Basin's only asphalt company, Tahoe Asphalt, to undergo major renovations

In operation in South Lake Tahoe since 1964, Tahoe Asphalt Inc. will replace their aging equipment this fall, some as old 63-years-old.

The batch plant, the only one of its kind in the Lake Tahoe Basin, was recently granted approval for their renovations by the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission after a series of public meetings. Located on Industrial Avenue, it predates most buildings west of the "Y", but a few neighbors were concerned about the plant and what it does to the environment.

Those concerns were addressed, and being one the most heavily regulated industries, Tahoe Asphalt exceeds the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Renovations will make the plant more efficient according to General Manager Dale Linkous.

"The old silos and two-ton batch plant will be replaced with equipment from one of the most highly rated firms in Sacramento," Linkous said during a recent tour of the facilities.

Being the only such company in the Lake Tahoe basin, Tahoe Asphalt works with several governmental agencies as well as local paving contractors. And because they're on the South Shore, this reduces truck trips off the hill to carry road debris and trips in carrying asphalt needed for paving projects.

Caltrans, City of South Lake Tahoe, South Tahoe Public Utility District, El Dorado County, Douglas County, Alpine County and general improvement districts all utilize the plant.

The efficient company recycles 99.9% of the debris that comes in, a lot of it from major basin projects. 40 percent of the fill taken out of the South Lake Tahoe redevelopment area was brought into the plant, as are all pieces of roads that are torn up and building debris from old foundations. When you see large trucks along highway projects being filled with dirt and old pavement, their contents are taken to companies like Tahoe Asphalt. When one sees the same on local projects, it all goes to Tahoe Asphalt.

The plant will break it down and reuse. South Tahoe Refuse also brings in the construction debris dumped at their facility, thus keeping costs down for consumers. The dumped cement and old asphalt is crushed and created into the base for the next project.

As one would imagine, dust is expected around the plant. Tahoe Asphalt uses about 10,000 gallons of recycled water to spray down the dirt on a daily basis during their operations which run during building seasons only, April to October. They have two street sweepers which go up and down Industrial Avenue daily to trap any dust that escapes or comes off trucks.

In the aging batch plant, and in the one that will be installed this fall, asphalt oil is mixed into the size of aggregate requested by the customer.

"It's like a general store," said Linkous. "The customer picks from several mix designs. One type of product is specific to Caltrans, and contractors like different things."

Fine dust that comes off the batches is mixed with water and dumped into a pond on site.

The 12.5 acre facility backs up to a hill, and is a next-door neighbor to Tahoe Sand & Gravel.

Linkous said once the building season is over they'll dismantle to old equipment and get the new items up. He expects it to take a month.