Caltrans gears up for more Highway 50 work
By Kathryn Reed
When Caltrans returns in 2017 to do the Y to Trout Creek project South Lake Tahoe officials do not want a repeat of what happened this summer.
“This project this summer caused so much disruption,” City Manager Nancy Kerry told Clark Peri.
Peri is the project manager for the Caltrans district that encompasses the basin. He got an earful earlier this month about how unresponsive the contractor as well as his office was when it came to trying to get crews to better manage the project in terms of traffic, safety and flow.
Southwest Gas was working on this section to put in its infrastructure ahead of the transportation department doing its work. They will be back in 2016 to do more work.
Peri said things will improve at least in 2017. In large part this will be because Caltrans will have oversight of the contractors doing the work.
But he said if there is no daytime work the next project will take four years to complete instead of the scheduled three.
Work on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe will continue through at least 2019. Photo/LTN file
This next two-mile stretch of Highway 50 is designed to improve the road and water quality by repaving and adding drainage inlets.
Sidewalks will be 4 to 7½ feet wide, curb ramps will meet ADA requirements, the shoulder will be widened to a minimum of 6 feet to accommodate cyclists, and bus pullouts will be expanded.
What Councilman Tom Davis is frustrated about is that lighting is not part of the plans.
“Trout Creek to the Y is dark, especially in winter,” Davis lamented. “We need a complete, safe street.”
The funding source doesn’t allow for that amenity, Peri said. However, the city could pay for it.
Electrical conduits will be installed so lights could be added after the fact.
This will be a $56.7 million project.
It will be broken up into three phases, with each phase taking a season. They are the Y to Winnemucca Avenue, Winnemucca to Sierra Boulevard, and Sierra to Trout Creek. From there the project is further broken down into four segments, each of which will take four to six weeks to complete.
The work on these projects should all be done at night. Daytime traffic creates a huge public safety hazard.
It’s about time someone at least acted like they cared about the traffic.
How come Cal-trans and STPUD can work with only closing forty or fifty yards of roadway and these people need a mile and a half to plant a bush?
During the last sidewalk installation the #!(*&^ contractor had one lane shut down starting at the Trout Creek bridge including the Al Tahoe interchange for no reason. The nearest work was being done across from Rojo’s. That was just a couple of men looking at a bush they planted the day before.
It’s obvious that this particular type of ‘construction’ is designed specifically to disrupt and destroy any of the local small business’ on HWY50
I have two comments. The past few years snow was not an issue effecting the start of the project. Yet it seems no work is started before June. This work should be started by April 1st and take a break for the weather. During normal weather conditions any snow falling after April 1st is usually gone in a day or so.
For some reason street lights are not included in this project, yet the infrastructure for the lights is. If it is incumbent on the City to pay for those lights they seem to have an amazing ability to find money when needed. The cost of the actual fixtures and installation is mice nuts compared to the underground infrastructure that is already included. Maybe they could skip their current legal fees and put the paid parking back that cost the taxpayers a $1m dollars to get out of the contract.
When the city is sued for lack of lighting- then they will respond. Someone may have to lose their life first… but they WILL respond eventually.
Until the City can straighten out its own deficient street maintenance, it should withhold its criticism, and be appreciative, of Caltrans’ significant and costly, permanent improvements on Highway 50. Thank you Caltrans.
The city doesn’t back up traffic to Echo Summit for no reason.
I hate these Fnn sidewalks. If everyone thinks their so pretty maybe we should build them up Tallac. Why people want Tahoe to look like Sacramento is a mystery to me.
Stateline, Ski Run, El Dorado Beach, Pioneer Trail yes. Taking two more summers out of my life so homeless have better access to sleep under the Trout Creek bridge is unbelievable.
As to the green BS think about the carbon foot print created to produce, install, transport and maintain a yard of concrete. Not to mention keeping tens of thousands of cars idling for years.
Wow, so many well informed, on topic, reasonable critical comments! I am sure this is just the start of a dialogue that will educate the public and inform the decision making process!
Who knew the Irish made such good coffee!? BEST MORNING EVUURRRR!
Can the plan for future lights include 1000 million yards of XMas lights! If not, I am writing another comment later.
This project is long overdue and will be great once it is completed. The city should find the money to install lighting at the same time and take the financial hit now, it will only be more expensive later.
Pay the contractor a substantial bonus for each month the project is completed ahead of schedule. The faster it is completed, the bigger the bonus.
About time on the sidewalks! Who cares about the lights, just more visual night pollution. Sunriser2 has some very short sighted opinions here as usual. Those ‘fnn’ sidewalks are a relief to many people I know that commute by bike or feet to thier jobs. Eventually we will have a real bike corridor for tourists, and that will benefit those local businesses the all knowing Robinsmith is convinced are getting hosed. I’m so glad some of you do not have a voice, kids or contribute to this community in any way. Just keep typing miserable drivel from your empty soulless lives, it keeps the educated and engaged among us entertained!
Tahoebluewire: that’s hilarious coming from you. Talk about pot/kettle.
Blue…At least some know when they’re getting ‘hosed’.
H*** me once your fault…h*** me twice my own fault. Ever hear that one before? Some just like sucking it up.
If you’re going to be a ‘sucker’ be a quiet one.
So that education paid off with a job at the cable company. Must have been at the top of your class.