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Interstate 80 in Nevada

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Template:Infobox Interstate/Intrastate In the U.S. state of Nevada, Interstate 80, often abbreviated I-80, traverses the northern portion of the state. The freeway serves the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area, and also goes through the towns of Fernley, Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Elko, Wells and West Wendover on its way through the state.

I-80 follows the historical routes of the California Trail, First Transcontinental Railroad and Feather River Route throughout portions of Nevada. Throughout the entire state I-80 follows the historical routes of the Victory Highway, U.S. Route 40 and State Route 1. The freeway corridor follows the paths of the Truckee and Humboldt Rivers. These rivers have been used as a transportation corridor since the California Gold Rush of the 1840s.

Route description

I-80 descending into Reno from the Sierra Nevada

Truckee River

I-80 enters Nevada in the canyon of the Truckee River. The freeway hugs the north bank of the river while the First Transcontinental Railroad hugs the southern bank. Upon exiting the canyon the freeway serves the Truckee Meadows, a name for the urban area consisting of Verdi, Reno and Sparks. The freeway passes north of Downtown Reno in a depressed alignment before intersecting U.S. Route 395 (unsigned Interstate 580). The intersection with US 395 is the busiest portion, averaging 122,000 vehicles per day in 2006.[1] The freeway passes through downtown Sparks via a viaduct over the casino floor of John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort. After leaving the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area the freeway resumes following the Truckee River in a canyon to Fernley Traffic volumes drop to 26,600 vehicles per day by Fernley and continue dropping 8,400 by the time the freeway reaches the center of the state.[1] The Truckee River portion of I-80 is routed parallel to the routes of the First Transcontinental Railroad and the Truckee River branch of the California Trail.[2]

Lahontan Valley/Forty Mile Desert

The highway departs the Truckee River Corridor and cuts across the Lahontan Valley. The Lahontan Valley is a barren desert where three rivers terminate. The Humboldt River and Carson River terminate in sinks, at the Humboldt Sink and Carson Sink respectively. Only the Truckee river does not meet this fate by turning north at the western edge of the valley and terminating at Pyramid Lake.[2]

This valley is sometimes called the Forty Mile Desert, from the era of the California Trail. The name comes from the emigrants who came into the Lahontan Valley via the Humboldt River. When the river terminated they had to decide which river they would follow on the other side of the valley, the Carson or the Truckee. No matter which route was taken along the trail (Carson route or Truckee route) the travelers would have to endure 40 miles (64 km) without usable water.[3] If they chose the Truckee route they would walk a route similar to modern I-80 between Lovelock and Wadsworth, where they would reach the waters of the Truckee. If the Carson route was taken they would have to walk towards an area called Ragtown, west of modern Fallon. This was the last usable water on the Carson River, the name Ragtown comes from all the clothing left by the passing travelers while refreshing at the river.[4]

Despite the notoriety of other parts of the California Trail, such as Donner Pass, the Forty Mile Desert was the deadliest and most dreaded part of the California Trail. To avoid crossing the barren desert with extreme heat, the desert was usually crossed at night. A state historical marker explaining the Forty Mile Desert stands at a rest area on the western edge of the valley near the junction of I-80 and US 95.[3][5]

I-80 closely follows the Truckee route of the California Trail and loosely follows the First Transcontinental Railroad along this portion. Modern Fernley lies on the western end of the valley and Lovelock on the east. Near Lovelock is where the two branches of the California Trail separate.[2]

Humboldt River

For the next 246 miles (396 km) of Nevada I-80 follows the Humboldt River.[6][7] Along the way the freeway passes through the towns of Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Carlin, Elko and Wells. At Winnemucca, I-80 is joined by the Feather River Route; I-80 runs parallel to this railroad until the Utah state line.[2]

I-80 near Wells

The freeway is within visual distance of the river for most of this run. However, between Winnemucca and Battle Mountain the freeway bypasses bends in the Humboldt by cutting over Golconda Summit, 5,145 feet (1,568 m).[2] The highway also deviates from the Humboldt between Battle Mountain and Carlin where it cuts across Emigrant Pass 6,114 feet (1,864 m).[2] Just east of Carlin I-80 passes through a pair of tunnels to bypass curves in the river.[8]

Eastern Nevada

After Wells, I-80 departs the Humboldt River, First Transcontinental Railroad, and the California Trail.[2] From this point east the freeway follows the routes of Hastings Cutoff, Feather River Route, former U.S. Route 40 and State Route 1. The freeway cuts across two mountain ranges before arriving at the Great Salt Lake Desert. The first is the Pequop Mountains via Pequop Summit, elevation 6,967 feet (2,124 m). The second is the Toano Range via Silver Zone Pass at 5,955 feet (1,815 m). After crossing these mountains the freeway arrives at West Wendover where the freeway enters both Utah and the Great Salt Lake Desert.[2]

Overlaps

Portions of I-80 run concurrently with three U.S. Highways in Nevada:[7]

History

State Route 1 - The first designation for what is now I-80 across Nevada, from approx. 1929-1939[9]
Until 1975, the route of I-80 was designated U.S. Route 40.

