Study completed for proposed roundabout in Meyers at Hwy 50/89

A proposed 3-legged roundabout in Meyers at the intersection of Highway 89 and Highway 50 will not significantly affect the quality of the environment according to a report just released.

The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is proposing the intersection improvements due to safety concerns for both cyclists and drivers. The purpose is to influence traffic calming with the implementation of a roundabout, something transportation officials say is needed because the intersection is experiencing a number of collisions related to the intersection type.

At this intersection there were 16 accidents on the Highway 50 side, and four accidents on the Highway 89 side from 2008 to 2013. There were no fatalities in those accidents.

The project manager for the intersection said construction on the roundabout will start in September, 2018, and be completed at the latest by March 2020. From 2019 to 2020, Echo Summit will be closed at times to replace the aging and deteriorating bridges though the exact timeline has not been determined pending approval of a contractor. Steve Nelson of Caltrans said the projects will overlap to reduce the impact on drivers and the community.

Some of the major elements of the three-legged roundabout include:
 An Inscribed Circle Diameter of 135 feet
 A single lane for all three legs, plus a bypass lane for the westbound US 50 traffic
 The three legs will have Chicanes; the purpose of a Chicane is to narrow and
curve the roadway slightly to slow traffic speeds
 A 15 foot wide truck apron and a 19 foot wide travel lane.
 The barrier between the roundabout and the bypass lane will be a maximum of
15 feet; just north of the bypass lane the shoulder will be approximately eight feet
 A Pedestrian/bicycle path connecting to the existing Class 1 shared-use trail (Pat Lowe Memorial Bike Trail) and a proposed Class 1 shared-use trail in the east
bound direction of US 50

Aesthetic elements will be included in the project design. The areas within the splitter islands and separation between the circulatory roadway and the bypass lane will be hardscape with a colored and stamped asphalt concrete or a similar material. The truck apron will consist of colored and stamped concrete or similar material which will be different from, but complementary to, the textured pavement in the splitter islands and bypass lane. The central island will be contour graded with an ultimate height of approximately six feet above the circularity roadway. The island will be landscaped with a mixture of native trees, shrubs, and grasses found within the immediate project vicinity. Additionally, inert materials and groundcovers within the roundabout will include a mixture of boulders, river cobbles, and wood mulch. The project will not impact the existing large pine tree southwest of the existing intersection and is to remain. Additional overhead lighting will be added to the existing lighting at the intersection.

Also, the existing changeable message sign and accompanying equipment in the
westbound direction of US 50 will be relocated due to the construction of the proposed roundabout bypass lane. In addition, the existing wood fencing will be relocated and reconstructed to provide room for the roundabout.

The Initial Study/Proposed Negative Declaration is the Draft Environmental Document for the project in which Caltrans has studied the effects the project may have on the environment. The document can be viewed HERE, and the public has until November 5, 2016 to review and make comments. Submit your written comments to Maggie Ritter at Caltrans, Office of Environmental Management. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to maggie.ritter@dot.ca.gov. For those that can't view it online, it is available at the library at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd in South Lake Tahoe.

Legend: In the map shown in the story, the purple line is the bike path that goes through the splitter island, the black line is an island, the outside light blue line is the barrier of the westbound line.

- South Tahoe Now staff report