Black Hills Road Construction Update

Spring is finally here, and the warmer temperatures bring with them all kinds of opportunities to play outside. They also bring opportunities to work outside, and road construction crews in the Black Hills are beginning to do exactly that.

The good news is that there isn’t any major road construction scheduled on the scenic drives in the Black Hills themselves. Most of the work is limited to Interstate 90, where it won’t slow you down too much. The speed limit is down to 55 mph (from the normal 75 mph) in the construction zones, and you may be down to a two-lane road in a couple of spots. Overall, though, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around the Black Hills this summer. Here are the four major highway projects you may see during your vacation:

1. Interstate 90 Between Tilford and Sturgis. About eight miles of the highway between the rest stops at Tilford (exit 40) and the southeastern edge of Sturgis (exit 32) are being rebuilt. Traffic is down to two lanes and 55 mph in the construction zone, but congestion on this stretch of the Interstate is very light - that is, until the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Fortunately, work on the westbound lanes will be wrapped up by July 25, so everyone will have four glorious lanes of concrete back by the annual bike event. If you want to bypass the construction, consider taking U.S. 385 between Rapid City and Deadwood. It’s a much slower route, but the scenery is amazing.
2. Interstate 90: Black Hawk Exit 51. Actually, since road crews are straightening this stretch of Interstate 90 and relocating the exit further east, this will become exit 52 very soon. Traffic will be down to two lanes, but only for a mile or two. There isn’t much in this area besides residential neighborhoods and local services, so visitors shouldn’t be too worried about missing their exit.
3. Interstate 90: Elk Vale Road Exit 61. This two-year project will be completely wrapped up by July 25. This is another exit rebuilding project, so it’s the same drill: you may find yourself down to two lanes, but only for a mile or so. Watch the signs for directions. You’ll use this exit for the Black Hills Visitor Center, Rapid City Regional Airport, Watiki Water Park, hotels, gas stations and some fast-food restaurants.
4. Highway 44: Rapid City Regional Airport. The only major road work not on Interstate 90, this project will make the road from the airport into Rapid City a complete four-lane divided highway. It will be very nice when it’s complete, but it will be a bit of a pain until then. There could be delays of five to ten minutes along this four-mile stretch of road, so if you’ve got a plane to catch, be sure to plan accordingly.

To get an idea of where these road projects are, see the full version of the map attached here. It’s a bit crude and shamelessly stolen from Google Maps, but it’ll do the trick. You can also get more details by visiting the South Dakota Department of Transportation’s website and reviewing their project list, or by going to SafeTravelUSA.com. Once you get to south Dakota, you can use your cell phone to get up-to-the-minute updates on construction and weather delays by dialing 511. The system is operated by the DOT and the Highway Patrol, and the call is free.