Highway 385 Ditch Closure Being Proposed South of Lead

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Contact: Kristi Sandal, Public Information Officer, 605.773.3265

LEAD, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Transportation is proposing to close a segment of the ditch along U.S. Highway 385 in Lawrence County to off-road vehicles. 

The area being considered for closure is in the west ditch on Highway 385 from Hideaway Lane to Nemo Road. The request for closure is being made due to extensive damage by All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) during the past several years. 

This proposed ditch closure will be presented to the South Dakota Transportation Commission at their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, March 26, 2020, at 9 a.m. CDT in the Becker-Hansen building in Pierre. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments. 

The use of ATVs and UTVs in the ditch have also caused the degradation of a creek that flows under the highway. 

Ditch closures do not apply to snowmobiles, off-road vehicles used in normal agricultural operations and service vehicles in the line of duty for utility companies. The closure of this section will not affect the recreational use of the ATVs/UTVs in this area since there is a designated trail away from the highway. 

For more information, contact the Operations Support office at 605-773-3571.

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