drove the Carson City Freeway, I was looking for milepost panels and all of them I saw listed US 395.  Might you have a picture?

Unfortunately, I was not able to snap photos. Its on a southbound viaduct portion and IIRC there were two in a row, probably within the Exit 62 vicinity On the website we have a pic of one north of Interstate 80, which probably is in error...

Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM
Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
I thought there would be more progress made to the US 395/I-580 arch bridge since 2005, but alas, its still being built. The approach from the north appears to need a lot more work too...

The separate I-580 Extension project hit a snag in May 2006, when the previous contractor and NDOT could not reach an agreement on some construction aspect of the Galena Creek Bridge.  That contractor terminated their contract with NDOT, which necessitated repackaging the remaining work and rebidding the project.  This set the project back at least 6 months (probably closer to a year or more).  Part of the bridge was originally supposed to be complete in late 2006.

They also changed the construction method for the Galena Creek Bridge.  The method the current contractor used was to place an engineered fill in the creek (complete with large culvert to maintain stream flows), giving crews a foundation to erect falsework to ease in construction of the arch.  The fill is visible in the first photo above, as the light gray and blackish material immediately below the arch.  Supposedly, this method is supposed to shave around 6 months off the construction timeline.  Once the bridge is done, the fill/culvert will be removed and the contractor will replant all vegetation that was covered by the fill.

As far as the remainder of the extension through Pleasant Valley, most of the mountainside bridgework is completed.  Much of the roadbed/paving work has to wait until the Galena Creek Bridge is finished, so crews can transfer cut/fill material within project boundaries.  Work on building the SR 429/Bowers Mansion Road interchange as well as completing the SR 431/Mt Rose Interchange should be ongoing right now.  I haven't driven out that way lately to check up on the construction...I've been meaning to.

That explains a lot. We took several photos of the bridge as we drove by to the east. Looks like there is a lot more curing to be done there among other things...

Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM
Hmm, I thought there was a set of US 50 & 395 shields westbound, just west of the US 50 SPUI.  It shows up in Google Street view.  In any event, that section along William St (current US 50/hidden SR 530) will be resigned Business US 50 once Phase 2A opens in the coming months.

Just double checked the photos, and there are no reassurance shields posted for U.S. 50 west/U.S. 395 south. Perhaps they jumped the gun and took them down in preparation for the next extension?

roadfro

Quote from: AARoads on August 02, 2009, 09:48:49 PM
Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM
Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM
Having just recently driven the US 395/I-580 corridor, I have some photos to share. And FYI, there are a few IR-580 paddles along the 5-mile hidden Interstate.
By "IR 580 paddles", I assume you're referring to the white mileposts.  The last time I drove the Carson City Freeway, I was looking for milepost panels and all of them I saw listed US 395.  Might you have a picture?
Unfortunately, I was not able to snap photos. Its on a southbound viaduct portion and IIRC there were two in a row, probably within the Exit 62 vicinity On the website we have a pic of one north of Interstate 80, which probably is in error...

Ahh, okay, I see--I thought for some reasons that you were referring to the Carson City portion, but were actually talking about the current freeway in Reno.  There are two mileposts in quick succession (21.00 and 20.85) southbound as you pass over Neil Road (exit 62).

Actually, the entire US 395 freeway in Reno is marked with "IR 580" milepost panels, and has been at least since I moved to Reno in 2001.  That would be the whole freeway from the current southern terminus at SR 431/Mt Rose Hwy, north *past* I-80 to the Exit 72/Business US 395/Panther Valley interchange, at which the postmiles appear to switch back to US 395.  Interestingly, Business US 395/Virginia St/SR 430, which was the original US 395 alignment through Reno, still has mileposts that say "US 395"--even on some portions relinquished to Reno a few years ago.  I'm guessing that these mileposts date to original construction, so as not to cause internal confusion between the freeway and surface street alignments... So anyway, that photo on the site of the IR 580 milepost on US 395 north of I-80 is not technically in error.

