- Roadwork eastbound between Magra (Railroad) (Exit 140) and Gold Run Rd (Exit 143), traffic getting through — tree work; until 5:59 a.m.
- Roadwork westbound between Rock Spring Rd and King Rd (Exit 112), 1 mile east of Penryn, traffic getting through — fiber optic installation; until 5:01 a.m.
Cameras and chain-control points on I-80. Click a marker to open the camera.
The live feed above shows active restrictions reported by Caltrans District 3 and NDOT. If the status reports clear, traffic is moving across the Sierra crest without required tire equipment. When restrictions appear, crews have turned on highway checkpoints or shut down gates entirely.
Always confirm critical routes with official Caltrans or Nevada 511 feeds before departing. We aggregate those feeds to deliver updates faster, but field operations remain under state agency control. Drivers can check overall route statuses on I-80 road conditions or scan across the broader network using all road conditions.
Where closures and checkpoints happen
Interstate 80 crosses the Sierra crest through Donner Pass, where severe winter weather forces travel restrictions. Checkpoints frequently establish westbound near I-80 at Kingvale - Westbound at 6,128 ft, or slightly lower along eastbound lanes at 6,095 ft.
Higher up the grade, conditions worsen rapidly as the highway climbs past I-80 at Soda Springs - Eastbound at 6,692 ft. The crest peaks at I-80 at Donner Summit at 7,221 ft, with the adjacent pass monitor at I-80 at Castle Peak sitting at 7,165 ft. East of the summit, the roadway drops toward Truckee, passing I-80 at Donner Lake at 6,394 ft.
In eastern Nevada, long-distance travelers face high elevations as well. Farther east along the corridor, Pequop Summit reaches 6,964 ft, creating another high-altitude bottleneck during regional storms.
How restrictions escalate
Caltrans manages Sierra storms in progressive stages based on visibility and road friction. The process begins with chain controls, which require specific traction equipment depending on vehicle configuration. For rules on tires and commercial rigs, read what the chain-control levels mean.
If spin-outs block lanes, highway personnel implement temporary metering holds to clear stalled vehicles. When zero-visibility blizzards hit the summit, Caltrans closes the freeway gates entirely between the foothills and the Nevada state line.
Visual monitoring helps drivers assess pavement accumulation between maintenance cycles. Check live highway camera views through our collection of I-80 webcams before heading up into Kingvale or the summit corridor.
Alternate routes and closure strategy
When I-80 shuts down at the crest, bypass options through the high Sierra are rarely better. Highway 50 through Echo Summit and Highway 88 over Carson Pass face similar freezing levels and snow accumulations. If 80 closes for avalanche control or multi-vehicle pileups, southern passes often see heavy spillover traffic and simultaneous holds.
If the closure gates close while you are en route, stop in lower-elevation towns with services. Eastbound drivers should wait out closures below 6,095 ft on the western slope rather than queuing on the highway shoulder. Westbound drivers should stage in Reno or Truckee rather than idling along the 6,394 ft approach near Donner Lake. Caltrans and NDOT sweep stranded traffic off the mountain until plows re-establish safe lanes across the 7,221 ft pass.