|
 For
through traffic, extreme weather conditions on
Route 40 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains proved
to be a constant challenge during the winter months.
As the postcard scene on the right shows, snowstorms
would periodically shut down Donner Pass. To get
a good sense of the impact on snow at Donner Pass,
read George Stewart's Storm.
If you are a viewer of the Weather Channel, you
probably know that the Donner/Truckee area of
Route 40/I-80 are frequent subjects of snow reports.
Snowfall of ten to twenty feet are not uncommon.
Before the construction of I-80
in the 1960's, another route across the mountains
was needed to provide travelers with long distance
options. In 1955, Alternate Route 40 was established
between Davis, California and Reno, Nevada. Alternate
Route 40 was about 95 miles longer than Route
40. Alternate Route 40 was descommissioned on
July 1, 1966.
|
