Donner Pass Road Improvements

Project Overview

This project consists of road rehabilitation and shoulder widening on 6.5 miles of Donner Pass Road beginning at the Soda Springs exit and ending at the Truckee town limit east of the summit.   A typical road section will consist of two 11-foot lanes with 4-foot shoulders plus safety edges, except in the downhill direction on the east side due to topographical constraints. The project will also improve recreational and sightseeing access, with enhanced parking on the east side of the summit that connects to rock climbing, hiking, and biking amenities, as well as to historic and prehistoric features. Bicycling conditions will be improved with bike lanes in both directions on the west side and in the uphill direction on the east side. Enhanced pullouts and parking areas include the Rainbow Bridge parking lot, School House pullout, Star Wall pullout, Snow shed North and South pullouts, Space Wall pullout, and Black Wall pullout. During the winter the widening will also provide additional snow storage and improve access to winter recreational destinations. Nevada County received California Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) funding for this project in 2015. The project is being managed and delivered by the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD). More information can be found at CFLHD's website at https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/projects/ca/donner-pass

Schedule 

Construction has not yet begun for the 2023 season.  Herbeck Engineering Contractors plan to re-mobilize for the stripping project and to complete a final punch list at the end of May.   A definitive schedule has not yet been established and is tentative and subject to change due to weather conditions or construction-related delays. 

Current Status

May 16, 2023 - Construction start-up for the 2023 season - Contractor Herbeck Engineering will be re-mobilizing operations for the 2023 season soon providing a punch list and schedule by the end of May.  Punchlist items will include some minor shoulder work and striping.  Start-up has been delayed due to a heavy snow-laden winter . 

August 29 through September 1 - Donner Pass Final push for completion: The Donner Pass Road Project is nearly complete with our contractor, Herback Engineering Contractors, finishing up a substantial portion of the project by the end of this week. Work to be completed this week (August 29-Sept 1) includes: placement of signage, snow poles and erosion control. The remainder of the work includes: September 6 through September 29 - AT & will be working on adjusting their utility vaults beginning the week of September 6 with final road striping to begin in October (dates unknow)  

Traffic Control for this week (Aug 29-Sept 1) for the east side of Donner Pass Road, from the summit to the Town of Truckee limits, will be as follows: Open to traffic Monday August 29th and Tuesday August 30th and closed to traffic on Wednesday August 31 and reopening on Thursday September 1. 

July 7, 2022 - Donner Pass Road Update for July 5th to the 8th: l Crews accomplished a long list of tasks this last week on the project that included removal and re-installation of the guardrail, shoulder work, snow closure swing-arm gates, full-depth reclamation, and embankment work.    

Placement of signage, snow poles, and erosion control. The remainder of the scheduled work includes:

• September 6 through September 29 - AT & will be working on adjusting their utility vaults beginning the week of September 6.
• October (dates unknow) Final road striping will be completed in October. 
• Traffic Control for this week (Aug 29-Sept 1) for the east side of Donner Pass Road, from the summit to the Town of Truckee limits, will be as follows: 
• Open to traffic Monday August 29th and Tuesday August 30th. 
• Closed to traffic on Wednesday August 31 and reopening on Thursday September 1. 

July 28, 2022 - Donner Pass Road Paving Complete:  The Donner Pass Road Project is scheduled to complete the major paving operation by July 31, 2022. This marks a milestone in this project. The road is wider and will provide improved access to recreation enthusiasts, especially bicyclists.  Beginning August 1, the roadway between the Rainbow Bridge and the Town of Truckee limits will be closed Monday through Friday from 6 am to 6 pm, while roadway safety improvements are completed; however, we hope to open the road between 6 pm and 6 am daily, evening through the early morning.  The roadway will continue to be open on weekends from 6 pm Friday through 6 am on Monday. 

August 21 through August 23, 2022 - Donner Pass Road Striping - Beginning on Sunday, August 21, 2022, from 7 pm to 7 am striping will begin on the west side of Donner Pass Road from Soda Springs exit to the summit. Work on the west end will continue through Monday evening and into Tuesday, August 23 at approximately 7 am. There will be minor traffic delays during the road striping. The east side of Donner Pass Road to the Town of Truckee limits is scheduled to begin Tuesday at 7 pm through Wednesday at 7 am. This will necessitate the closing of Donner Pass Road Tuesday night August 23, 2022. The prior update from July 28, 2022, remains the same outside of this striping project.

