Trip to Green project implemented on US-50 through Placerville - no red lights on highway on selected dates

This weekend is the launch of a new program in Placerville along US-50, Trip to Green. As any traveler knows, traffic can get backed up in Placerville and in an effort to alleviate it, Trip to Green was created. For three weekends this fall, traffic signals on both eastbound and westbound US 50 through the City of Placerville will be set to stay green so that traffic may flow freely.

To ensure safe travel, northbound and southbound movements across US 50 at Canal Street, Spring Street (Hwy 49), and Bedford Avenue will be closed to public traffic, allowing emergency vehicle access only. Right-in and right-out access will remain available at Spring Street, Center Street, and Bedford Avenue. Detours will be available and information is provided below for local traffic wishing to travel outside of US 50.

Year-round traffic, increased tourism, agritourism (Apple Hill, wineries), outdoor recreation, and non-traditional traffic to Lake Tahoe prompted officials to take a look at alleviating the backup. Seasons used to determine through-traffic backlogs, but a change to year-round visitation has brought with it year-round impacts.

When traffic backs up, it spills onto local roads that serve as parallel facilities, such as Broadway, Main Street, Airport Road, Pacific Street, and other local roads, which makes it even harder for locals to get around. Businesses are also finding that travelers are not stopping once they get to town because of the travel delays they are already experiencing to get through the intersections.

Permanent improvements take time to plan, design, fund, and ultimately construct. Until long-term solutions are identified, funded, designed, and constructed El Dorado County, the City of Placerville, and Caltrans are looking to test near-term lower-cost solutions to relieve the congestion and improve the transportation network in and around Placerville. The Trip to Green project is intended to be a low-cost simulation of whether and how potential infrastructure improvements could improve traffic flow through Placerville.

Just as with traffic through Meyers on "get out of town" travel days, solutions needed to be explored to make traffic of the 2020s to match roads of the 1950s (and before).

Dates of Closures

Traffic signal closures will be taking place on three weekends during the fall of 2022:

August 6 & 7 - from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. each day
September 3, 4 & 5 - from 8 a.m. - to 8 p.m. each day
October 1 & 2 - from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. each day

Download Trip to Green Informational Flyer - https://www.edctc.org/trip-to-green.

Detour Maps and Routes
Signage will be placed along each detour route.
Click here to see the US 50 Corridor Action Plan interactive detour map.

Right-in/Right-out Access and US 50 Crossings

For more information: https://www.cityofplacerville.org/events/70750/.