Due to the increased traffic volumes expected during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will activate temporary traffic signals at the following locations:
- S.D. Highway 34/79 and Nellie Avenue;
- S.D. Highway 34/79 and Ft. Meade main entrance;
- S.D. Highway 34/79 and Glencoe Drive;
- S.D. Highway 34 and S.D. Highway 79 east of Sturgis;
- S.D. Highway 34 and Ft. Meade Way (Buffalo Chip);
- 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 8th Street in Sturgis;
- S.D. Highway 34/79 and 11th Street in Sturgis;
- Interstate 90 exit 32 westbound ramp;
- Interstate 90 exit 32 eastbound ramp; and
- Interstate 90 exit 55 eastbound ramp.
The traffic signals will be in full operation from Tuesday, July 30, 2024, through the end-of-day on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.
Speed limits will also be reduced on the following highways from Thursday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024.
- The 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.
- The S.D. Highway 34 speed limit will be reduced from 65 mph and 45 mph to 35 mph from Blanche Street in Sturgis, east approximately four miles (east of Buffalo Chip).
- The S.D. Highway 79 speed limit will be reduced from 65 mph to 45 mph from the junction of S.D. Highway 34 north approximately two miles (north of Iron Horse Campground) and from one-half mile south of the intersection with Bighorn Road north approximately one mile, near the 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 on the Interstate to display messages regarding traffic conditions, crashes causing delays, extreme weather events, and other messages as needed. For more information, contact Steve Kamarainen, Rapid City Region Traffic Engineer, at 605-394-2244.
U.S. Highway 385 Project Information:
All construction activities on U.S. Highway 385 will be paused for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally from Wednesday, July 31, 2024, through end-of-day on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. During this timeframe, all lanes will be open to traffic. The road surface from S.D. Highway 44 to Lake Pactola will be a type of sealed rock that resembles asphalt with lane markings painted onto it. In addition to the road markings, there will be a temporary traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 385 and S.D. Highway 44. There will be one and one-half miles of gravel surfacing from Highway 44 to one-half mile north of Silver City Road and a 1,000-feet-long gravel diversion immediately south of the Pennington-Lawrence County line. Both lengths of gravel will be treated to control dust.
Both the sealed rock surface and the temporary gravel surfacing may become slippery when wet. Drivers are advised to take care in the event of inclement weather. The SDDOT, the contractor, and South Dakota Highway Patrol will be actively monitoring road conditions within project limits for the duration of the Rally. The speed limit through the project construction area is reduced to 45 mph during the Rally.
For those driving through the Highway 385 project, or any construction project, the SDDOT reminds travelers to reduce their speed and exercise extra caution to safely manage changing roadway conditions.
Find additional Highway 385 project information including maps, timelines, and construction updates on the website at https://www.US-385.com. For updates on major traffic changes on the Highway 385 project, subscribe to a free text-in service. To subscribe, simply text “US385” to 605-566-4041. Subscribers can unsubscribe at any time.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Traveler Information Page:
Find additional information, including frequently asked questions, on the SDDOT website at https://dot.sd.gov/travelers/travelers/sturgis-rally-travel-information-faq.