Lake Tahoe Visitors Should Travel Cautiously Amid Likely Delays Starting July 13

As part of a continuing Nevada Department of Transportation highway repaving project, motorists should expect some travel delays starting July 13, 2025. 

The announcement comes after a busy holiday rush, where construction was temporarily halted to allow for traffic flow. This was especially important for the Fourth of July holiday and the American Century Championship. 

According to the Nevada DOT:

New Lane Reductions and Shifts.

• "July 13 through July 25: U.S. 50 will be reduced to one lane in each direction between State Route 207 and Elks Point Road from Sundays at 8 p.m. through Fridays at noon.
• One lane will remain open in each direction, and all lanes will open on weekends.
• Speeds will be reduced to 35 mph through the work zone.
• Drivers can anticipate moderate travel delays.
• While access to businesses and residences will be continuously maintained in most areas, certain side streets and driveways will temporarily be impacted as roadway excavation takes place in the immediate area. Steel plates and earthwork will then be used after excavation to reestablish side street access.
• Three inches of aging roadway surface will be removed and replaced with new asphalt."

What To Expect?

• "Single lane closures will take place Sundays at 8 p.m. through Fridays at noon on sections of U.S. 50 between Spooner Summit to the Nevada/California border at Stateline. 
• A minimum of one lane in each direction will stay open at all times.
• Speeds will be reduced to 35mph through work zones.
• While access to businesses and residences will be continuously maintained in most areas, certain side streets and driveways will temporarily be impacted as roadway excavation takes place in the immediate area. Steel plates and earthwork will then be used after excavation to reestablish side street access.
• Drivers can anticipate moderate travel delays through the work zone.
• Lane reductions will not take place during major holidays or special events.
• The construction schedule is weather permitting and subject to change.
• Intermittent sidewalk closures will take place in the casino corridor, with pedestrian access remaining available."

What's The Project?

NDOT is giving 13 miles of U.S. 50 from Spooner Summit to Stateline a long-overdue facelift to make the drive smoother and safer.

What’s happening:

• "New pavement: Crews will mill off 3" of old asphalt and lay fresh pavement the first full resurfacing since 2007.
• Safer centerline: Twin double-yellow stripes and rumble strips between Spooner Summit and Glenbrook add a 2-ft buffer and audible warning to deter head-on and crossover crashes.
• Stronger barriers: Worn guardrails are being replaced and some sections upgraded to concrete barriers; asphalt curbs are swapped for tougher concrete to survive snowplows.
• Fiber-optic upgrade: A new trunk line will boost NDOT’s communications network and prep the corridor for future enhancements.
• No lane loss: Two lanes stay open each way during and after construction—no turn-lane or intersection changes."

The project serves roughly 26,000 daily drivers and feeds into NDOT’s broader Tahoe East Shore Corridor plan for continued safety and mobility improvements.

Related: US Resident Infected With Severe Form of Bubonic Plague Dies