SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The long-awaited $35.9 million South Lake Tahoe Safety Project will begin this spring and will add several mid-block crosswalks with flashing lights, a new traffic light, and other safety features including new bike lanes. All of the work is planned for 2025 along US50/Lake Tahoe Blvd. from the Y to Pioneer Trail, starting in April, weather permitting.

Over previous construction seasons, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) installed the underground infrastructure for the project.

The purpose of the proposed project is to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety between the US 50/State Route 89 “Y” intersection and Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe.

Caltrans found a need to implement the project with input from the City of South Lake Tahoe for several reasons. The new lighting and green bike lanes are planned to reduce the number of fatalities and severe injuries from bicycle collisions along this stretch of the US 50 corridor. Most of the bicycle collisions occurred at night, and the project provides corrective action to address bicyclist-involved collisions.

The mid-block crosswalks with lighted beacons will be installed where many pedestrians cross the five-lane highway. They will be placed at the following areas:

  • New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 at South Tahoe Middle School with pedestrian hybrid beacon
  • New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 between Herbert Ave and Ski Run Blvd with pedestrian hybrid beacon (near Whole Foods)
  •  New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 between Winnemucca Ave. and River Dr. (near Grocery Outlet)

The intersection of Johnson Boulevard and US 50 in front of Safeway will be signalized and the roadway will be restriped. This brings a third stop light in a short distance, but there are many crashes in the area, along with fatalities.

Also in the project area for 2025:

  • New City of South Lake Tahoe decorative lighting throughout the project, from the Y to Pioneer Trail (wherever that decorative lighting does not already exist)
  • Updated green-marked bike lanes from the Y (SR89) to Pioneer Trail
  • Upgraded vehicle detection at the Tahoe Y signal

This project was programmed in the 2018 State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) and funded through the 20.XX.201.010 – Safety Improvement Program.

The next big Caltrans project in South Lake Tahoe will be a road improvement project over 12.5 lane miles of existing pavement on Highway 50 from the Trout Creek bridge to the Nevada state line. It will be ground, paved, and restriped along with the replacement or rehabilitation of 29 culverts. It will also add one Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV), one Variable Message Sign (VMS), and a census station that consists of one CCTV and four Microwave Vehicle Detection Systems. The project will replace 65 existing nonstandard curb ramps with new curb ramps and upgrade sidewalks to comply with current ADA standards. This project is slated for Spring 2027.