Reno – Beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC) will close West Fourth Street between Vine Street and Keystone Avenue as part of the Fourth Street Safety Project. Drivers are being directed to use Second and Fifth Streets as detours, while the Fourth Street‑Keystone Avenue intersection will stay open.
Phased lane changes affect east‑ and west‑bound traffic
Later that same morning the eastbound lanes from Keystone Avenue to Stoker Avenue will be shut down, leaving only westbound traffic on those blocks. Eastbound drivers must turn north on Stoker Avenue and then use West Seventh Street to continue east.
Both of those closures are slated to end on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Additional one‑way control for eastbound traffic
On Monday, Oct. 5, the segment of Fourth Street from McCarran Boulevard to Summit Ridge Drive will operate as a one‑way eastbound corridor. Westbound vehicles will be routed onto Summit Ridge Drive until the restriction lifts on Nov. 13.
Local businesses feel the impact
Business owners along the corridor say the construction has already taken a toll. “We’re on average about 30 to 35% down each and every month since last year,” said Brian Lalor, manager of Whispering Vine Wine Company, a wine shop and restaurant that has been in Reno for 27 years.
Lalor added that the project has been the biggest hit to sales since the COVID‑19 pandemic. “We have a lot of locals and regulars. When we see fewer of them, we know it’s impactful for us,” he said, noting that confused customers often drive past the storefront.
Gurpreet Kaur, owner of the nearby El Tavern Motel and Liquor Store, echoed the concerns. “Even when delivery comes in they don’t know which way to go. So many times we don’t get a delivery for a week,” she explained.
Long‑time resident Gerson Tobar, who lives in the middle of the work zone, warned that the new one‑way pattern will increase his fuel costs. “I have a big truck and gas prices aren’t getting cheaper,” he said, noting his vehicle gets about eight miles per gallon.
RTC says project will be completed in one season
Project manager Scott Gibson told reporters, “We’re going to get it all done in one season and then it’ll be back. We won’t be back for the next 20, 30, 40 years.” The commission added that the overall schedule remains on track for a mid‑November completion.
While the agency emphasizes the long‑term safety benefits, Kaur cautioned that lost customers may not return after the work ends. “If we lose the people, then they go to other stores and they won’t come back,” she said.
What drivers should know
- West Fourth Street between Vine Street and Keystone Avenue closed Oct. 1‑29.
- Eastbound lanes from Keystone to Stoker closed Oct. 1‑29; use Stoker north and West Seventh east.
- Fourth Street from McCarran to Summit Ridge operates east‑only Oct. 5‑Nov. 13; westbound traffic uses Summit Ridge.
- Detour routes: Second Street and Fifth Street for the main closure; Stoker Avenue and West Seventh Street for eastbound lane shutdown.
Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead, follow posted signage, and allow extra travel time while the Fourth Street Safety Project progresses toward its mid‑November target.
Original reporting: 2news.com — read the source article.
