LT Basin’s master bike plan ready to be written
Post-it notes with comments about bike trails in Lake Tahoe.
By Kathryn Reed
Handwritten comments filled most of the 19 boards scattered about the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center on Oct. 19.
Suggestions ranged from the desire to complete the North Upper Truckee bike route, to leaving non-paved routes in and around Fallen Leaf Lake, to creating an adopt-a-bike plan, to suggestions where to add bike racks.
The six-hour open house gave residents of the South Shore an opportunity to comment on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Bike-Pedestrian Master Plan that is being revised in conjunction with the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Dan and Chrissy Robertson who live on Kingsbury Grade are frustrated by having to get in their vehicle to be able to ride with their children.
“You can’t ride or walk here,†Chrissy Robertson said. “We are interested in paved and dirt trails.â€
Dan Robertson said bike trails are quality of life and economic issues. The couple pointed to other resort areas providing a network of trails that connect locals and visitors to various points of interest.
Shay Navarro said her daily bike commute from the Sierra Tract area of South Lake Tahoe toward Stateline is haphazard.
She pointed to the map that shows the disconnect around the bike trail as it goes into the Al Tahoe neighborhood and then how crossing Highway 50 at Al Tahoe for cyclists is disjointed. It requires three crossings, instead of one, just like the intersection at Ski Run Boulevard.
Dan Robertson said it would be nice to see South Lake Tahoe City Council members and Douglas County commissioners at some of these meetings.
Karen Fink, TRPA transportation planner, was happy to see new faces filter into the room and share their opinions.
She will collect the data from Monday and Thursday’s meeting, with the goal to have a draft of the update in place by January. The public will have 30 days to comment on it. Fink hopes to have all the necessary boards sign-off on it by April so implementation of the plan can begin.
Thursday’s gathering is also an open house, so people can show up as time allows. It is in the Tahoe City PUD Administrative Board Room, 221 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City, from 2:30-8:30pm.
