Tahoe Truckee Region Transportation Digest

A bipartisan congressional group from Nevada and California is asking the Biden administration to fast-track federal funds for a private company to build a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.

At a meeting to discuss locating a mobility hub at an old elementary school, many commenters were focused on the need for other amenities and developments.

Lake Link has recently expanded its micro-transit service area further into Nevada and now covers more of the residential areas near the state line in Douglas County.

Politicians must contend with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, but they also face demands from leaders of vital health care and transit services for more money to solve their fiscal woes.

Up to 60% of 2030 models and two-thirds of 2032 models sold nationwide would be zero-emissions—less aggressive than California’s mandate.

Placer County will order four electric buses to add to the Tahoe Truckee Area Transit system as part of the county's larger effort to convert to a zero emissions fleet.

Transit agencies in California are struggling to avoid a “fiscal cliff”—and to persuade riders to return after the COVID pandemic. Advocates and legislators are seeking more state aid, but there are no simple solutions.

Due to heavy snowpack and near record wet weather conditions this winter, Tahoe National Forest has extended the seasonal closure period of its roads and trails to motorized use.

Communities with high concentrations of electric cars are affluent, college-educated and at least 75% white and Asian—revealing a barrier to electrifying the state’s entire fleet.

A court ruling that upheld much of a 2020 gig-worker initiative also struck down a part that labor advocates say could lead to legislation for driver unionization.

Potholes on U.S. Highway 50 through South Lake Tahoe have nearly become trenches that span from one end of the city to the other.

The latest report from the California High-Speed Rail Authority projects costs for the initial segment at $35 billion, which exceeds secured funding by $10 billion. Other segments are likely to see higher projected costs.

Public transit is a lifeline for low-income Californians, and the key to realizing reduced carbon emissions. But the state’s major public transit agencies are facing myriad issues and are looking to state lawmakers for a solution.

The Truckee Town Council gave the thumbs up on changes to the West River Street Park project, in the works for almost two decades, and also extended microtransit service.

In addition to renewing the current agreement with the South Shore Transportation Management Association, the South Lake Tahoe City Council committed $662,500 toward the expansion of the service.

Traveling on state routes 89 and 267 has become nearly impossible on weekends, with traffic to Palisades Tahoe and Northstar California backed up.

“Unfortunately, the roadways have many potholes, including along Caltrans and county roads,” a recent press release states.

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.

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

Tracy Larkin-Thomason has been named director of the Nevada Department of Transportation. Larkin-Thomason will assume her new role on Jan. 17.

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

Mountaineer, the service that offers free winter transportation in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, will add new service routes and expand its operating schedule for the 2022-23 winter season.

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 Truckee Tahoe Airport District is often portrayed as the golden goose. Some, however, are frustrated by the airport’s eagerness to fund community projects at the expense of internal improvements. A dividing line has emerged between the aviation-minded and the community-minded, and the makeup of the district board could shift in this November’s elections.

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.

Take Care Tahoe, Lake Tahoe’s collaborative stewardship campaign, is hosting a launch event at Sand Harbor State Park to kick off “Take it Slow, Tahoe” a campaign to remind drivers to be careful and watch out for people and animals.

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.

The Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transportation service is receiving positive feedback and a 20% growth in ridership, including in Placer County. The microtransit service began in the summer of 2021 and transports riders to a variety of Tahoe resort destinations.