I am wondering if maybe NDOT will re-do the mileposts once all the freeways are done, and resign them as US 395.  I'm pretty sure the Carson Bypass is mileposted as US 395, even though it will be part I-580.  There is precedent for this, as I-515 in Las Vegas is mileposted as US 95 to maintain continuity with the rest of that route (although it was always posted that way, as the original Boulder Highway was mileposted as US 93).

Quote from: AARoads on August 02, 2009, 09:48:49 PM
Quote from: roadfro on August 02, 2009, 07:47:39 PM
Hmm, I thought there was a set of US 50 & 395 shields westbound, just west of the US 50 SPUI.  It shows up in Google Street view.  In any event, that section along William St (current US 50/hidden SR 530) will be resigned Business US 50 once Phase 2A opens in the coming months.
Just double checked the photos, and there are no reassurance shields posted for U.S. 50 west/U.S. 395 south. Perhaps they jumped the gun and took them down in preparation for the next extension?

There was only one set, located right after the exit ramp from the freeway. Since the new overlap was only a mile or so long, the next set of shields would be the overheads at the Carson St intersection that have been there for years.  It's possible that you just missed them.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

SSOWorld

I'll try to get some shots of these in the first week of September.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

treichard

Has Nevada DOT already received FWHA+AASHTO approval to give the freeway the I-580 or Future I-580 designation, or are they jumping the gun in anticipation? I mean to refer only to the part of the freeway that's not already officially I-580.
Map your cumulative highway travel
Clinched Highway Mapping
http://cmap.m-plex.com/

roadfro

Quote from: treichard on August 31, 2009, 03:13:33 PM
Has Nevada DOT already received FWHA+AASHTO approval to give the freeway the I-580 or Future I-580 designation, or are they jumping the gun in anticipation? I mean to refer only to the part of the freeway that's not already officially I-580.

NDOT's current route log only lists the FHWA 5-mile portion, as well as the ~8.5 miles currently under construction south of Reno, as its portions of I-580.

On AASHTO's website, the Special Committee on Route Numbering has its minutes up for all meetings/actions that have occurred since 1989.  There has not been any mention of Nevada's I-580 in any of those files.  So, if AASHTO has approved the I-580 designation, it was prior to 1989.

I'm not sure about FHWA approvals, and I don't know if such information is available online.  The only indication is their auxiliary interstate route log, which lists ~5 miles of the existing US 395 freeway as part of I-580.  This is the only official section and is currently unsigned.

It should be noted that I-580 was supposedly signed on surface streets near interchanges in the mid-80's.  There is some remaining evidence of this in the way of signage green-out on some of those arterial streets.  These signs were all located near the "official" section though.


Keep in mind that the US 395 freeway in Reno, the "I-580 Freeway Extension" (as it's called by NDOT) south of Reno, and the Carson City freeway have all been in some sort of long-range planning for a few decades (at least the 70's, if not earlier).  They've all been through various environmental studies as required for federal funding. Also, the projects have all been designed to Interstate standards.  If FHWA hasn't approved an extension of the I-580 designation, It's reasonable to assume they are well aware of NDOT's intentions to request the extension in the future.  As far as I'm aware, FHWA has not approved a "Future I-580" designation, and NDOT hasn't signed it as such even if they had.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

roadfro

Update:

NDOT is holding a fun run/walk for the opening of Phase 2A, similar to what they did when the Phase 1 segment opened in 2006.  The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 19th at 8:00 am.

This would suggest that the freeway itself will open shortly afterward.  I'd guess it would be open to vehicular traffic later that afternoon or on Sunday, but it's almost certain to be open by Monday morning.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

roadfro

Quote from: treichard on August 31, 2009, 03:13:33 PM
Has Nevada DOT already received FWHA+AASHTO approval to give the freeway the I-580 or Future I-580 designation, or are they jumping the gun in anticipation? I mean to refer only to the part of the freeway that's not already officially I-580.

