Dayton’s Smith’s center to receive lane improvements

CARSON CITY — A Nevada Department of Transportation project has begun this week to enhance traffic safety with raised center turn lane islands and other enhancements near the Smith’s Shopping Center in Dayton.

The approximately $300,000 contract, awarded to Sierra Nevada Construction, will install raised turn islands in the median of U.S. 50 at three shopping center entrances: Retail Road, Pinecone Road and the main entrance to the Smith’s shopping center. The raised medians will provide protected turn pockets for traffic to enter and exit. For enhanced safety, the left turn out of the middle shopping center entrance will be eliminated. River Road traffic will also be limited to right in and right out only. Left turns will continue to be available from Pinecone and Retail roads. In addition, roadway shoulders will be widened on both sides of U.S. 50 to allow for longer deceleration lanes, providing safer right hand turns.

Single lane closures will take place during construction, with minor travel delays possible. Construction is scheduled to be completed before the end of May.

Last year, NDOT repaved and restriped U.S. 50 from Arrowhead Drive in east Carson City to one mile east of the State Route 341 (Virginia City) intersection, along with other enhancements.

“As the number of vehicles and development has grown, we’ve been widening and enhancing U.S. 50 east of Carson over the past years. These improvements are a part of our continuing commitment to safety and mobility for everyone traveling U.S. 50,” NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon explained. “We also want to remind everyone on the road to drive at appropriate and safe speeds, to never drive impaired as well as to focus on the road and stay in your lane.”