Meadowood Interchange Construction Begins

Another major highway construction project has begun in the Truckee Meadows. This one is the long planned freeway interchange designed to improve traffic flow at Reno's busiest intersection - McCarran Blvd. and S. Virginia Street. For those who don't know, this is the set of clogged arteries where those two roads, plus Kietzke Lane and U.S. 395, tangle up motorists in a mess of turn lanes, freeway on and off ramps, and a series of frustrating traffic signals.

The center of the construction site is just south of the McCarran/Virginia St. intersection at Meadowood Way and U.S. 395 (now officially designated I-580). Preliminary work is already underway - the orange cones and barrels are sprouting on S. Virginia and some traffic lanes have been blocked off. As work progresses, the affected area will expand accordingly, so think about alternate routes if you must drive in this vicinity.

The project was designed by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and will take about two years to complete. The RTC website has a detailed description of the entire project. There will be a public meeting to discuss construction impacts of the new U.S. 395 interchange at Meadowood Mall Way from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, at the Meadowood Courtyard Super 8, 5851 S. Virginia Street. Local businesses, residents, property owners, and commuters are invited to attend to view project details and provide input on how to deal with traffic control during construction.

Sources: Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), Reno Gazette-Journal.

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