New Information:

According to material on the Interstate System Add Requests: March 1970 page at kurumi.com, Nevada DOT requested the addition of future I-580 back in 1970.  They also requested what is now I-515 in Las Vegas, as well as a new east-west Interstate across Nevada along the US 50 corridor (which possibly would have been an extension of I-70).
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

roadfro

According to the message displayed on a VMS during the community fun run/walk/bike this morning, the phase 2A segment of the Carson City Freeway will open on Thursday, September 24th.

It looked like all the major freeway work was complete, save for a few punch list items.  Some signage still needs to be modified on the current segment of the freeway before the new section opens.

One note: Even though NDOT got AASHTO approval for a Temporary US 395/50 designation on Fairview Drive (to connect the end of the freeway to the current highways on Carson St), the temporary routing along Fairview Drive will simply be signed as "To US 395/US 50".
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

agentsteel53

Quote from: roadfro on September 03, 2009, 04:34:00 PMa new east-west Interstate across Nevada along the US 50 corridor (which possibly would have been an extension of I-70).

that would've made the Utah section of I-70 feel like downtown LA in comparison.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

andy3175

I'm still waiting to see what happens if I-580 is extended north from Reno into California. Then what?

Andy
Regards,
Andy

www.aaroads.com

agentsteel53

Quote from: andy3175 on November 12, 2009, 10:46:21 PM
I'm still waiting to see what happens if I-580 is extended north from Reno into California. Then what?

Andy

maybe then we'll get US-50 and CA-17 re-extended!
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

myosh_tino

Quote from: andy3175 on November 12, 2009, 10:46:21 PM
I'm still waiting to see what happens if I-580 is extended north from Reno into California. Then what?

Andy
That probably will never happen as U.S. 395 becomes an expressway at the California state line.  It may look like a freeway but there is an at-grade intersection less than 2 miles from the California-Nevada border.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

roadfro

Quote from: myosh_tino on November 13, 2009, 03:32:23 PM
Quote from: andy3175 on November 12, 2009, 10:46:21 PM
I'm still waiting to see what happens if I-580 is extended north from Reno into California. Then what?

Andy
That probably will never happen as U.S. 395 becomes an expressway at the California state line.  It may look like a freeway but there is an at-grade intersection less than 2 miles from the California-Nevada border.

That at-grade intersection is actually just bast the border, probably within 1/10th of a mile.

Considering that US 395 downgrades to a divided highway at the CA state line, and downgrades to a two-lane highway just 8 miles later at CA SR 70 (Hallelujah Junction), I wouldn't count on I-580 extending north from Reno anytime soon. There's just no need for it.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

myosh_tino

Quote from: roadfro on November 14, 2009, 08:07:29 PM
Quote from: myosh_tino on November 13, 2009, 03:32:23 PM
Quote from: andy3175 on November 12, 2009, 10:46:21 PM
I'm still waiting to see what happens if I-580 is extended north from Reno into California. Then what?

Andy
That probably will never happen as U.S. 395 becomes an expressway at the California state line.  It may look like a freeway but there is an at-grade intersection less than 2 miles from the California-Nevada border.

That at-grade intersection is actually just bast the border, probably within 1/10th of a mile.

Considering that US 395 downgrades to a divided highway at the CA state line, and downgrades to a two-lane highway just 8 miles later at CA SR 70 (Hallelujah Junction), I wouldn't count on I-580 extending north from Reno anytime soon. There's just no need for it.
I think Andy was talking about I-580 being extended from I-80 north to the California-Nevada border.  That extension should never happen because California already has freeway signed as I-580.  I agree there is no need to extend I-580 in Nevada north of I-80.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

roadfro

^ Andy was talking about I-580 going north from Reno into California. If for some reason I-580 were to be extended into California, what would they do with the number since an I-580 already exists in California.

