Safety along Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe analyzed

Highway 50 through South Lake Tahoe serves a lot of functions, from a local road for commuters both on bicycles and in cars, to a major highway to transport visitors through the city.

Not only is it the most traveled road in the area, there are numerous complexities in this Highway 50 corridor have created new challenges and needs for the South Lake Tahoe community, which has about 23,000 full-time local residents. These complexities include fluctuating seasonal traffic volumes that can swell to as high as approximately 30,000 AADT in some areas during times of peak visitation, varied land uses and highway access points, and increasing pedestrian and bicycle demand with missing connectivity in some areas. An estimated 10 million vehicles enter the Lake Tahoe Region each year.

In 2017, multiple agencies requested a pedestrian and bicycle road safety audit (RSA) including representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, California Highway Patrol (CHP), Caltrans, City of South Lake Tahoe (public works, police), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), and Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). The team also met with advocacy groups, including the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, South Shore Transportation Management Association, and the Community Mobility Group.

The goals for the RSA were to reflect the following during discussions, field reviews, and as recommendations and solutions:
- Balance need for pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access with need for vehicular movements
- Assess value and need for speed management strategies
- Coordinate and leverage current and planned projects on U.S. Highway 50
- Enhance pedestrian and bicyclist crossings through implementation of proven strategies and countermeasures
- Enhance bicycle safety along highway
- Balance recommendations with maintenance needs

The team conducted the RSA July 25 to July 27, 2017 and it included field observations both during the day and night.

The results of that report have now been made public. Since the three-year Highway 50 project from the Y to Trout Creek has just completed its first season the team wants to take advantage of upcoming roadwork and some immediate next steps were suggested:

1. Caltrans, City of South Lake Tahoe, CHP, TRPA, and TTD decision makers should convene a meeting to discuss the RSA recommendations most relevant for consideration of a contract change order, including but not limited to bike lane markings, crosswalk markings, intersection lighting for pedestrians, bus stop pull out design, and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists during construction.

2. Initiate engineering studies for mid-block crossings (Grocery Outlet and Whiskey Dicks) where safety issues have been documented.

3. Develop a speed management plan in advance of the speed study that will take place after project completion. The plan should use the best practice of designing for “target speeds” and use inputs that are representative of the users and context of the roadway.

4. The city should develop an agreement with Caltrans about developing a memorandum of understanding for maintenance procedures and operations of pavement marking, snow plowing, sweeping, etc. that are mutually agreeable for both agencies and in the best interest of the traveling public.

5. City staff and police should work with TRPA, the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, and CHP to launch an education and enforcement campaign in spring 2018. The campaign should include bicycle safety advertisements and enforcement around helmet use, riding with traffic, and nighttime visibility and should aim to reach businesses and the South Lake Tahoe community including Spanish speaking residents and visitors.

6. Participate in the active “Lake Tahoe Safety Plan” to implement recommendations to improve safety data for the Region.

“This audit was important because of the efforts of the team, which are experts in transportation and documenting safety concerns on Highway 50. During a three day, day and evening intensive analysis of Highway 50, we were able to validate our concerns and develop a consensus for solutions,” said City of South Lake Tahoe Public Works Director Ray Jarvis.

In 2018, the Highway 50 project will continue between Winnemucca and Lodi Streets, and then in 2019, it continues from Lodi to Trout Creek. The 2018 plan includes a stop light to be installed at Lodi, bus pull outs and wider bike lanes.

Read the complete report: http://www.cityofslt.us/DocumentCenter/View/9432