Long term closure of SR 342 due to potential sinkholes

[roadfro]

NDOT has closed about 2 miles of SR 342 between Carson City and Virginia City for an indefinite period of time, due to potential sinkholes. Issues surfaced last week, and with all the rain we got in the area over the weekend, they're taking safety precautions.

Apparently the road was built on top of an old mine shaft years ago, and has had occasional issues in the past. Detour is SR 341, the "truck route" (Trucks are not allowed on SR 342) is about a mile or two longer...so not too much of inconvenience.


http://nevadadot.com/News/Press_Releases/2015/State_Route_342_Closed_As_Safety_Precaution_Following_Roadway_Cracking_and_Sinking.aspx

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=28062253

[ZLoth]

Hmmm.... looking at the map, it appears that SR342 is the auto shortcut, while SR341 is the main road.

Who lives in Virginia City, Nevada anyways?

[Bickendan]

Virginia City's one of the historic Wild West towns.

[kkt]

Hmmm.... looking at the map, it appears that SR342 is the auto shortcut, while SR341 is the main road.

Who lives in Virginia City, Nevada anyways?

922 people, according to Wikipedia.  It's where the Comstock Lode was discovered and where Mark Twain coined his nickname.

[roadfro]

Hmmm.... looking at the map, it appears that SR342 is the auto shortcut, while SR341 is the main road.

That is correct. I believe SR 342 is the original route, and the "truck route" portion of SR 341 was constructed later–there's some steep grades and a couple hairpin turns (and reasons related to the current situation likely played a factor).

Who lives in Virginia City, Nevada anyways?

Virginia City is the county seat and most populated area of Storey County, so that's something. (Granted, there's not much population in the county.)

However, Storey County is the home of the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center...future home of the Tesla Gigafactory. Interestingly, you currently can't get from the "population center" of Storey County (Virginia City) to the "industrial center" of Storey County (TRIC) without first leaving the county.

[roadfro]

BUMP -- A fix is in the works for SR 342. Through traffic should be back on the (slightly realigned) route by June 2015.


NDOT Press Release, 3/5/15: Permanent Bypass and Realignment Solution for SR 342 Confrimed

VIRGINIA CITY, Nev.- On Tuesday, March 3, 2015, the Storey County Board of Commissioners, at a regularly scheduled meeting, reviewed a comprehensive update pertaining to the temporary closure of State Route 342 (SR-342) that has been closed since Sunday, February 8, 2015. During the meeting, senior representatives of the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), and Comstock Mining Inc. ("Comstock Mining" or "CMI"), reviewed plans with the Storey County (the "County") Commissioners, staff and the public that were compiled after extensive, collaborative discussions between the County, NDOT, and Comstock Mining and other agencies. Based on such discussions, the participants concluded that a safe bypass of SR 342 would open by June 6, 2015.

In early February, NDOT closed the approximate two-mile section of SR-342 south of Gold Hill as a safety precaution following roadway cracking and area specific sinking during a weekend of heavy rains. The area of sinking is above a historic mine shaft dating back to the early 1900 that has a history of collapses. Comstock Mining owns the land, with NDOT granted prescriptive rights to operate the state roadbed over that private land.

The realignment will occur over two phases, with Phase 1 taking approximately 10-12 weeks to complete and Phase 2 taking an additional six months to complete. Phase 1 begins with Comstock Mining removing the unconsolidated fill that now exists above the base bedrock level and beneath the existing road followed by construction of a bypass road upon the base bedrock. Additionally, the historic Silver Hill Shaft will be capped permanently. Phase 1 will commence after AT&T relocates several phone line poles in the area of the realignment.

Once Phase 1 is complete in early June, the road will be reopened during construction of the second phase. Phase 2 includes removal of additional material on the east side of the canyon and will conclude with a tie in of the south end of the newly constructed alignment. A short closure will be necessary toward the end of Phase 2 for the tie in and completion of the realignment. The project is estimated to last through December of 2015. The estimated cost for the project is $3 million. The project will be managed and funded by Comstock Mining, with NDOT and Storey County oversight, resulting ultimately in completing all phases of the realignment, plus additional reclamation objectives.

[707]

Hmmm.... looking at the map, it appears that SR342 is the auto shortcut, while SR341 is the main road.

Who lives in Virginia City, Nevada anyways?

922 people, according to Wikipedia.  It's where the Comstock Lode was discovered and where Mark Twain coined his nickname.

And where he was run out of town following the outcome of a card game.