Gardnerville's Main Street open for business after year of construction

The main drag through Gardnerville was less of one during the lunchtime commute as workers cleared traffic controls on Highway 395.

Instead of a maze, the orange cones on Main Street were lined up along either side of the highway.

It’s been a week since the Nevada Department of Transportation and Sierra Nevada Construction “substantially completed” paving but work to touch up lines and crosswalks continued through this week.

That changed on Friday as two lanes and the turn lane were open.

There may be some additional finishing work, like the installation of flashing pedestrian crosswalks, which was underway at KingsLane on Friday.

“Drivers and pedestrians are reminded to remain attentive and travel safely through the work zone,” State Transportation Spokeswoman Meg Ragonese said on Friday.

“On behalf of Main Street Gardnerville and our community, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Nevada Department of Transportation and Sierra Nevada Construction for including Main Street Gardnerville in this process and, more importantly, for prioritizing and completing this reconstruction project in such a timely manner,” said Main Street Gardnerville Program Director Jen Tune. “The significance of this project cannot be overstated, as significant improvements to our storm drainage system, connectivity, and pedestrian safety were accomplished. The magnitude of this project is something we have not experienced in our downtown corridor with previous repave projects. It was like watching history in the making.”

Work on the highway has been underway since fall 2023 with major reconstruction starting on June 12 and continuing through last week.

Ragonese said 18,000 tons of asphalt were used to repave two miles of the highway from Waterloo Lane to First Street in Minden.

That’s not quite a ton for each of the roughly 20,000 motorists who travel the highway every day.

A second phase of improvements in future years will include additional sidewalk and accessibility improvements, as well as remaining roadway drainage, signals, and lighting enhancements. Drivers will also see resurfacing of U.S. 395 between Ironwood Drive in Minden and southern Carson City in upcoming years.