roads

The Fourth of July holiday period is upon us and signifies the busiest time of year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) asks residents and visitors to keep the following tips in mind to help everyone enjoy a safe and fun holiday.

To promote public safety, the annual alcohol ban will be in effect at the following locations:

· Nevada Beach on July 4, from 6 a.m. until midnight.

The epic clarity of Lake Tahoe was measured at an average of 59.7 feet in 2017, a 9.5 foot drop from the previous year and 10.3 feet lower than the five-year average according to the annual report compiled by the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

This measurement surpasses the previous lowest level of 64.1 feet which was recorded in 1997, but far below the record high of over 100 feet in the mid-1960s.

The following is the Caltrans schedule for Lake Tahoe basin roads this week.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 49 (El Dorado County): Work continues on a $22 million project to replace the South Fork American River Bridge in Coloma-Lotus. This project will make seismic improvements to the new bridge, widen the structure to allow for 8-foot shoulders and 6-foot sidewalks, and also make roadway improvements to State Route 49 on either side of the bridge. Completion is expected in mid-August. No traffic-interfering work is scheduled on the highway.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin the sale of personal use fuelwood permits at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in South Lake Tahoe on Monday, June 4, 2018, and at the Incline Village Forest Service office on Wednesday, June 6. Permits cost $20 per cord, with a two-cord minimum purchase and a limit of 10 cords per household.

Permits have specific conditions and complete information is provided when the permit is issued. Maps to designated cutting areas are provided and must be in the permit holder’s possession along with the valid permit when cutting.

Being ready to enjoy summer on your bike doesn’t only mean getting or being fit, it includes having your bike fit. With temperatures warming up, this is the perfect opportunity to get your bicycle ready for the season! Anyone who enjoys riding should have their bike fitted. At Barton Health, bike fitting is geared towards clients who road bike, mountain bike, or compete in triathlons – all with the goal of optimizing body position to maximize performance, based on the rider’s recreational or competitive goals and history of injury.

The Amgen Tour of California is just a week away, and since both the women's and men's races come through South Lake Tahoe this year, many cyclists can be seen training on area roads.

On Wednesday, four members of the United Heath Care (UNC) cycling team joined local comedian and radio personality Howie Nave on a bike ride to Round Hill Pines.

Howie participates in the annual America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe, so he can ride, and the ladies of Amgen today treated him kindly on the roads, not leaving him in the dust as he joked about.

There are several reasons, as well as ideas for a solution, surrounding the traffic jams in Meyers that occur on many Sundays and holidays as vehicles leave the South Lake Tahoe area.

El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel held another town hall meeting about traffic with almost 30 people at the Lake Tahoe Environmental Magnet School this week. She brought along El Dorado County transportation staff and was joined by the California Highway Patrol.

Repair work to build a new retaining wall along a section of State Highway 89 in Emerald Bay is set to resume next week.

The retaining wall is being built near the Eagle Point Campground and work should be completed by the end of May. The northbound lane of the highway is closed and reversing one-way traffic is being controlled by automated signals.

A new concrete barrier near Eagle Falls was completed as part of the $4.4 million project last fall.

There is a very warm, wet storm heading to Lake Tahoe, the Sierra and western Nevada, bringing with is gusty winds and significant rains beginning Friday and continuing through Saturday. There is a flood watch in effect from Friday, April 6, 05:00 p.m. until Sunday, April 8 at 5:00 a.m. The main concern is the potential for flooding along creeks, streams, rivers and in urban areas.

Snow levels may rise as high as 11000 feet, keeping the bulk of the precipitation in the form of rain. Rainfall totals between 2 to 4 inches are expected along the

A new website was launched today by El Dorado County that lists all current, completed and scheduled road work projects.

Of the 100 projects listed, 58 are maintenance projects, 28 are storm damage projects, and 14 are capital improvement projects. These projects collectively
account for nearly $100 million in cost to complete.

Earth Day at Lake Tahoe has a special meaning. Working together through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, more than 50 local, state, federal, nonprofit, and private sector partners are implementing projects and programs to conserve the Tahoe Basin’s environment and fix past environmental harms.

Road controls are still up on Lake Tahoe roads as the two day storm that dropped 45" of snow at Heavenly moves to the east. There is a chance of scattered snow showers in South Lake Tahoe with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 31. Winds will be from the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Tonight, isolated snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunny and 36 on Sunday!

March 16 3:00 PM update: Washoe County has issued a Stage 2 Avalanche Alert for the Crystal Bay and Third Creek area. Stage 2 Avalanche Alert Action: In a Stage 2 Avalanche alert, if you choose to evacuate, please do so now or within the next 2-4 hours.

