The 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is well underway. Officials with the state’s Department of Transportation say traffic volumes are lower than last year’s 75th anniversary event.
But DOT officials are still working to handle the large amount of traffic in the Black Hills.
Despite the steady roar of motorcycles leading into Sturgis, Department of Transportation officials aren’t expecting a large rally.
Jon Suomala is with the DOT. He says the weekend’s Friday through Sunday traffic counts were 81 percent what they were in 2014, which saw 170,000. In 2015 that number was almost 240,000. But Suomala adds that even though numbers are down this year it doesn’t mean South Dakota’s roads go unprepared.
“Even though it’s small for rally it’s still a lot more traffic than we normally have throughout the summer,” says Suomala.
Suomala says the DOT puts up temporary traffic lights, message boards and other traffic aids to help control the flow of bikes. He says construction zone management is also a major part of the DOT’s efforts
“A lot of our projects we require the contractor to have the construction site clear of obstruction to be able to keep normal traffic moving for this week but some projects that’s just not possible so we just get those set as best we can and then do other accommodations,” says Suomala.
South Dakota DOT and Department of Public Safety officials urge all people traveling around the state this week to use extra caution when driving. They ask drivers to watch for heavy traffic areas and to be patient on the road.