It's an interesting question from a roadgeek perspective, but one that won't get an answer since the odds of such an extension happening are likely less than 1%--that is, unless Hallelujah Junction or Doyle or Susanville somehow becomes the next Vegas or Phoenix (in terms of population growth).
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

City

What I don't get is why they didn't build I-80 through the city in the first place. We wouldn't have to worry about building a spur down to Carson City and have lack of funds and other various troubles. Oh, and adding on to the thought of routing I-80 itself through the city, to benefit Reno commuters, how about making an even x80 to serve that city?

But, anyways, it looks like NDOT is doing some great progress on this freeway! I can't wait to see it finished!

Quote from: AARoads on August 01, 2009, 11:22:25 PM



All traffic departs the Carson City Bypass for the US 50 SPUI. US 395 travels west with US 50 current to its original alignment. There are no shields along the cosign however.


That "End Freeway" sign annoys me. Mixing upper and lower case letters on an advisory sign such as this is a pet peeve of mine. Thank goodness it's temporary.

TheStranger

Quote from: City on November 17, 2009, 09:30:22 PM
What I don't get is why they didn't build I-80 through the city in the first place. We wouldn't have to worry about building a spur down to Carson City and have lack of funds and other various troubles. Oh, and adding on to the thought of routing I-80 itself through the city, to benefit Reno commuters, how about making an even x80 to serve that city?

I-80 was built through Reno paralleling what was US 40's long-standing routing through town; Carson City historically wasn't anywhere as populated as Reno (and still isn't).  I've never gotten the impression (though I have only been to Reno twice) that the place is large enough to warrant a bypass freeway...

Chris Sampang

roadfro

Quote from: City on November 17, 2009, 09:30:22 PM
What I don't get is why they didn't build I-80 through the city in the first place. We wouldn't have to worry about building a spur down to Carson City and have lack of funds and other various troubles. Oh, and adding on to the thought of routing I-80 itself through the city, to benefit Reno commuters, how about making an even x80 to serve that city?

Building I-80 through Carson City instead of Reno wouldn't have made any sense at all. As I-80 was constructed across the state, it was built either alongside or directly on top of the alignment of old US 40 (except where it passes through towns).  Given that US 40 went through Reno and not Carson City, routing I-80 through Carson City wouldn't have made much sense.  Also, and more importantly, Reno has been the population center for northwest Nevada since at least the early 1900s (if not earlier), so it makes far greater sense to have the main Interstate serve the bigger city with a spur to serve the capital.

Keep in mind that the I-580 projects aren't a small undertaking. There's about 30 miles between downtown Reno and downtown Carson City

Quote
But, anyways, it looks like NDOT is doing some great progress on this freeway! I can't wait to see it finished!

Well, you're going to have to wait. Although some minor street overcrossing bridges will begin construction soon, funding shortfalls are delaying construction of the final ~3.5 miles of freeway mainline and terminal interchange (the US 395/US 50 West junction) south of Carson City. NDOT's latest projected opening date for the final segment is sometime in 2014.

Quote
That "End Freeway" sign annoys me. Mixing upper and lower case letters on an advisory sign such as this is a pet peeve of mine. Thank goodness it's temporary.

The signs in that picture should have been replaced in September. I haven't been down to Carson City since the latest stretch of freeway opened, but do know that such a warning sign was not used at the south end of the new segment that just opened.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

gonealookin

#21
A few Carson City shots taken 9/13/10:

Looking south from the East 5th Street overcrossing toward the current end of the freeway at Fairview Drive.


This same stretch of freeway, this time looking north from the Fairview Drive overcrossing.


Heading eastbound on Fairview Drive, approaching the beginning of the freeway.  The closed right-turn lane will eventually lead to the on-ramp to southbound 395/westbound 50.


Looking south from Fairview Drive with the on-ramp to northbound 395/eastbound 50 in the foreground.  Summer 2010 construction appears to include primarily a concrete drainage culvert which will run along the east side of the eventual freeway, and bridge work at the Koontz Lane overcrossing.  All construction work presently terminates on the south at Clearview Drive.


Work on the Koontz Lane overcrossing.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.