Traffic Concerns

Truck traffic levels at an operation of this size will generate up to 150 truckloads or 300 “truck events” each day!! In a 10 hour shift, this means one truck on or off Hwy 16 every 2 minutes!!

Highway 16 is the main gateway to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorials, Custer State Park and Black Hills National Forest. More than 2500+ people travel this road daily according to SD DOT statistics and the highest travel occurs during the summer months when almost 4 million tourists visit our area.

The past few years, the residential and corporate growth along Highway 16 has exploded with much of this area is proposed to be annexed into Rapid City. A quarry pit in the middle of this expansion is not responsible!

Not only will the quarry add congestion to an already highly traveled highway but the safety risks are enormous!! A traffic study completed in 2009 researched 249 road sections in Rapid City and the 3 mile plotting jurisdiction zone.

The segment from Reptile Gardens to Old McDonald’s Farm ranked #7 out of 249 for severe crashes!! 

What will this be if gravel trucks are entering and exiting Hwy 16 at this very stretch??!!??

Why endanger the lives of our residents and tourists!

This video can be found on YouTube