The next and final alert is a Stage 3 Avalanche Alert.

Stage 3 Avalanche Alert Action: A Stage 3 Avalanche alert signifies a shelter-in-place alert and a warning to NOT leave your home for up to 24 hours.

While the public makes plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) and other law enforcement agencies are preparing to keep the roadways free of impaired drivers so that everyone can safely enjoy the festivities.

SLTPD is adding two patrols on Saturday to watch for drunk drivers on local roads, and CHP officers will be doing to the same.

If you drive through Meyers on a Sunday you've most likely come across gridlock traffic through the neighborhoods as vehicles trying to head west after their South Lake Tahoe weekend look for the quickest route, courtesy of smart phone apps.

El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel held a Town Hall meeting on February 28, providing a forum for residents, law enforcement and staff to discuss solutions. One suggestion that came out of that meeting was put into place on Sunday, March 4 and was fairly successful.

The trip to Lake Tahoe on Highway 50 and Interstate 80 Friday was not a pleasant experience for most drivers. Multiple accidents, road closures and heavy snow greeted them throughout the day and night. A winter storm warning is in effect for South Lake Tahoe until 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

It is a cold start to the morning Saturday with 13 degrees at 8:00 a.m. The forecast high for the day is 27. Expect snow showers after 5:00 p.m. with scattered snow showers during the day with an additional 1-3" possible, and another 1-3" possible overnight. Winds 5-10 mph.

If you don't need to go out on the roads around Lake Tahoe today you may want to consider staying home and keeping dry.

With over a foot of new snow Friday morning, crews are working to clear the roadways and area highways have been closed a few times due to collisions, heavy snow and avalanche controls.

A look at roads in the Sierra as of 10:30 a.m.:

Liberty Utilities is reminding customers to be prepared for possible extended power outages due to incoming winter storms.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning and avalanche watch starting Thursday morning for the Sierra and Lake Tahoe areas citing that this weather pattern could be the biggest snowstorm of the season.

”Although we prepare for extreme weather impacts to our electric system, we remind customers that power outages may occur and we encourage them to be prepared,” said Travis Johnson, Liberty Utilities’ VP of Electric Operations.

An active weather pattern is expected for the upcoming week as two storm systems affect the Sierra and western Nevada.

A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday, February 26. Snow is expected with total accumulations of 6 - 12 inches expected in the Lake Tahoe area.

Up to a foot of snow fell in the upper elevations of Lake Tahoe during Thursday's storm, with several inches at lake level. As of 9:00 a.m. Friday, controls remain on mountain roads including Highway 50, I-80, SR-88, SR-89, SR-207, SR-431 and SR-28.

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

Below average temperatures will dominate through at least next week as low pressure remains over the West. A weak system Saturday will bring breezy conditions along with a few snow showers, generally north of Interstate 80. Another stronger system is possible Monday into Tuesday

North Upper Truckee and Sawmill Road have become parking lots Monday afternoon, reminiscent of 2017's problems of ill-equipped vehicles on snow covered back roads.

The California Highway Patrol and El Dorado County Sheriff's Office have spent Monday responding to several calls in the Meyers area of cars stuck on side roads as they attempt to circumvent the backlog of traffic on Highway 50.

Along with those issues there have been several accidents and as of 3:30 p.m, State Route 88 may have to close due to a crash

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is looking ahead to the summer road construction season by accepting applications for paid summer internships through Feb. 28.

The internships provide on-the-job training in civil and environmental engineering, including roadway and bridge design, construction, hydraulics, materials, as well as traffic engineering, environmental stewardship and highway project administration, maintenance and storm water management.

The internships take place May through August 2018 and pay up to $18 per hour, depending on education and experience.

Damage to natural resources was recently discovered in South Lake Tahoe after an unknown person, or persons, was found to have driven on a meadow near Heavenly Creek off Pioneer Trail.

USFS is reminding everyone that it is against the law to cause resource damage, punishable by a fine of $5,000 or more, and/or six month in jail. They are also reminding drivers that they must stay on designated roads only.

The Forest Service employees will continue to monitor areas throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin for compliance in order to protect all natural resources.

The snow is falling, and the ski season is about to hit high gear heading toward the big Presidents Day weekend. Will Tahoe roads be ready to handle the traffic?

Probably not. The surge of traffic on Friday nights and Saturday mornings is intense, notably on Highway 89, the only route to Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski areas. Highway 89 was a parking lot at times last year, as were some Truckee streets.