The Cave Rock Tunnel is a dual bore highway tunnel
on U.S. Route 50 (US 50) along the eastern shore of Lake
Tahoe approximately
seven miles (11.4 km) north of Stateline,
in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. To the Washoe Indian
Tribe, Cave Rock (Washo: De ek Wadapush is considered a sacred place and the tribe has placed
restrictions on recreational activities in the vicinity of the tunnel.
Description
The tunnels carry U.S. Route 50 through Cave Rock, a mountain along the eastern shore
of Lake Tahoe. There are numerous small caves adjacent to the south portal
of both tunnels which give the rock its name. The tunnel is located between the
towns of Zephyr Cove and Glenbrook along
the US 50 corridor. This portion of US 50 is a National Scenic Byway, part of the Lake Tahoe - Eastshore Drive. The westbound bore is 153 feet
(47 m) long and features exposed rock; the eastbound bore features a
concrete liner and is 410 feet (120 m) long. The tunnels are an
elevation of at approximately 6,360 feet (1,940 m), about 80 feet
(24 m) above the level of the lake.
History
The tunnel dates back to the Lincoln Highway.
Originally the Lincoln Highway was routed along a single lane hanging bridge and
rock wall built in 1863. Recognizing the inadequacy of the single lane
road, efforts began to improve capacity on the primary road to Lake Tahoe. The
first bore was constructed in 1931, as part of a reconstruction of a 3-mile
(4.8 km) section of the Lincoln Highway. Concerned about damaging Cave
Rock, the project managers employed key people from the recently
completed Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel in what is now Zion National Park in
Utah. The first traffic began flowing through the bore in mid-September of that
year. Construction on the second bore began in 1957, when US 50 was
widened to four lanes, at a cost of just over $450,000 (equivalent to $4
million today). Coincidentally, both bores were constructed by Utah-based
construction companies.
After a 2015 rockslide, and observations
of more unstable rock in the area, the Nevada Department of Transportation initiated a safety improvement and
retrofit project in 2016. The project retrofitted the original 1931 bore with a
concrete liner and extended the tunnel by 60 feet (18 m) on its north end
by constructing a rock fall shelter to protect the roadway from falling rocks.
The retrofit included new lighting for both tunnels, and variable message signs on the approaches designed to
activate upon the presence of bicyclists or ice inside the tunnel.
Tribal relations
What remains of the single lane hanging bridge that predated the Cave Rock tunnel
The Cave Rock area is considered sacred
by the Washoe tribe. The Washoe tribal leaders were not consulted
about the construction of either bore, and were upset about the perceived
desecration of their tribal lands. Within the last decade, the Washoe Tribe has
had a larger influence on Cave Rock and its historic preservation. In 2007, the
Federal Government ruled on a precedent-setting case that has restricted
activities around the tunnel, such as rock climbing.