Rockfall Mitigation to Begin in Cleghorn Canyon on S.D. Highway 44 in Rapid City

For Immediate Release: 
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Contact:
Justin Smith, Project Engineer, 605-381-4035

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Beginning Monday, March 2, 2026, crews will begin a rockfall mitigation project on S.D. Highway 44 across from the Cleghorn Springs State Fish Hatchery in Rapid City. Traffic will be maintained throughout the project with a 16-foot width restriction in both lanes of traffic.

Temporary lane closures will be placed as needed for scaling and excavation operations. Motorists can expect delays up to 15-minutes between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. as crews remove rocks and debris from the hillside. During temporary closures, traffic will be guided by flaggers.

The project also includes the installation of a rock fall fence to mitigate future events.

The prime contractor on the $2.3 million project is Midwest Rockfall Inc. of Denver, CO. The overall project completion date is July 2026.

About SDDOT:
The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to provide a safe and efficient 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.

-30-