By Paula Peterson
No matter which alternative is chosen to address the aging Echo Summit bridge, there will be an impact to South Lake Tahoe.
The 76-year old portion of Highway 50 over Echo Summit that is being considered for either replacement or rehabilitation is actually three spans of a bridge, much of which is cracking, spalling or rusting.
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, CalTrans officials made a presentation on the project which is being called, for a lack of a better name, The Echo Summit Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Project.
As we told readers on Monday, there are six alternatives to the project including the following: Replace the whole bridge in 200-230 days over two building seasons under one-way traffic during eight hour shifts. Another alternative will replace the whole bridge in 160-190 days over two building seasons with one way traffic during ten hour shifts. While one alternative is to do nothing, one calls for full road closure for 20-50 days and 90-120 days of one-way traffic over one building season.
The CalTrans preferred alternative route to South Lake Tahoe will be advertised as Highway 88 through Jackson. Locals and other drivers familiar with driving in the High Sierra will be able to use Mormon Immigrant Trail near Sly Park and Johnson Pass Road by Echo Lake to get around the construction. Neither one of those roads can accommodate trucks or other large vehicles.
All of those choices will impact the South Shore in one way or another. Because of that, Cal Trans will be reaching out to the public during meetings meant to exchange information, the first of which is on February 26, 2015 at the City Council Chambers from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. They are asking for public comment regarding the anticipated impacts and studies.