Construction News

Midtown Construction Acceleration Expands
On Wednesday, April 15, we initiated accelerated construction on a second segment of the project. We appreciate the support of business owners as we work to fast track construction operations.

Virginia Street is closed to all traffic from Liberty Street to Center Street/Mary Street. Through traffic going southbound on Virginia Street is detoured at Liberty Street. This closure is effective 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week until April 30, 2020. This date is based on businesses potentially re-opening.

Virginia Street from Mt. Rose Street/Holcomb Avenue to Mary Street/Center Street is newly paved and reopened to one-way southbound traffic. Two-way traffic continues on Virginia Street from Mt. Rose Street to Plumb Lane.

Side streets and sidewalks are open so people can access essential businesses and pick up to-go food orders from Midtown restaurants.

Transit Detour:
RTC’s Route 1, RAPID Virginia Line, and UNR-Midtown Direct will detour northbound on Holcomb Avenue and Center Street, and southbound on Liberty Street to California Avenue to Forest Street to Mt. Rose Street. Check route and schedule information at rtcwashoe.com.

Construction News

Midtown Construction Acceleration Expands
The RTC and SNC are continuing to accelerate construction operations on Virginia Street. As business closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been extended through the end of April, the project team has identified another opportunity to fast track the project.

Beginning Wednesday, April 15, Virginia Street will be closed to all traffic from Center Street/Mary Street to St. Lawrence Avenue. Through traffic going southbound on Virginia Street will be detoured at Liberty Street, but vehicles accessing businesses will be directed by flaggers to access Virginia Street up to St. Lawrence Avenue. This closure will be effective 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week until April 30, 2020. This date is based on businesses potentially re-opening.

Also beginning on Wednesday, April 15, the segment of Virginia Street that was previously closed to traffic, from Mt. Rose Street/Holcomb Avenue to Mary Street/Center Street will reopen to one-way traffic. Two-way traffic will continue on Virginia Street from Mt. Rose Street to Plumb Lane.

Side streets are open so people can access essential businesses and pick up to-go food orders from Midtown restaurants.

Adjusting the schedule and resources to complete removals now, while most businesses are closed, will result in fewer impacts when businesses are able to reopen. The project team is working with businesses to accommodate deliveries from their vendors, customers to pick-up to go orders and safely access businesses.

Transit Detour:
RTC’s Route 1, RAPID Virginia Line, and UNR-Midtown Direct will detour northbound on Holcomb Avenue and Center Street, and southbound on Liberty Street to California Avenue to Forest Street to Mt. Rose Street. Check route and schedule information at rtcwashoe.com.

Construction Look Ahead

All operations are weather permitting.

Midtown

• Weather Update. Paving operations are anticipated to begin the week of April 13 on Virginia Street from Center Street to Mt. Rose Street. Virginia Street is closed to through traffic. Please use Holcomb Avenue.
• Virginia Street closed to through traffic from Liberty Street to Mary Street/Center Street. Flaggers will direct cars to businesses between Liberty Street and St. Lawrence Avenue.
• Thoma Street is closed for approximately three weeks for installation of a new Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) box structure.
• Curb, gutter and sidewalk installation on the west side of Virginia Street from Center Street to Liberty Street continues.
• Installation of infrastructure for RAPID transit stations.
• Roundabout construction on the westside of the roundabout is in process on Virginia Street at Center Street and Mary Street. Through traffic please use Holcomb Avenue.

University of Nevada, Reno

Construction is underway on Virginia Street at the University as the first week of operations wraps-up. All traffic, including pedestrian and bicycles, is pushed to the west side of the street as crews begin demoing the road and sidewalks on the east side. The West Stadium Parking Garage entrance from Virginia Street is also closed as crews begin construction of a new roundabout. Please use caution when travelling through the construction zone.

• Two-way traffic on North Virginia Street is pushed to the west side of the street to allow for work on the east side of the new roundabout. The West Stadium Parking Garage entrance on Virginia Street will be closed during this time – approximately two months.
• Demolition of the buildings located on the east side of Virginia Street between 8th Street and 9th Street is in process. Construction work associated with building demolition will generally take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., although could go as late as 7 p.m. on some days, and could include some Saturday work. The demolition in this area will make way for roadway widening, a transit station, a bus lane, a shared bike lane, and wider sidewalks.

Community Support

The project team would like to give a huge shout-out to Junkee Clothing Exchange for donating face masks to our construction crews so they can stay safe and protected while working. Junkee employees handmade 300 fabric face masks for the construction crews working on the Virginia Street Project.

We encourage the community to support businesses during this difficult time. Below are support opportunities:
Curbside/Takeout, Delivery, Online Ordering – Yelp has provided a list of Reno/Sparks businesses who are providing these services. Your favorite business may not be on the list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also providing these services. Make sure to call ahead to confirm and wash your hands before and after pick-up!

