State Route 342 below Gold Hill closed for safety reasons

Transportation authorities say they’ve closed a two-mile stretch of State Route 342 south of Virginia City after the road has shown signs of cracking and sinking.

The Nevada Department of Transportation said Monday that it was closing both directions of the highway as a pre-emptive safety measure after weekend rainstorms have led to roadside soil erosion.

The agency says the area affected is south of Gold Hill.

Drivers are being detoured to State Route 341 which is normally a truck route.

Transportation officials say they used 2,400 pounds of sealant on the roadway’s cracks in the last week and are evaluating the roadway’s condition.

There was no date or time given for when the road may be reopened.

State road conditions, updates and maps are available at www.nevadadot.com.