Small turnout for Caltrans forum on Echo Summit Bridge project

Just over a dozen members of the community turned out for Thursday night's meeting about the pending Caltrans project that with either replace or restore the bridge over Echo Summit.

The Echo Summit Bridge Replacement/Rehabilitation Project was created because of cracks, rusting reinforcing steel and concrete spalling on the existing bridge which was built in 1939.

The meeting was an opportunity for the public to ask questions of the six Caltrans staff members present. This was the first of at least two meetings planned in South Lake Tahoe. The next one will probably be in the fall according to their Press Information Officer Steve Nelson.

During February 17th's City Council meeting, Caltrans staff gave a presentation outlaying the alternative plans for either restoring or replacing the bridge.

No matter which alternative is chosen to address the aging Echo Summit bridge, there will be an impact to South Lake Tahoe.

When the side walls of Highway 50 over the summit were replaced two years ago, the estimated economic impact on the South Shore community was several million dollars. The South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce conducted a phone survey recently, contacting two hundred businesses to ask them about their thoughts on the pending Echo Summit project and how they were impacted during the prior construction project.

The six alternatives to the project include the following: Replace with 30.75 foot wide bridge in 200-230 days over two building seasons under one-way traffic during eight hour shifts. Another alternative will replace the whole bridge with a 30.75 foot wide one 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 to replace bridge with a 26 foot wide one with full road closure for 60-90 days and 10-30 days of one-way traffic over one building season.

There were several questions from those in attendence Thursday concerning the alternative route. Caltrans is planning on the advertised alternative route to be through Jackson, CA and up Hwy 88 which adds on about 1.5 hours of travel time to South Lake Tahoe. Johnson Pass road is just one lane and not appropriate for much added traffic though Immigrant Trail/Iron Mountain Road can handle cars and trucks. Caltrans may not be able to make that the alternative route because it is a Forest Service road and they don't have jurisdiction.

Some questions heard in town were also voiced at the meeting. When the walls were replaced, why wasn't the bridge done then? Since projects for Caltrans are identified years ahead of actual construction, when the wall project was completed the faulty bridge hadn't yet been identified.

For more information, view the presentation or visit the project's website.