Caltrans proposing to scale back U.S. 50 project

[bing101]

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/12438935-113/tahoe-caltrans-project-lake

"South Lake Tahoe officials and environmental groups are asking Caltrans to move forward as planned with a project to improve two miles of U.S. 50, instead of scaling the project back. They're also calling on the transportation department to live up to its complete streets initiatives for more pedestrian and bicycle friendly highways and at least temporarily fix other dangerous parts of the highway with narrow or crumbling bike lanes before a bicyclist gets hurt or killed...."

I've been to South Lake Tahoe US-50 is Main Street for them. Its where all the tourists spend their time at.

[andy3175]

It is helpful to note that the proposed project would add bike lanes, repave, and make storm water improvements to the section of highway with South Lake Tahoe city limits east of the "Y" intersection, which is the northern junction of U.S. 50 and California SR 28. This project is not going to add general use car lanes like a traditional expansion project; instead, it will improve its multi-modal functionality:

Caltrans initially planned to overhaul two miles of highway from Trout Creek Bridge to the "Y"  intersection with curbside Class 2 bike lanes, 5-foot sidewalks, bus pullouts and a pavement overlay, as well as stormwater drainage and treatment improvements to reduce the amount of fine sediment washing into Lake Tahoe.

The transportation department now intends to limit the project to one mile of highway between Trout Creek Bridge and Upper Truckee Bridge, work that would be done in 2017. Upgrading the second mile of highway from Upper Truckee Bridge to the "Y"  would be put on hold for the foreseeable future because of higher than anticipated costs and funding shortages.

"As we got further into the project design, with right-of-way and utility conflicts, costs continued to go up and our programmed amount is $38.5 million, so the only way to stay on budget is to cut the scope in half,"  said Steve Nelson, spokesman for Caltrans District 3.

"We've submitted a program-change request and basically we're just awaiting headquarters' approval. One reason we selected that stretch of the project, rather than from the bridge to the "Y,"  is because most of the water quality improvements are in that stretch,"  Nelson said.

Gavin Feiger, of the Sierra Nevada Alliance and Lake Tahoe Sustainability Collaborative, said those groups want Caltrans to proceed with the full two-mile project and live up to its "complete streets"  initiatives in the Lake Tahoe Basin. "It was so exciting to hear they would connect it all the way through. Now they're taking it back out,"  he said, applauding Caltrans for the improvements it has made in other parts of the U.S. 50 corridor in South Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe Sustainability Collaborative has identified at least eight sections of the U.S. 50 corridor where deteriorating pavements and curbs and narrow bike lanes put bicyclists at risk. Those areas are "in desperate need of repair"  and should be fixed immediately if upgrades to create a safer bicycle and pedestrian corridor through South Lake Tahoe are years away, the group wrote in a letter to Caltrans.

"Immediate repairs are super important. We understand in 2017 they are planning on (upgrading the highway), but it's just a matter of time until someone gets in a serious accident,"  Feiger said.

[ZLoth]

Hmmm... for decades already, whenever my family has gone up to South Lake Tahoe, we end up taking a right from US-50 to the Pioneer Trail, then going to the back of the casinos. This seems to be faster than using the US-50 "main route". But now, instead of hitting Harrah's, we end up at Lakeside Inn and Casino which is a little further down the road.

[andy3175]

Hmmm... for decades already, whenever my family has gone up to South Lake Tahoe, we end up taking a right from US-50 to the Pioneer Trail, then going to the back of the casinos. This seems to be faster than using the US-50 "main route". But now, instead of hitting Harrah's, we end up at Lakeside Inn and Casino which is a little further down the road.

Pioneer Trail is a well traveled alternative to US 50, and it's often faster as it has fewer overall traffic lights as compared to the main route. Pioneer Trail is also an alignment of the Lincoln Highway, which passed by the south shore of Lake Tahoe. Once Pioneer Trail reaches US 50 near the casinos, there are plans to redevelop that whole area and possibly realign US 50 onto a new road that would link it to Lake Parkway. The current US 50 would then be a regular street that could be narrowed and closed to traffic for occasional special events.

The link to the proposals that are currently under study is: http://www.tahoetransportation.org/us50

From Pioneer Trail in California to Lake Parkway in Nevada, the 1.1-mile project area is generally considered South Shore's "downtown."  Redevelopment has drawn attention to a lack of sufficient infrastructure to safely support growing resident, commuter and visitor use.  Most of the proposed project designs realign this section of US 50 behind the casinos to calm traffic and allow "complete street"  improvements.

Five alternatives, of 15 options originally considered, are at the environmental analysis stage. Draft Environmental Document is in progress. January 2015 completion and circulation for public and agency review and comment anticipated.

Oddly, only 4 alternatives are listed further down the page:

Alternative 1 - Triangle Alternative: New four-lane alignment for US 50, roundabout at Lake Pkwy. intersection. Existing US 50 from Park Lane to Lake Pkwy. reduced to two lanes with bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 2 - Triangle One-Way Alternative: Two one-way, two-lane alignments, eastbound on existing US 50 from Pioneer Trail to Lake Pkwy., westbound from existing Lake Pkwy. onto Montreal Rd. Bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 3 - Project Study Report  Alt. 2: Route variations for Triangle Alternative US 50 realignment, with or without roundabout, with signalized intersections at Heavenly Village Way and Harrah's Rd.
Alternative 4 - Skywalk Alternative a.k.a. the Elevated Pedestrian Mall: A concrete bridge over the entire width and length of existing US 50 from Stateline Ave. to the eastern end of Montbleu Resort.

[myosh_tino]

Oddly, only 4 alternatives are listed further down the page:

Alternative 1 - Triangle Alternative: New four-lane alignment for US 50, roundabout at Lake Pkwy. intersection. Existing US 50 from Park Lane to Lake Pkwy. reduced to two lanes with bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 2 - Triangle One-Way Alternative: Two one-way, two-lane alignments, eastbound on existing US 50 from Pioneer Trail to Lake Pkwy., westbound from existing Lake Pkwy. onto Montreal Rd. Bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 3 - Project Study Report  Alt. 2: Route variations for Triangle Alternative US 50 realignment, with or without roundabout, with signalized intersections at Heavenly Village Way and Harrah's Rd.
Alternative 4 - Skywalk Alternative a.k.a. the Elevated Pedestrian Mall: A concrete bridge over the entire width and length of existing US 50 from Stateline Ave. to the eastern end of Montbleu Resort.

Since this is for an EIR, wouldn't the 5th alternative be a no-build?

[roadfro]

^ that's what I was thinking

[andy3175]

Oddly, only 4 alternatives are listed further down the page:

Alternative 1 - Triangle Alternative: New four-lane alignment for US 50, roundabout at Lake Pkwy. intersection. Existing US 50 from Park Lane to Lake Pkwy. reduced to two lanes with bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 2 - Triangle One-Way Alternative: Two one-way, two-lane alignments, eastbound on existing US 50 from Pioneer Trail to Lake Pkwy., westbound from existing Lake Pkwy. onto Montreal Rd. Bike lanes and sidewalks.
Alternative 3 - Project Study Report  Alt. 2: Route variations for Triangle Alternative US 50 realignment, with or without roundabout, with signalized intersections at Heavenly Village Way and Harrah's Rd.
Alternative 4 - Skywalk Alternative a.k.a. the Elevated Pedestrian Mall: A concrete bridge over the entire width and length of existing US 50 from Stateline Ave. to the eastern end of Montbleu Resort.

Since this is for an EIR, wouldn't the 5th alternative be a no-build?

Sure, makes sense. Usually they write that as a stated option, but maybe in this case it is implied.