• Purchase online gift cards – Many businesses offer online gift card purchasing. This is a great way to support your favorite businesses now and enjoy later.
• Pay for your service in advance – If you had a scheduled appointment for a professional service such as hair, nails, or a spa treatment that has been cancelled, ask your provider if you can pay for your next appointment now.

Feed Our Heroes is a group of restaurants and sponsors committed to feeding our ER staff and first responders.  The real heroes in the fight against COVID-19 are the ones putting themselves in harm’s way to protect us, treat us, and keep us safe. As our front-line protectors, they are the ones coming in contact with our most critically ill and at-risk.  Because of this, they are working around the clock, avoiding grocery stores and avoiding take-out.

This is where Feed Our Heroes can help!  To learn more or sponsor a meal, email: Info@FeedOurHeroes.com or call 775-622-3222.

Virginia Street Weekly Update
University of Nevada, Reno
April 10, 2020

Dear Stakeholder:

Construction is underway on Virginia Street at the University as the first week of operations wraps-up. All traffic, including pedestrian and bicycles, is pushed to the west side of the street as crews begin demoing the road and sidewalks on the east side. The West Stadium Parking Garage entrance from Virginia Street is also closed as crews begin construction of a new roundabout. Please use caution when travelling through the construction zone.

Crews begin construction of the new roundabout at the University north of the West Stadium Parking Garage on Virginia Street.

Construction Look Ahead
All operations are weather permitting and exclude holidays. Crews will coordinate with the University for events.

• Two-way traffic on North Virginia Street is pushed to the west side of the street to allow for work on the east side of the new roundabout. The West Stadium Parking Garage entrance on Virginia Street will be closed during this time – approximately two months.
• Demolition of the buildings located on the east side of Virginia Street between 8th Street and 9th Street is in process. Construction work associated with building demolition will generally take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., although could go as late as 7 p.m. on some days, and could include some Saturday work. The demolition in this area will make way for roadway widening, a transit station, a bus lane, a shared bike lane, and wider sidewalks.

Community Support
We encourage the community to support businesses during this difficult time. Below are support opportunities:

• Curbside/Takeout, Delivery, Online Ordering – Yelp has provided a list of Reno/Sparks businesses who are providing these services. Your favorite business may not be on the list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also providing these services. Make sure to call ahead to confirm and wash your hands before and after pick-up!
• Purchase online gift cards – Many businesses offer online gift card purchasing. This is a great way to support your favorite businesses now and enjoy later.
• Pay for your service in advance – If you had a scheduled appointment for a professional service such as hair, nails, or a spa treatment that has been cancelled, ask your provider if you can pay for your next appointment now.

Virginia Street Project Team to Expedite Construction Operations

Virginia Street to Close to Traffic from Mt. Rose Street to Center Street
In response to recent events, RTC and SNC are working to accelerate impactful construction operations on Virginia Street. The Project Team has reached out to many of the business owners in Midtown who are supportive of the plan to expedite construction operations.

Beginning Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 6 am, Virginia Street will be closed to though traffic from Mary Street and Center Street (roundabout construction) to Mt. Rose Street.

Traffic will be detoured to Holcomb Avenue. There will be no through traffic for this section of Virginia Street, but side streets will remain open so people can access essential businesses and pick up their to-go food orders from Midtown restaurants. This closure will be effective 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week until April 17, 2020. This date is based on businesses potentially re-opening, per the Governor’s mandate. Traffic will continue to be one-way southbound on Virginia Street from Liberty Street to Center Street. After April 17, traffic between Mary Street/Center Street to Mt. Rose Street will be one-way, southbound only until construction is complete in this section.

The Project Team received inquiries from business owners asking if accelerating construction during this time was a possibility. This past week, the Project Team reached out to Midtown business owners within the project boundaries between Mt. Rose Street and the Mary Street/Center Street intersection to determine if they would support closure of Virginia Street within this section to accelerate construction activities. Business owners expressed strong support of the plan to expedite construction operations.

Crews have already started the removal of the roadway’s deteriorated asphalt on Virginia Street. Beginning on Saturday, March 21, construction operations will progress to close Virginia Street between Mt. Rose Street and Mary Street/Center Street. Closing Virginia Street to all traffic in this section allows crews to remove the entire roadway at once, instead of half of the roadway at a time. These construction operations were originally scheduled for late April. SNC anticipates this may result in a five- to six-week time savings for this segment of the project.

Adjusting the schedule and resources to complete removals now, while most businesses are closed, will result in fewer impacts when businesses are able to reopen. The Project Team will work with businesses to accommodate deliveries from their vendors, customers to pick-up to go orders and safely access businesses.