INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — With about a month left in the 2018 construction season, work on the shared-use path project along Nevada Route 28 will continue into the spring or early summer of 2019.

Transportation officials initially left the door open to possibly completing the multi-year project this year. However, it is now clear that some work will need to be completed in 2019.

“We’re anticipating completing the project next construction season,” Meg Ragonese, public information officer for NDOT, told the Tribune.

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Crews do intend to work on the few Saturdays remaining this construction season, in addition to Monday through Friday. There will be a short single-lane flagger controlled closure from Memorial Point to about 1 mile north. Crews will work from approximately 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. with delays of 20-30 minutes, according to NDOT.

Single-lane closures and delays will continue during the week, too.

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The multi-year, $44 million project involves three large priorities: construction of the shared-use path, construction of additional parking and water quality improvements. Some North Shore residents have criticized the project as wasteful and unnecessary. Others argue the project is vital for improving connectivity around the lake.

While this particular project only involves construction of 3-plus miles of shared-use path, it is part of a larger goal to connect Stateline on South Shore to the state line on North Shore, which would total more than 30 miles.

The segment of the Nevada Route 28 corridor between Spooner Summit and Incline Village continues to pose public safety problems, especially during summer. According to NDOT, more than 2.6 million vehicles per year travel the road.

Motorists park along the side of the highway, often illegally. Shoulder-parking is projected to double in the next 20 years, according to NDOT.

Vehicles frequently come to a screeching halt in order to grab one of the parking spots or avoid hitting pedestrians illegally crossing the road.

NDOT contends the project will address both issues, by building three off-highway parking lots — near the Ponderosa Ranch and Tunnel Creek Café — connected by the shared-use path. Moving parking from the shoulder to the lots also will reduce roadside degradation, which contributes to fine sediment run-off.

NDOT anticipates paving 100 percent of the path within the next week or so, according to Ragonese.

Much of the remaining work concerns the six bridges that are part of the path. The foundations are built for some of the bridges, and one even has the bridge deck in place. The work finishing the foundations and installing the remaining five bridge decks will likely stretch into next year, Ragonese said.

As part of that process, NDOT will implement short-term closures of Nevada Route 28. So far exact dates are still being considered. Once those are selected NDOT will have additional details about the duration of the closures.

Other remaining work includes completing curb and gutter improvements on 28 and other sediment reducing improvements.

Visit bit.ly/Nev28Proj for information.