Loop road proving contentious among S. Lake Tahoe council

By Kathryn Reed

While neither the Tahoe Transportation District, nor the loop road was on the Aug. 21 South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda, plenty of words were spoken about the two.

It was agreed the previously scheduled Aug. 28 workshop on the loop road would be indefinitely delayed. This is to give TTD time to figure out its alternatives. However, Councilmen Bruce Grego and Hal Cole wanted to go forward with the meeting.

Proposed loop road by Tahoe Transportation District.

The TTD board is set to meet Sept. 14, 9:30am at its Stateline office.

While the district is working on alternatives, it is not releasing info about those discussions. This was mentioned by councilmembers and has been shared with Lake Tahoe News by others seeking to get details about what TTD is working on.

Carl Hasty, TTD executive director, told Lake Tahoe News, “What we are doing is more like compiling the alternatives that we know of into a briefing piece that can be used as part of the public process we want to get under way with the facilitated workshops. I think there are plenty of people out there with ideas and it is time to get the next phase of public input under way. As part of that we want to provide a concise background so that all can start from the same informed basis.”

At the September meeting he expects to seek approval of “acquisition of facilitation services, economic analysis services, and other technical studies for the range of alternatives in the area.”

The loop road, which has been discussed since the 1980s, in the latest configuration is designed to reroute Highway 50 behind Harrah’s and MontBleu, while abolishing businesses and residences in South Lake Tahoe. The outcome, as seen by advocates, is the creation of a more pedestrian friendly casino core. While the road would still go through this area, it would become a city street on both sides of the state line.

Correspondence between the city and TTD have been going back and forth. Here is the South Lake Tahoe letter and the TTD letter.

In other action Aug. 21:

• Tahoe resident Hanna Bernard spoke about the need to keep forested areas open to mountain bikers and snowmobilers by commenting on the U.S. Forest Plan – saying no to more wilderness areas.

• Bob Lear and Ann Colzzi are frustrated no one with the city approached residents in the Harrison Avenue area about plans to make streets one-way.

• An emergency no-smoking ordinance affecting city owned and operated property was passed. It takes effect immediately. The first reading of the permanent ordinance was approved as well.