This spring, Dixie Valley Road (State Route 121) east of Fallon is scheduled to be transitioned from a paved to gravel road as the Nevada Department of Transportation removes and pulverizes the aging asphalt surface starting on Monday, April 12, 2021 and continuing through the end of the month.
Approximately 27 miles of Dixie Valley Road connecting to U.S. 50 is a state-maintained asphalt road which then transitions into a gravel county road. The state road surface was last fully repaved in 1976, with minor resurfacing in 2012, and is deteriorating faster than it can be maintained, causing traffic safety concerns.
To enhance driver safety by removing the potholed roadway surface and to prevent costs of a full roadway reconstruction, the roadbed will be compacted and the existing asphalt surface pulverized and recycled as a gravel roadway. As the aging and potholed asphalt surface is removed and graded, it will provide a more even and predictable riding surface to enhance driver comfort and safety. NDOT also plans to periodically blade the roadway for a smoother drive and will continue minimal roadway maintenance as needed following extreme weather or other events. Snow will not be removed on the road.
As the road is transitioned to a gravel surface, drivers are reminded to travel at slower speeds appropriate for the new gravel roadway surface and conditions.
Although traffic volumes fluctuate, an average of 40 vehicles per day are estimated to travel the road.
While NDOT understands that this course of action may not satisfy every road user, pulverizing the roadway will save tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money, provide a more even and predictable riding surface to enhance driver comfort and safety, allow the U.S. Navy to transport heavier vehicles in the interest of national security, and preserve critical roadway funding for more highly-traveled highways like Highway 50.
Drivers will see single lane closures on Dixie Valley Road between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays as the roadway is pulverized. A pilot car will alternate directions of traffic through the work zone. While the majority of delays will be shorter, drivers should anticipate travel delays of up to 30 minutes. Road work dates are subject to change based on weather and other factors.