California Trail

The route of Interstate 80 was first used by California-bound travelers and was called the California Trail. From the Utah State line until modern Wells, I-80 follows a lesser used branch of the trail called Hastings Cutoff. The cutoff rejoins the main route of the trail near Wells. From this point west to Lovelock, I-80 faithfully follows the California Trail. West of Lovelock, in the middle of the Humboldt Sink, the California Trail again splits into two branches. These branches, the Carson River route and the Truckee River route, are named for the rivers that guide each branch up the Sierra Nevada mountains. I-80 follows the Truckee route, the Carson route is approximated by U.S. Route 95, U.S. Route 50, U.S. Route 395 and State Route 88/California State Route 88.[2]

Transcontinental railroads

The route of modern I-80 was also previously used for the construction of two transcontinental railroads. The First Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869, closely followed the main line of the California Trail, and I-80 west of Wells. The Feather River Route was constructed in 1909, and generally follows the Hastings Cutoff through eastern Nevada. It also runs parallel to I-80 in Nevada east of Winnemucca.[2]

Highways

The first paved road across this portion of Nevada was State Route 1, which was later signed U.S. Route 40. From the formation of the Interstate Highway System the highway was gradually upgraded to an Interstate Highway and signed Interstate 80. In 1974, officials in Utah initiated meetings with officials in Nevada and California to truncate the route of U.S. Route 91. By that time US 91 was mostly redundant with Interstate 15. Nevada officials agreed and further suggested that both US 91 and US 40 be truncated. Nevada officials recommended the changes occur in 1975, when the last Nevada piece of I-15 was expected to be complete.[10] The 1976 edition of the Official Highway map for Nevada was the first not showing the US 40 designation.[9] Even though the US Highway designation was removed, the freeway was not yet complete.[9] The last piece of I-80 in Nevada to be finished was the Lovelock bypass that started in the 1981[11] The 1982 Official Nevada Highway Map was the first to note I-80 as a contiguous freeway across the state. All of the business loops for I-80 in Nevada use the historical route of US 40.[9]

Interstate 80 is also known in Nevada as the following: Victory Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Purple Heart Trail.[9]

Exit list

County Location Mile[12] # Destinations Notes
Washoe 1 Verdi (I-80 Bus. east / SR 425) Westbound exit and entrance
2.8 2 Verdi (I-80 Bus. east / SR 425) No westbound entrance
3.2 3 Verdi Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
4.8 4 Boomtown Garson Road
5.7 5 East Verdi (I-80 Bus. west / SR 425) Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
7.0 7 Mogul
7.7 8 West 4th Street (SR 647) Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Reno 9.2 9 Robb Drive
10.7 10 McCarran Boulevard West (SR 651)
12.5 12 Keystone Avenue (To I-80 Bus.)
13.3 13 Virginia Street - Downtown Reno serves University of Nevada, Reno
14.1 14 Wells Avenue serves Reno Livestock-Events Center
14.9 15 US 395 (I-580 south) – Carson City, Susanville
Sparks 15.4 16 Victorian Avenue, East 4th Street (SR 647)
16.1 17 Rock Boulevard (SR 668), Nugget Avenue serves Victorian Square; eastbound exit only for Nugget Avenue
16.8 18 SR 445 (Pyramid Way) serves Victorian Square
17.6 19 McCarran Boulevard East (SR 650 / To I-80 Bus. west)
18.9 20 Sparks Boulevard serves Sparks Marina
19.7 21 Vista Boulevard, Greg Street
22.6 22 Lockwood
24.0 23 Mustang
28.2 28 Patrick
32.1 32 USA Parkway replaced former Tracy, Clark Station exit as of 1/21/2008; serves Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center
36.9 36 Derby Dam
39.0 38 Orchard
40.2 40 Painted Rock
Wadsworth 44.0 43 Wadsworth, Pyramid Lake ( I-80 Bus. east / SR 427)
Lyon Fernley 46.4 46 West Fernley ( I-80 Bus. / SR 427)
48.9 48



