Much focus turning to Highway 50
Major changes are in store for Highway 50 in the coming months from Echo Summit to the Stateline area.
Among them, the groundbreaking is scheduled for April 26 on the first phase of the long-awaited Highway 50 project that for over a decade has called for curbs, gutters, sidewalks, landscaping, street lighting and a 6-foot wide bike lane alongside the major thoroughfare from Trout Creek to Ski Run Boulevard. The first phase alone is estimated at more than $48 million, with the city of South Lake Tahoe pledging $1 million.
The groundbreaking will likely beat the start of the highly anticipated work on the retaining wall at Echo Summit that’s considered so extensive it will shut down traffic through the major entry into Lake Tahoe for two weeks. The $1.9 million project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Weather permitting, the work is scheduled to begin the first week of May and may continue into the Amgen bike race, the California Department of Transportation announced this week. First, the contractor must make a “cast” of the existing, splintered wall. Echo Summit is not on the route, but tourism officials want to make it easy for thousands of visitors expected to arrive for one of the largest anticipated events going into peak season. The Amgen Tour is slated for May 15-22.
Despite other reports to the contrary, Caltrans contends it never provided a definitive date of the work start date, so it is “not delayed.”
“There has never been a definitive date. The earliest start was always the first week of May. It’s all driven by the weather,” Caltrans spokewoman Carol Herman said.
To assist in navigating the multitude of state roadwork planned over late spring into summer, Caltrans has created a brochure and a website highlighting an alternative route to circumvent the Echo Summit closure. The route from South Lake Tahoe covers Highway 50, 89 over Luther Pass to Highway 88 to Jackson. North of there, a motorist may take Highway 49 north to Placerville or Highway 16 through the Gold Country.
As for work closer to the Nevada state line, the City Council unanimously approved this week to mount safety signs directing pedestrians to avoid walking alongside Highway 50 next to the defunct Chateau at Heavenly redevelopment site, also known for years as the convention center project. Caltrans has diverted liability of the property issue with the city.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
CalTrans may think they diverted liabilty but believe me – if there is an accident they’ll be the first one’s brought into a lawsuit.
At the meeting I attended concerning the road closure we were told by a CalTrans rep that there is an underlying reason to not advertise Johnson Pass Road or Iron Mountain road as alternitive routes. When I asked them for a specific reason I, and others present, were told that if CalTrans advertised those roads they would be responsible for snow removal, maintenance and repair of those roads and they do not want to do that. Those roads will be opened and used when the snow melts but will not be advertised. Sierra at Tahoe has offered to plow the roads at their cost and you can bet every swinging plow truck will be up there helping. Bottom line is $$$ with CalTrans and maintenance. You can also take large trucks on it as I have done in the past. I have taken my dump truck and trailer up there with no problem.
If curbs, gutters, sidewalks, landscaping, street lighting and a 6-foot wide bike lane are actually put in, that would be so uplifting :)
We’ll play it day by day and hope to go up/down Johnson’s Pass Road, if made available. Getting to our cabin near Strawberry would be quite a hike via Placerville!