Temporary Traffic Devices to Be Placed During Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

For Immediate Release: Monday, July 26, 2021 Contact: Jon Suomala, Rapid City Region Traffic Engineer, 605-394-2695

STURGIS, S.D. - Due to the increased traffic volumes expected during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the South Dakota Department of Transportation will activate temporary traffic signals at the following locations:

S.D. Highway 34/79 and Ft. Meade main entrance
S.D. Highway 34 and S.D. Highway 79 east of Sturgis
S.D. Highway 34 and Ft. Meade Way
S.D. Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 385
U.S. Highway 16 and U.S. Highway 385 east of Hill City
S.D. Highway 34/79 and 11^th Street in Sturgis
I-90 Exit 32 WB ramp
I-90 Exit 32 EB ramp
I-90 Exit 55 EB ramp
S.D. Highway 34/79 and Glencoe Drive
S.D. Highway 34/79 and Nellie Avenue

Speed limits will also be reduced on the following highways from Thursday, Aug. 5, through Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021.

Interstate 90 speed limit will be reduced from 75 mph to 65 mph from west of Exit 55 (Deadwood Avenue) in Rapid City to west of Exit 30 (Lazelle Street) in Sturgis.
S.D. Highway 34 speed limit will be reduced from 45 mph and 65 mph to 35 mph from Blanche Street in Sturgis east 3.8 miles (east of Buffalo Chip).
S.D. Highway 79 speed limit will be reduced from 65 mph to 45 mph from the junction of S.D. Highway 34 north 1.75 miles (north of Iron Horse Campground) and from 0.05 mile south of the intersection with Bighorn Rd north 0.8 mile (near Full Throttle Saloon and Drag Pipe Saloon approaches).

The SDDOT will also deploy message boards and speed trailers at various locations along with the permanent dynamic message boards along the interstate to display messages regarding traffic conditions, accidents causing delays, extreme weather events and other messages as appropriate.

The traffic signals will be in full operation prior to Aug. 5 and remain in operation until Aug. 16, 2021.

For more information, contact Jon Suomala, Rapid City Region Traffic Engineer, at 605-394-2695.

About SDDOT:

The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to efficiently provide a safe and effective public transportation system.

For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

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