•  June 28, 2022 - 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱: Donner Pass Road will open at approximately 5 pm Thursday, June 30th and will remain open through 6 am on Tuesday, July 5th. Please remember to drive and recreate safely in this area. Additionally, due to work at the Rainbow Bridge Parking Lot, the current closure will extend from the WEST End of Donner Lake to the Summit on Wednesday, June 29th, and Thursday, June 30th.
• May 26, 2022 -  𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱: Donner Pass Road will open at approximately 5 pm today and will remain open through 6 am on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Please drive and recreate safely in this area. 
• May 20, 2022 - Weekly Activities on Donner Pass Road Construction  May 13-19, 2022 - Check out the progress on the road bed, new gate, and storm water in the slide show below.       
• May 19, 2022 - Crews have started rebuilding Donner Pass Road starting at the Town of Truckee limits and working their way up the summit.  The roadway surface is being obliterated, widened to place a bike lane, and then will be repaved.  Donner Pass Road continues to be closed Monday morning through Friday Afternoon for this work through the end of August.  
• May 2, 2022 - Work on Donner Pass Road is scheduled to begin this month, May 2022,  or as soon as the weather permits.  Anticipated completion date is scheduled for August 2022.  The majority of the remaining work will include paving Donner Pass Road from Rainbow Bridge to the Town of Truckee limits.  We anticipate this section of the road to be closed during the week (Monday - Friday) similar to last season.  Additionally,  there will be some repaving work near the intersection of Soda Springs Road.  This website will be updated periodically with additional information as the status changes. 
• November 23, 2021 - The east side of Donner Pass Road is now open and will remain open, weather pending, until next spring.   The Donner Pass Road project is wrapping up loose ends at this point in preparation for winter. Only minor traffic delays are anticipated in the next week or so. We will not be doing any major construction until next spring when we start the road widening of Donner Pass Road from the Rainbow Bridge to the Town of Truckee limits. Thank you for your patience over the past two summers. Also, work on the Soda Springs Bridge is nearly complete as of November 23nd, paving is complete and striping remains to be done as soon as possible. Check out the bridge from the street view and in profile over the South Yuba River. 
• November 1, 2021 - The east side of Donner Pass Road is scheduled to reopen again starting November 1, 2021, pending weather.  The overall project is 75-80% complete at this time.  “Paving was recently completed from the summit down to Rainbow Bridge. Minor work will continue along with the entire project until approximately Nov 15, to ensure the project is ready for winter conditions. Starting next season we’ll be working from Rainbow Bridge down to the Town of Truckee limit.” The project to widen the roadway should be completed in the Summer of 2022.
• October 6, 2021 - The Contractor for the Donner Pass Road Project, Herback General Engineering, is scheduled to have this year's paving wrapped up by mid-month.  The east side of the summit will remain closed to thru traffic 24 hours a day, Monday thru Friday, until the end of the month so the crews can prep the road for winter, including placement of guardrail, snowplows etc. 
• September 9, 2021 - The next phase of work on Donner Pass Road is set to begin. Road closure from the east side of Donner Summit to the Truckee Town limits is required for the next phase. The road will be closed around the clock Monday through Friday, September 14 to October 15, 2021.
  
• August 27, 2021- Repaving of Donner Pass Road from the Soda Springs exit to Donner Summit has begun and is anticipated to continue through September 21. AT&T crews continue to relocate utilities from the Summit toward Donner Lake. AT&T anticipates its work to conclude by September 3rd. We anticipate reopening this section of Donner Pass Road from the Summit to Donner Lake, seven days a week from September 7 through September 21. After September 21, work on the east side of Donner Summit may require closing the road again, Monday through Friday, pending weather and production. We will update the schedule once we have confirmation of the scheduled work that will begin after September 21st.
• August 2, 2021 -The Project on 6.5 miles of Donner Pass Road to rehabilitate and widen the shoulder continues to focus on rebuilding the roadway on the west side of the summit from the intersection of the Soda Springs exit on I-80 up to the summit. Although there are no road closures on this section of roadway, please expect up to 20-minute traffic delays. On the East side of Donner Pass Road from the summit to the Truckee Town limits, the roadway will be closed from 7:00 a.m. Monday through 5:00 p.m. on Friday. 
• June 25, 2021 - The Project on 6.5 miles of Donner Pass Road to rehabilitate and widen the shoulder continues to focus on rebuilding the roadway on the west side of the summit from the intersection of the Soda Springs exit on I-80 up to the summit. Although there are no road closures on this section of roadway, please expect up to 20-minute traffic delays. On the East side of Donner Pass Road from the summit to the Truckee Town limits the roadway will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. 
•  Caltrans Paving Work Scheduled in Truckee Early Next Week
   Ramp and Lane Closures Anticipated on Interstate 80/State Route 89
   
