(December 14, 2022) Dignitaries and stakeholders celebrated the on-time completion of the Nevada Department of Transportation’s Spaghetti Bowl Xpress project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the Grand Sierra Resort overlooking the Reno spaghetti bowl.

The project completed on schedule, with construction substantially completed on Dec. 14.

Drivers should anticipate periodic lane and ramp closures as finishing construction such as striping and signage improvements takes place over coming weeks.

NDOT launched the first phase of Spaghetti Bowl renovations, known as Spaghetti Bowl Xpress, in August 2020 to improve the most congested section of the spaghetti bowl connecting eastbound I-180 connection to southbound I-580. The project also improves sections of I-580 directly south of the spaghetti bowl.

Using 40,000 tons of new asphalt and 70,000 cubic yards of new concrete, construction crews made the following improvements:

  • Widened the top of the eastbound I-80 to southbound I-580 Spaghetti Bowl ramp from one to two lanes
  • Constructed a braided ramp to carry Second Street traffic entering southbound I-580 over the Mill Street off-ramp, helping reduce closely-knit merging streams of traffic on the interstate
  • Added auxiliary merge lanes on southbound I-580 between the Spaghetti Bowl and Plumb Lane
  • Six bridges were widened or otherwise improved to accommodate auxiliary lanes and enhance mobility and safety, and one new ramp bridge constructed
  • 233,000 square feet of retaining walls, sound walls, and neighborhood screening walls were installed
  • Sections of interstate surface were also repaired, and drainage, roadside aesthetics and other improvements made

Crews cumulatively worked approximately 760,000 work hours to construct the improvements, and 200 full-time construction jobs and 100 sub-contract jobs were supported during the duration of the project.

By 2040, the Reno-Sparks population is expected to increase 27 percent. The interstate improvements will help traffic flow more safely and smoothly through northern Nevada’s busiest interchange.

Additional spaghetti bowl and interstate improvements will be built in prioritized phases through 2039 as funding is identified.

Through four additional phases of construction over coming decades, the spaghetti bowl and 12 miles of metro interstate will be renovated to enhance traffic safety and mobility.

This includes phase two improvements which will renovate the eastern leg of the spaghetti bowl through the heart of Sparks.

Projected to start in 2024 and planned to widen I-80 to between three and five lanes, phase two improvements will include renovations to the existing constrained viaduct bridge carrying I-80 over the Nugget Casino.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A newly-widened eastbound Interstate 80 to southbound Interstate 580 ramp opened on the evening of Dec. 6 as construction of the first phase of Nevada Department of Transportation Reno spaghetti bowl improvements nears substantial completion.

The widened Reno spaghetti bowl ramp is the final major construction component of the current phase of NDOT’s Spaghetti Bowl renovations, known as Spaghetti Bowl Xpress.

Upon entering southbound I-580 from eastbound I-80, drivers will enter auxiliary lanes which lead to Second Street and Mill Street exits. Those continuing southbound on I-580 should prepare to safely merge onto through interstate lanes.

Nearly 28,000 drivers travel the eastbound I-80 to southbound I-580 spaghetti bowl ramp every day. Previously, drivers traveling from eastbound I-80 to southbound I-580 toward south Reno merged into one lane at the top of the spaghetti bowl ramp. The newly-widened ramp will provide two lanes for enhanced traffic capacity and smoother-flowing traffic.

Project construction will substantially complete in mid-December. Drivers should expect periodic lane and ramp closures as construction continues over coming weeks, including intermittent closures of the eastbound I-80 to southbound I-580 ramp. Schedule is subject to change.

Since construction launched in 2020, crews have placed 25,000 cubic yards of new concrete to create three new southbound lanes, and replaced or widened seven bridges. On southbound I-580, improved ramps, additional lanes, widened shoulders and more have been added between the Spaghetti Bowl and Plumb Lane, along with sound and aesthetic walls.

Additional interstate improvements will be built in prioritized phases through 2039 as funding is identified.

For additional information, visit NDOTSpaghettiBowl.com, call the project hotline at (775) 636-4202, e-mail info@ndotspaghettibowl.com or text SBX to 797979 to sign up for text alerts.

(Nevada Department of Transportation)Â