Work to begin next week on Highway 50 Project in South Lake Tahoe

Work is set to begin next week on reconstrucing a two-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe.

The $56 million Caltrans project from the “Y” intersection with State Highway 89 to the Trout Creek Bridge will build drainage systems to treat stormwater runoff as part of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), a multi-agency effort created to protect and improve the natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The project also will widen the roadway to provide 6-foot shoulders for bike lanes in both directions, replace traffic signals, rebuild curb, gutter and sidewalks, and improve the pavement cross slope.

Caltrans also is working with the City of South Lake Tahoe to incorporate signal and operational improvements at Sierra Boulevard.

Construction will start at the “Y” and work its way east to Trout Creek. The project is expected to be completed in 2019. The first phase this year will be from the “Y” to Winnemucca Avenue.

The construction contract was awarded to Security Paving Company, Inc. The contractor will be allowed to work around the clock Monday through Thursday and until 11 a.m. Friday before Memorial Day and after Labor Day and until 8 a.m. Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. At least one lane will be open to traffic in each direction at all times. No lane closures will be permitted on weekends or around major holidays.

Motorists may experience delays of up to 30 minutes traveling through the construction zone. Please “Be Work Zone Alert.”

Caltrans’ Tahoe Basin project website, TahoeRoads.com, has more information on all of the department’s projects in the Basin, weekly lookahead roadwork reports, and an Open for Business page. Project updates also will be posted to the TahoeRoad’s Facebook and Twitter pages as well as on SouthTahoeNow.com.