US 95 Alt. south (I-80 Bus. west) to US 50 Alt. – Fernley 		West end of US 95 Alt. overlap
Churchill 65.2 65 Nightingale Hot Springs
78.9 78 Jessup
83.3 83
US 95 south – Fallon, Las Vegas 		East end of US 95 Alt. overlap; west end of US 95 overlap
Pershing 93.5 93 Toulon
Lovelock 105.5 105 Lovelock (I-80 Bus. east / SR 396) Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
106.4 106 Lovelock (SR 398)
107.2 107 Lovelock (I-80 Bus. west / SR 856) Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
112.9 112 Coal Canyon (SR 396)
120.2 119 Oreana, Rochester (SR 858)
129.6 129 Rye Patch Dam (SR 401)
138.7 138 Humboldt
146.0 145 Imlay
150.3 149 SR 400 – Mill City, Unionville
152.1 151 Mill City, Dun Glen
158.7 158 Cosgrave
Humboldt 168.4 168 Rose Creek
173.4 173 West Winnemucca Boulevard (I-80 Bus. east)
Winnemucca 176.7 176
US 95 north – Winnemucca, Boise 		East end of US 95 overlap
179.0 178 SR 289 – Winnemucca
180.8 180 SR 794 (East Winnemucca Boulevard, I-80 Bus. west)
187.7 187 Button Point
194.5 194 Golconda, Midas (SR 789)
200.5 200 Golconda Summit
204.1 203 Iron Point
205.6 205 Pumpernickel Valley
212.5 212 Stonehouse
217.2 216 Valmy
222.7 222 Mote
Lander Battle Mountain 230.2 229 SR 304 (I-80 Bus. east) – Battle Mountain
231.7 231 SR 305 – Battle Mountain
233.6 233 SR 304 (I-80 Bus. west) – Battle Mountain
244.7 244 Argenta
Eureka 254.5 254 Dunphy
261.4 261 SR 306 – Beowawe, Crescent Valley
269.2 268 Emigrant
271.6 271 Palisade
Elko Carlin 280.0 279 SR 278 (I-80 Bus. east / SR 221) – Carlin, Eureka Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
281.4 280 SR 766 – Carlin, Eureka
282.7 282 SR 221 (I-80 Bus. west) – Carlin
293.3 292 Hunter
Elko 299.2 298 Elko (I-80 Bus. east / SR 535)
301.9 301 SR 225 – Elko Downtown
304.4 303 Elko (I-80 Bus. west)
311.5 310 Osino
315.5 314 Ryndon, Devils Gate
317.7 317 Elburz
322.2 321 SR 229 – Halleck, Ruby Valley
329.0 328 River Ranch
334.5 333 Deeth, Starr Valley (SR 230)
344.4 343 Welcome, Starr Valley (SR 230)
348.2 348 Beverly Hills
Wells 351.6 351 Wells (I-80 Bus. east / SR 223 / SR 231)
352.5 352A US 93 – East Wells West end of US 93 Alt. overlap; signed as exit 352 eastbound
352B Wells (I-80 Bus. west) Westbound exit only
360.7 360 Moor
365.9 365 Independence Valley
373.8 373 Summit
376.5 376 Pequop
379.4 378 SR 233 – Oasis, Montello
388.1 387 Shafter
399.2 398 Pilot Peak
West Wendover 407.2 407 Ola
410.4 410

US 93 Alt. south (I-80 Bus. east) – West Wendover, Ely 		East end of US 93 Alt. overlap

References

  1. ^ a b "2006 Annual Traffic Report". Nevada Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas (Map). 1:250000. Benchmark Maps. 2003. p. 47. ISBN 0-929591-81-X. {{cite map}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear= and |accessmonth= (help)
  3. ^ a b "Nevada Division of Cultural Affairs- Historical Marker 26- Forty Mile Desert". Department of Cultural Affairs - State of Nevada. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  4. ^ "Ragtown - Nevada Historical Marker #19". State of Nevada - Department of Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  5. ^ Brock, Dick. "Photos and transcription of markers along the Forty Mile Desert, placed by the Oregon/California Trails Association". Trails West Inc.
  6. ^ Using distance between Lovelock and Wells
  7. ^ a b 2007-2008 Official Highway Map NEVADA (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Nevada Department of Transportation. Nevada Department of Transportation. 2007. {{cite map}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear= and |accessmonth= (help)
  8. ^ Turner, Dan. "Carlin Canyon, Elko County, Nevada". Elko Rose Garden Association.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Historical Maps". Nevada Department of Transportation.
  10. ^ "Highway Resolution route 91". Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  11. ^ "NDOT News Milepost Fall 06" (PDF). Nevada Department of Transportation. 2006. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  12. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation. "2007-2008 Official Highway Map of Nevada". Retrieved 2008-03-07.


Interstate 80
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California 		Nevada Next state:
Utah
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