City, County, State and law enforcement officials meet to discuss Tahoe traffic jams

Sunday traffic heading west from South Lake Tahoe has been a major problem from the city to Meyers all winter long. Last week, on March 5, there were reports of travel time on the 9.3 mile route along Highway 50 from Stateline to Meyers taking eight hours, and from the Y to Meyers, four hours for the 4.3 mile trip.

Local travel was halted just as its been each Sunday as large numbers of visitors head back home after a weekend of epic skiing. The normal side streets and back ways that locals use to move around from home to work or shopping were also clogged as travel apps are now available that lead drivers off the highway onto formerly "secret" streets.

Couple the record number of vehicles with heavy snow, and you have a mess.

Summer traffic can also be heavy, a reason the City of South Lake Tahoe worked with Caltrans to get the three message boards installed in town to inform drivers of travel times to Placerville and Sacramento. These message boards are also on the Caltrans website, quickmaps. It was hoped people would see the travel times and stay in town and enjoy themselves and not head out the minute they check out of their lodging property.

El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel and law enforcement recently held a community meeting with residents to discuss the traffic issues and share ideas.

Officials from the City of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, Caltrans, SLT Police, El Dorado County Sheriff, SLT Fire Rescue, Lake Valley Fire and California Highway Patrol met on Thursday to discuss solutions.

The following ideas were developed and agreed to during the meeting according to City Manager Nancy Kerry:

1) The City is going to launch a ‘text alert’ system to allow people to “opt in” for text alerts on traffic (we’ve already begun this idea, hope to sign the contract today and get the number and info out asap, we’re pushing for the weekend)
a. The goal of the “text alert” is to let people know the travel times between Y and Meyers or Stateline and Meyers etc., in the hopes travelers who know it’s 6 hours to travel 5 miles might make a different decision and get out of line and leave another time (the ‘text alert’ will operate like many businesses have where you can opt-in and opt-out at any time).
b. Caltrans will send the traffic times to the City who will then push the info out through the alert or another automated method. The City is offering to help move the word out.
c. Everyone (CHP, City, CT, ECD, City PD,Fire, LVFD,) will be sharing, tweeting and pushing the same info to get the word out to everyone .
d. People (locals/visitors) will be encouraged to use the information to avoid the traffic, stay and play another day, leave earlier or later or alternate days and times.
e. Media will help to get the information out.
f. Once a text number is obtain, users will text the word TahoeRoads to that number.

2) TahoeRoads.com – a site owned by Caltrans has old info and project based information. The gathered group asked to see if they can put updates on this site, and perhaps using it as the main communication center for road info. "The hope is it will display a 'ticker tape' of traffic times just like the message boards so people can get those times on the site as well as via alert." said Kerry.

3) Caltrans Traffic signs – Caltrans agreed to put travel times back up on their sign at the Y, and keep chains and other road info on the other two (In Meyers and Stateline). During the summer, or times without chain controls, Caltrans will keep travel times on the boards (something that hasn't been consistent since their installation).

4) City will post electronic signs on Highway 50 to alert drivers to the “text for traffic alert” info and encourage “no alt routes through neighborhoods.”

5) They are going to continue to encourage lodging (Hotel, Motel and VHR) owners and managers to educate visitors to Opt Into the “text alert” system and stay informed before getting on the road.

6) They asked Caltrans to try some new ideas about chain control and not just have the one pull out in Meyers and perhaps having a second one west of the 50/89 intersection (but not in downtown). Caltrans agreed to evaluate how it could work. "Our suggestion was to 'just try it,' we need to be creative and try some new methods to see if it can get the traffic moving better," said Kerry.

7) Sue Novasel is bringing a Chain Control Ordinance amendment to a Board of Supervisor's meeting at the end of March. Adoption of this ordinance will allow law enforcement to cite and stop all people in neighborhoods without chains which has been a major issue this winter. The County will need time to plan for signage and adjust their budget for the cost of the signs.

8) Many locals have asked for barriers to keep non-locals out of neighborhoods but the law will not allow for that. The El Dorado County ordinance will help during winter as it relates to chains. Also, the “traffic alert” text to explain “no alt routes through neighborhoods” will be utilized and see if that helps as well.