Sturgis is making final traffic preparations with the 80th annual Motorcycle Rally that officially starts Friday.
According to the city’s Facebook page, traffic signage changes were implemented Monday.
The city will place temporary traffic signals on Lazelle at Nellie, Middle, First, Third, Sixth and 11th streets, and Lazelle (14a) and Short Track Road.
It will also install temporary 4-way stop signs at Junction and Sherman, Junction and Park, Fulton and Park, Sherman and First, and Lazelle and 20th.
According to the post, Main Street will be restricted to motorcycle-only traffic from the Vet’s Club to Fourth Street.
There will also be designated taxi zones at the southwest corner of Fourth and Main streets and at the southeast corner of Harley-Davidson Way and Main. The primary bus stop will be at the corner of Sherman and Fourth street.
Most street closures will begin at 2 a.m. Friday and end at 2 a.m. Aug. 16.
The city also posted that there will be temporary traffic devices and speed reduction from the state Department of Transportation during the Rally.
According to a DOT press release, speed limits will be reduced on Interstate 90 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.
Highway 34 will be reduced to 35 mph from Blanche Street in Sturgis east 3.8 miles (near Buffalo Chip).
Highway 79 will be reduced to 45 mph from the Highway 34 junction north 1.75 miles and from .05 miles south of the intersection with Bighorn Road north .8 miles, according to the release.
There will be message boards and speed trailers to inform travelers of traffic conditions, accidents, extreme weather events and more.
Traffic signals will be in operation prior to Thursday and remain until Aug. 17.
According to the release, there will be temporary traffic signals at the following locations:
• Junction of S.D. 34/79 and Ft. Meade main entrance
• Junction of S.D. 34 and S.D. 79 east of Sturgis
• Junction of S.D. 34 and Ft. Meade Way
• Junction S.D. 44 and U.S. 385
• Junction U.S. 16 and U.S. 385
• S.D. 34/79 & 11th Street
• I-90 Exit 32 WB ramp
• I-90 Exit 55 EB ramp
• I-90 Exit 32 EB ramp
• S.D. 34/79 & Glencoe Drive
• S.D. 34/79 & Nellie Avenue
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Source: Rapid City Journal