El Dorado County Transportation Digest

Early planning stages on the Trip to Green project have begun following the 2022 pilot program. A city workshop shared data collected from the test sessions and presented concepts for where to go next.

El Dorado County Supervisor Brooke Laine knows South Lake Tahoe area residents want to watch how Measure S money is spent, especially with roads crumbling in the basin.

After 30-plus years of planning, officials finally broke ground in September. El Dorado County Director of Transportation Rafael Martinez said this is the biggest capital project in county history.

After years of struggling to find solutions to congestion issues during high-traffic periods along Highway 50 in Placerville, the Trip to Green program was initiated in fall 2022.

The California Highway Patrol reminds the public to always remain alert and take caution when conducting private-party vehicle sale transactions.

Lake Link is forecasted to serve 120,000 people in its first year, said Raymond Suarez, project manager and executive director of South Shore Transit Management.

The law was prompted by an audit revealing that up to 35,000 parking placards in use were in the names of deceased people.

The Placerville City Council unanimously approved replacement of the Placerville Drive bridge over Hangtown Creek at an estimated cost of $10,423,800. The project is fully funded through the federal Highway Bridge Program.

The Lake Tahoe Airport will raise its landing fees for visitors, following approval from the South Lake Tahoe City Council during its Nov. 15 meeting.

The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shared with El Dorado County for building a more connected region. The plan will be finalized in 2024.

The first phase of maintenance gets under way this week as crews clear and clean the road, as well as fix potholes to prepare for treatment. “The major repair and resurfacing won’t happen till the first week of October,” shared County Director of Transportation Rafael Martinez.

Speeding, reckless driving, and highway violence have all increased in Tahoe/Truckee in recent years, as more people move to the area and drivers increase their speeds.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council approved a pilot traffic calming project in the Lakeview (Al Tahoe) and Highland Woods neighborhoods, where residents have complained about visitors cutting throughs, speeding and illegally parking.

The city of South Lake Tahoe has hired a new airport manager. John Dickinson has more than 14 years of experience with airport operations and planning, including 10 years in the US Navy as an air traffic controller.

The proposed roundabout at the Bridlewood Drive and Bass Lake Road intersection has been allocated $744,400 by the El Dorado County Transportation Commission, which will just cover environmental studies and the design. The project has yet to be approved.

The Dollar General store, a new addition in Cool, is already having an impact locally. El Dorado County authorities have received numerous complaints regarding its delivery trucks traveling on Highway 49.

Residents and tourists on Lake Tahoe’s south shore are getting around with the help of Lake Link, a microtransit shuttle system. The shuttles carry up to a dozen passengers and are equipped with racks bikes, gear and wheelchairs.

Of the Californians who have taken the written exam to get a driver’s license over the past two decades, more than half have failed. The annual rate, however, has been inconsistent.

Another opportunity for the public to learn about Highway 49 corridor plans is coming up on July 14. The El Dorado County Transportation Commission, in partnership with Caltrans and the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency, is examining everything from infrastructure, parking access, and everything in between.

A new Mt. Murphy Road Bridge could begin construction in 2024, as the project is going through final approval stages. The current bridge was built in 1915 to connect Highway 49 and Mt. Murphy Road over the river.

El Dorado County Department of Transportation recently announced that the long-anticipated Mosquito Bridge project is about to break ground this summer. The completed bridge is estimated to cost $93 million.

The current plan for the controversial “Loop Road” project was essentially killed after the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to use property the Tahoe Transportation District would need for the project as housing instead.

A proposal to set up digital highway signs along Alpine County highways has sparked opposition from the Friends of Hope Valley. Caltrans has extended the public comment period until May 2 on signs along Highway 88, Highway 89 and Highway 4.

Backers of California’s High Speed Rail project haven’t had much to celebrate, given soaring costs and scaled-back service, but a new poll shows a solid majority of voters still want to move forward and finish the job.

A multimodel corridor study for Highway 49 between Auburn and Cool has been commissioned by the El Dorado County Transportation Commission in partnership with Caltrans and the Placer County Transportation Agency.

Gov. Gavin Newsom released a proposal to help Californians dealing with high gas prices, while also lowering the cost of public transit. Under the $11 billion proposal, California car owners would get a debit card worth $400 for each car (a limit of two vehicles, but no income cap).

Mountain bikers gathered at a recent El Dorado Hills Community Services District board meeting where a bike park project was discussed and unanimously approved.

Modifications to El Dorado County’s 2022 Capital Improvement Program include countywide road improvements and airport pavement maintenance and management plans.

The Tahoe Transportation District is seeking Incline Village residents, businesses and transit users to join a committee to advise consultants and staff in identifying transit hub opportunities.

The Biden administration will allow California to set its own rules on greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks, rebuffing a Trump-era decision.

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved right-turn restrictions from North Upper Truckee Road and Sawmill Road on Sundays and holidays from May to October, with the goal of mitigating impacts of vehicular traffic in neighborhoods.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s working on a plan to help Californians cope with rising gasoline prices. The Democratic governor said during his State of the State speech that he will work with the Legislature to provide relief for drivers.