Drivers across the Black Hills should be prepared for changing traffic patterns as several road construction projects continue during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, while others are temporarily paused to accommodate increased traffic.
In Rapid City, one lane of Homestead Street between Turbine Drive and Elk Vale Road is scheduled to close beginning Monday for the installation of a new sanitary sewer service line. The closure is expected to remain in place through August 14. Motorists are being urged to slow down, watch for workers, and expect changing traffic patterns in the area.
In Spearfish, a major reconstruction project at the Interstate 90 Exit 10 interchange is entering a new phase.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation is rebuilding the intersection of U.S. Highway 85, Old Highway 14, and the eastbound I-90 ramps. Crews are paving new lanes and portions of a Reduced Conflict Intersection designed to improve safety and reduce congestion. Once paving is complete, traffic will be shifted onto the new roadway configuration as work continues in the median area.
Also in Spearfish, East Colorado Boulevard will remain closed through August 16 due to unexpected subsurface conditions that have delayed construction.
Access to the SportsPlex, Sky Ridge neighborhood, SoDak Storage, and the Cenex station will only be available from U.S. Highway 85 through Exit 17. Through traffic is prohibited, with motorists being detoured along Interstate 90 between Exits 14 and 17.
Meanwhile, construction along U.S. Highway 385 between Pactola Dam and Calumet Road has been temporarily suspended for the duration of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Work paused August 5 and is scheduled to resume August 18. Drivers will continue traveling on an oiled surface that can become slick when wet, and officials are urging caution through the work zone.
The road projects come as the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to western South Dakota.
Law enforcement agencies across the region have increased patrols as motorcycle traffic rises. Authorities say several fatal motorcycle crashes have already been reported in Pennington and Meade counties, and riders unfamiliar with the winding roads of the Black Hills remain a safety concern.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation has also implemented temporary traffic signals, reduced speed limits, and other traffic-control measures along heavily traveled routes.
In Rapid City, free motorcycle parking is available at seven downtown locations through August 16, but officials are reminding visitors not to park in restricted access zones or ramps that must remain clear for safety and accessibility.
Drivers and riders alike are encouraged to plan, allow extra travel time, and use caution as rally traffic and construction activity continue throughout the Black Hills this week.
