Construction Update as of Friday, January 24, 2025:

• Phase 1 construction is complete until spring 2025, when crews will place final surfacing. Currently, there are approximately two miles of gravel and three miles of hard surface between S.D. Highway 44 and the Pennington-Lawrence County Line.
• Phase 2 construction operations currently involve off-road grading, tree clearing, and logging operations. The contractor is using a pilot car and flaggers as needed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. MT on weekdays and some Saturdays.

Construction Update as of Friday, December 27, 2024:

• Effective Dec. 20, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025, there are no pilot cars or flaggers in use in the Phase 2 construction area.
• The use of flaggers and pilot cars will resume on Jan. 6, 2025 for Phase 2 construction.

Construction Update as of Wednesday, November 27, 2024:
Phase 1 Construction Updates

• Phase 1 construction activities (from the Pennington-Lawrence County line to Pactola Dam) are nearing completion for U.S. Highway 385.
• Final surfacing of Phase 1 will take place in summer 2025.
• Through the winter, the roadway will mostly be a hard, packed surface with a short section of gravel near the north end of the project area.
• The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) and the contractor are prepared to provide snow removal operations within the construction area should winter weather arrive while construction is ongoing.

Phase 2 Construction Updates

• Phase 2 (from the south end of Pactola Dam to Calumet Road) pre-construction activities have begun. Pre-construction activities include tree clearing near the roadway, construction of diversions, and off-road grading. The contractor is utilizing a pilot car and flaggers as needed.
• The Sheridan Lake Fishing Pier located off Highway 385 will be closed Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, through Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, while tree clearing takes place across the roadway.

Highway 385 Construction – The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) is reconstructing a portion of U.S. Highway 385 between the Pennington-Lawrence county line and the south end of Sheridan Lake. Once completed, this section of U.S. Highway 385 will feature safety improvements, including wider shoulders on each side of the road where possible, improved road curves to meet current design standards, additional turning lanes to improve traffic flow, and new surfacing. Learn more about 385 construction below.

Alternative Routes

Don’t let something as common place as road construction derail your vacation! Highway 385 is a popular route between Deadwood and the central and southern Black Hills. However, many other options are available that add minimal travel time to your itinerary while offering scenic overlooks and historic points of interest along the way. The map below details some of these hidden gems. Other suggested options on your “Route Reimagined” are available through Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Association.

Visit www.us-385.com for detailed construction timelines and detour information. The SDDOT releases road condition updates regularly HERE.

Businesses are open on 385 – Click for more information
Tomahawk Country Club
Deadwood Outdoor Rentals
Steel Wheel Campground & Trading Post
Fish N Fry Campground
Mystic Hills Hideaway – Cabins, Camping and UTV Rentals
Custer Crossing Family Campground

385 Construction Alternative Routes Map

(click for larger PDF file)