El Dorado County Transportation Digest

After 30 years of public service, El Dorado Transit Operations Manager Scott Ousley is retiring effective Jan. 6.

Farmland is being rezoned for industrial use, and massive warehouses are being built on spec near communities like Buttonwillow and Shafter, so goods coming through the Southern California ports can be shipped quickly throughout the western United States.

A group of protesters sat down with interlocked arms on the 110 Freeway near downtown LA on Dec. 13, halting southbound traffic for more than an hour. Multiple people were arrested according to the CHP.

Higher-income workers are more likely to work from home, analysis of recent census data shows. Lower-income workers can face long and solitary commutes to get to work.

Private company Brightline secured a $3 billion grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation toward a 218-mile high-speed rail line from Rancho Cucamonga to Las Vegas. The line would allow people to make the trip to Sin City in a little over two hours.

An Alameda County judge ruled on Nov. 22 that the city of Oakland thwarted a proposed coal export terminal. The judge will rule if the developer who sued is entitled to $159 million in damages or moving forward with the project.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles changed its voter registration process in 2019 to put a party selection dropdown on the same page. Since then, the number of people registering as Republicans or Democrats has jumped close to 20 points.

The Orange County Transportation Authority announced that work has been completed for express lanes along 16 miles of Interstate 405. The lanes, which were part of a $2.16 billion improvement project, span from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County line.

A new study by Forbes shows that four cities in the Golden State—Los Angeles, Fresno, San Diego and Sacramento—are among the 21 worst cities in the United States for holiday travel. Forbes looked at a variety of factors including car accidents, hotel prices and air travel.

Interstate 10 in Los Angeles will reopen Nov. 21, following a fire on Nov. 11. It had previously been feared the freeway would be closed much longer.

Though construction likely won’t begin for at least a decade, El Dorado County is moving forward with improvements to the Highway 50 interchange.

A pedestrian and bicycle safety improvement project is on the horizon for Pony Express Trail in Pollock Pines, expected to commence in spring 2024.

Hydrogen fueling stations will get 15 percent of funds in a state program — even though Californians own only about 12,000 hydrogen cars. The funds come from fees paid by drivers.

As the popularity of electric bikes continues to skyrocket, the California Highway Patrol is launching an online e-bike safety and training program to help commuters and recreational cyclists ride safely.

In response to a flood of reports from El Dorado Hills residents, California Highway Patrol officers will be paying close attention to drivers heading into and through Town Center.

With only 12,000 hydrogen cars on the road, and just two models for sale, California lawmakers are debating how much state money should support them.

Local micro-transit service, Lake Link celebrated one year in service while also celebrating "overwhelming" success, exceeding its original goals by more than 20,000 riders.

The Tahoe Transportation District, along with fundamental local partners, celebrated the brand-new electric bus fleet and mobility hub that has been created at Lake Tahoe Community College.

A June 27 decision by the Placerville City Council will begin the process of formalizing the Trip to Green project, an effort to mitigate congestion caused by Highway 50 stop lights.

The event is the culmination of years of planning and work to build an approximately 17-mile trail from Nevada’s capital city to the Tahoe Rim Trail, which connects to the Pacific Crest Trail.

Lane reductions and permanent roadside parking restrictions will begin Monday, July 10, as the Nevada Department of Transportation launches a project to install a traffic signal and improve U.S. 50 near Warrior on Lake Tahoe’s east shore.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received a portion of a $19 million grant from the California Highway Patrol to combat impaired driving.

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency governing board voted to approve the amendment to the Tahoe Area Plan in Incline Village's Special Area 1, with serious mitigations to promote mixed-use development and achievable housing, in addition to the extension of the special use permit for the East Shore Trail Shuttle located at the old elementary school in Incline Village.

U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Tahoe Transportation District will receive $3.4 million to fund its Clean Transit Initiative.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously voted to oppose the proposed speed increases on U.S. Highway 50 and State Route 89.

Work projects conducted by El Dorado County's Department of Transportation will see Mosquito Bridge's May 30 closure continue through Sunday, Aug. 6.

El Dorado County is possibly losing out on collecting millions of dollars from developers — funds that could have been used for much-needed road improvements.

Ebbetts Pass on Highway 4 in Alpine County reopened Thursday, according to the California Department of Transportation. CalTrans is working to clear Sonora and Tioga passes still.

City Council approved the Heavenly Neighborhood Parking and Traffic Management Plan, which will focus on mitigating traffic caused by Heavenly Mountain Resort.

The California Trolley and Railroad Corporation of Santa Clara County has transferred ownership of a GE 65-ton center cab diesel locomotive to the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation of El Dorado County.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council heard multiple presentations, including an update on roadwork and an annual report from the department of public works.

A Latrobe Road project has been added back into the county’s Capital Improvement Program, three years after it was removed. The project will widen Latrobe Road between Investment Boulevard and Golden Foothill Parkway.