Illegal parking on Lake Tahoe highways continue to create safety hazards

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many head to the Sierra to experience snow in all forms, from the ski slopes to sledding and building snowmen. Even during the pandemic and current "Stay-at-Home" orders in California, area roads were full this past holiday weekend with those seeking play time in the snow.

Each year, law enforcement has to deal with those who seem to have forgotten the laws of being safe on the roadway and parking on the highways, and not observing "no parking" zone rules.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) from South Lake Tahoe and Placerville were kept busy on US50 at the common hot spots of Echo Summit, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Camp Sacramento, and the stretch from Strawberry to Twin Bridges. Numerous cars were parked all day long in areas were parking is not allowed. They are ticketed, and once one car leaves another is there to take its place.

"If one car is parked, the others follow a previous person's behavior," said CHP South Lake Tahoe Officer Ruth Loehr. "People don't like to read or adhere signs."

She said they also park over the solid white lines, creating an unsafe situation for both drivers and pedestrians.

With COVID-19 protocols in place at Sierra-at-Tahoe, many drivers were getting caught by surprise with parking lots at capacity when they arrive, leading to a mass traffic jam along US50 and the resort's entrance. Loehr said drivers were just in the road waiting for a spot to open up even though the parking lots are about two miles up the hill. There is no parking along the highway at this spot, or not enough space to park, yet many attempted to park and hike in.

"It is not acceptable to park and wait for someone to leave," said Loehr.

She explained that other areas people are misusing are the Sno-Parks. Very few locations locally sell the passes and people need to purchase and print the pass online prior to arrival. If there is no pass on the car's dashboard people will be ticketed, whether bought on a phone upon arrival or not. CHP has no way to know if purchased online and rely solely on the requirement it must be on the dash.

It's not just tourists that misuse parking areas on the road, Loehr said, though locals tend to use areas further away from the crowds and near OHV areas in Hope Valley.

"Sometimes locals are the worst," said Loehr. "It is extremely frustrating and they should be setting a good example."

CHP in Placerville said its a constant issue when it snows and cars are parking in "no parking" areas. "We have to enforce daily," they said.

Many don't think of the hazard their illegal parking creates. Emergency vehicles don't always have the necessary room to pass, there is a safety issue for pedestrians, low sun this time of year and dirty car windows create limited visibility. Year after year pedestrians and vehicles are hit, said CHP.

"It is a traffic nightmare for westbound traffic at end of weekend, and eastbound too. It's a constant battle," explained CHP Placerville.

The parking tickets run from $32 to $40, depending on the situation. Even if a person sees an officer ticketing and they run back to their cars to drive off, they can still receive a ticket in the mail.

Besides ticketing, law enforcement can have vehicles towed. Then the driver needs to get transportation to the tow yard and face hundreds of dollars in fees.

The Nevada Highway Patrol had the same issues with parkers along SR28 in summer and the Nevada legislature created a new parking fine structure of a few hundred dollars for the Lake Tahoe area to help deter illegal parking and make it safer for everyone.

Other hotbeds for bad parking and illegal use of sleds:

SR89 near Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm
US50 at the Lake Tahoe Airport - the hill is private property and even if someone parks at the airport they are running across the highway where the speed limit is 55 mph to a hill that is off limits.
Top of Ski Run Boulevard - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to ten calls of sledders on the road on Sunday alone.
Van Sickle Bi-State Park - People sled down the closed access road and don't stop, landing in on Heavenly Village Way/Lake Parkway
Needle Peak Road - There is a sledding business on the corner of Ski Run and Needle Peak but many just decide to sled on the city street.

The same situation can be found on roads around the entire Lake Tahoe Basin, I80 and Mormon Immigrant Trail.