Placer County Transportation Digest

A program that allows solo drivers of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to use carpool lanes on freeways and bridges in California may be removed for good next year.

Highway 1 is closed indefinitely from Palo Colorado Road to Rocky Creek Bridge, the California Department of Transportation said on social media after a new landslide eroded part of the roadway.

On March 1, the California Public Utilities Commission gave approval for driverless taxi company Waymo to expand service into Los Angeles and San Mateo counties.

California electric vehicle sales dropped significantly in the last half of 2023, raising questions about the state’s ability to phase out gas-powered cars.

The San Pedro ports had a busy January as they rebounded from last year’s labor troubles and picked up cargo redirected because of Suez and Panama canal troubles.

The proposed bill would require new California cars to have a speed limiter.

A project to connect Los Angeles and Las Vegas via electric high speed rail could break ground in early 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced.

The numbers and letters on your car can reveal more than you think.

Caltrans has set a Jan. 25 deadline for tech companies to show how generative artificial intelligence might reduce traffic congestion in the state. This follows an executive order that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in September related to this type of AI.

Heavy snow is projected in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Previously, warmer storms had been bringing precipitation mainly to higher elevations in the Sierras.

San Francisco police officers have been operating for more than a year with guidance from their chief that California’s vehicle code doesn’t provide authority for them to ticket driverless cars for infractions like speeding or running red lights. Officers are still encouraged to report relevant information about incidents.

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.

The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded $42.51 million to the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority to complete Phase 1 of its Sacramento to Roseville Third Track Project.

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.

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.

The Greater Sacramento Economic Council submitted an application for the Economic Development Administration Tech Hub program that aims to establish a Zero Emission Vehicle innovation asset on the campus of Sacramento State.

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 International Civil Aviation Organization established the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, which aims to help reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions.

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.

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.

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.