   Caltrans is alerting motorists to expect travel delays, lane reductions, and ramp closures on the east- and westbound Interstate 80 (I-80) and State Route 89 (SR-89) in Truckee for paving work.   Caltrans is scheduled to pave ramps and a small segment of I-80 from the chain-installation area near Donner Pass Road to Central Truckee (exit 186) early next week. Motorists are advised to expect delays and seek alternate routes during the following ramp closures:
  • Monday, June 28 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  o Paving the left (fast lane) of I-80 westbound from the SR-89 south separation to the chain installation area near Donner Pass Road.
  o The SR-89 south on-ramp to westbound I-80 will be closed for paving.
  • Tuesday, June 29 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  o The SR-89 south on-ramp connecting to eastbound I-80 will be closed for paving.
  o The eastbound Central Truckee off-ramp will be closed for paving. 
• April 28, 2021 - Due to unexpected rain over the last weekend, Contractors have determined that the west side of the summit is too wet to begin work. In order to progress work, Contractors will begin working on the east side of the summit and working down to the Truckee Town limits.   Donner Pass Road from Rainbow Bridge to the town limits will be closed from starting Monday, May 10th at 7:00 am through Friday at 5:00 pm and until further notice.  Additional closures can be expected from the week of May 17th through June 1st extending the road closure up to the Sugar Bowl Academy in order to begin drainage work.  
• April 20, 2021 - The Donner Pass Road construction project is scheduled to resume work starting May 3, 2021.  Work this season will focus on rebuilding the roadway on the west side of the summit from the intersection of the Soda Springs exit on I-80 up to the summit.  There will also be intermittent work on the East side of the summit to the Truckee Town limits. Hours of operation will be from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Although there are no anticipated road closures at this time, please expect up to 20-minute delays for lane closures. 
• September 10, 2020 - The Donner Pass road closure will be extended from Rainbow Bridge to the summit on weekdays from 7 AM Sept 21 to 5 PM Oct 2. This is in addition to the existing closure from Rainbow Bridge east to the Town of Truckee limits which is anticipated to be in effect through October. The road will be open on the weekends as usual.  After Oct 2, the road between the summit and rainbow bridge will be reopened. This closure is necessary to complete a portion of the road widening in this area.
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• August 13, 2020  - Progress being made to widen Donner Pass Road from the summit to Donner Lake.” 
• July 1, 2020 - Traffic Delays and Road Closures Scheduled - Beginning on July 6 running thru October 15, Donner Pass Road from Rainbow Bridge to the Town of Truckee Limits, will be closed to all traffic from 7:00 am Monday- 5:00 Friday. The road will be open with one-way traffic control on the weekends.  
• June 19, 2020 - Traffic Delays and Road Closures Scheduled - Beginning Monday, June 22nd, there will be one-lane traffic control with 20-minute delays from Donner Summit east to the Town of Truckee limits. Flaggers will be present with traffic controls throughout the project.                                                              
• May 18, 2020 - Preliminary construction activities will begin the week of May 25, 2020.  Construction is scheduled for the summer seasons of 2020 and 2021.  To receive regular updates as they become available, please subscribe to the Alert Center for this project at https://www.mynevadacounty.com/AlertCenter.aspx?CID=9.

Funding

• Primarily funded through the Federal Lands Access Program.
• The budget is approximately $20 Million dollars

Environmental Review

• CEQA completed February 2019 and NEPA completed April 2019
• Board Resolution and approval February 26, 2016

Special notices:

Encroachment Permits for events will not be issued during construction.