cal trans

Trees will need to be removed from the Emerald Fire area, and the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is asking for comments on a proposal to remove the hazardous trees and plant seedlings in that area.

“Restoration of the Emerald Fire area will help restore habitat for various wildlife species and provide benefits to the Lake Tahoe watershed,” said LTBMU Forest Supervisor, Jeff Marsolais. “The restoration effort will also provide visual benefits to residents and visitors and allow for a more fire resilient landscape.”

Caltrans is alerting motorists that Interstate 80 (I-80) will be closed in both directions from 11 p.m. Tuesday, January 31 to 1 a.m. Wednesday, February 1 at the following locations to allow the repair of power transmission lines damaged during the January 8 mudslide just west of the Donner Lake Interchange.

Westbound I-80 will be closed at Donner Park Road (Exit 184). Automobiles will be detoured onto Donner Pass Road and can rejoin I-80 at the Donner Lake Interchange. Trucks will be turned at Exit 184 and are encouraged to find parking in the Reno area during the closure.

Chain controls are up on area roads this morning after the passing of a small storm overnight.

As of 7:00 a.m. Tuesday:
Highway 50 over Echo Summit: Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel / all wheel drive vehicles with snow treaded tires on all wheels from Meyers to Twin Bridges.

3:15 p.m. update from Liberty Utilities: At this time, Liberty Utilities has restored power to most of their South Lake Tahoe customers who were affected by the Emerald Fire. Crews continue to coordinate with emergency responders to re-energize power lines deemed safe to do so given forecasted weather and fire danger.

While power has been restored in most of the evacuated areas, multiple downed power poles and lines in the Spring Creek area still pose a danger and service to that area may not be restored until as late as Tuesday, 10/18, depending up officials' assessment of conditions.

Starting Monday, September 12, State Route 89 will be closed during the daytime hours of 4:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for two weeks. The road will close just north of South Lake Tahoe from Cascade Creek Bridge to Bayview Campground and Inspiration Vista Point.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected by summer 2017.

People in South Lake Tahoe woke up to a covering of snow on the ground Thursday morning, and widely scattered light snow showers should continue until 11 p.m. tonight according to the National Weather Service.

There is a lake wind advisory in place for Lake Tahoe until 8:00 p.m. Thursday with winds from the southwest 15 to 25 mph, and gusts up to 40 mph. Waves on the lake will be 2 to 4 feet

Blue skies are already starting to appear around the lake this morning, but a few chain controls are in place:

Highway 50

The following is the ski, snowboard and weather report for Sunday, March 6, 2016 for South Lake Tahoe brought to you by Lake Tahoe SkiBum.

Winter Storm Warning until 3/7/16 10:00 a.m.

Wind and weather may be a factor today at area ski resorts.

Due to the unsafe intersection of Highway 50 and State Route 89, Caltrans is looking at safety improvements in the area to reduce collisions, and their severity. At this time, the preferred option for Caltrans is adding a roundabout at the intersection to improve conditions after a reported seven accidents at the intersection.

The estimated $3.1 million project is scheduled for construction in 2018-19. It is currently in the environmental phase, with the environmental document scheduled to be finalized in November 2016.

4:15 P.M. UPDATE: Road controls are back in place, along with closure of I-80 at the Nevada/California state line due to a 25-car pile-up.

Traffic on Highway 50 over Echo Summit is still slow moving with the back up for westbound travel backed up near the intersection of Hwy 50 and 89 at the Y.

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1:15 P.M. UPDATE: Many chain controls have been lifted throughout the Tahoe basin and passes. Check ahead at Caltrans Road Info.

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The following is the ski, snowboard and weather report for Saturday, January 30, 2016 for South Lake Tahoe brought to you by Lake Tahoe SkiBum.

Winter Storm Warning until 10:00 a.m.

Weather - South Lake Tahoe will have a high of 36 and a low tonight of 18. Today: Snow. High near 36. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Tonight: RSnow. Low around 18. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

The Caltrans Avalanche Team was at Echo Summit Monday for a routine test on their Gazex system which is in place on the mountain.

A message went out on twitter for those that follow @TahoeRoads, advising people of a loud bang that would happen. "if you hear a loud bang in a few minutes, it's not NYE again," the tweet said. "Caltrans testing avalanche control cannon off Hwy 50."

There is a video attached to this story that shows a demonstration on how this sytem works for avalanche control. The chambers of the Gazex remotely shoot compressed air into the snow.

Work on all Lake Tahoe basin projects is either suspended for the season or completed. Here is an update on all projects. There is still road work being done on a stretch of Highway 50 in El Dorado Hills:

The final portion of the Class 1 bike trail network between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe was formally opened Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Members of the El Dorado County project team were on hand along with current Area 5 Supervisor Sue Novasel and former Supervisor Norma Santiago. Partner agency staff were also there to celebrate the completion.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

When CalTrans unveiled the three new message board signs in South Lake Tahoe before the 4th of July weekend, many were appreciative of the head's up on travel times over Echo Summit.

The Kyburz Fire is burning about 25 miles west of South Lake Tahoe. It has burned both sides of Highway 50 near and around the American River. It started on Highway 50 near Whitehall.

10 a.m. update 7/27/15:

The Sand Flat Campground has reopened as firefighters can almost total control of the fire lines. They now have 98% of the fire contained.

An updated infrared look at the scene has again reduced the amount burned to 75 acres.

They will not be updating the fire command website after Tuesday as they transfer o a forest Type 4 organization.

Motorists who have traveled California's highways have noticed signs with travel times posted to them, alerting them with travel times to major destinations.

Just in time for the July 4th holiday weekend, South Lake Tahoe will be getting their own set that will alert drivers the time it will take them for destinations between South Lake Tahoe and Placerville.

Here is a list of road projects around the Lake Tahoe basin.

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County) from the junction with State Route 89 to 3rd Street in South Lake Tahoe: Eastbound motorists can expect alternating lane closures around the clock from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Friday for gas line relocation work.

Here is the Lake Tahoe area road report for the week of May 26-29, 2015:

State Route 89 (El Dorado/Placer County) from Wilson Avenue to Elm Street: Motorists can expect one-way traffic control from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon Friday for bump grinding. Motorists can also expect one-way traffic from McKinney Drive to Madden Creek around the clock from 8 p.m. Tuesday to noon Friday for roadway excavation.

While the summertime tourist to South Lake Tahoe should only be slightly affected, business owners along Highway 89 are worried about their livelihood with overnight road construction and blocked driveways.

During Thursday evening's Caltrans informational meeting at South Tahoe High, several owners of lodging properties, restaurants, sports and retail stores spoke about their concerns during the project which will last from mid-April to mid-October in 2015 and could even extend into the 2017 building season.

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

The 76-year old portion of Highway 50 over Echo Summit that is being considered for either replacement or rehabilitation is actually three spans of a bridge, much of which is cracking, spalling or rusting.

Cal Trans will make a presentation on replacing or rehabilitating an aging Echo Summit bridge during Tuesday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting.

The planned Echo Summit Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Project has been created because weather, age and use have caused severe deck cracking, extensive rust in the reinforcing steel and concrete cracking and spalling (breaking off into smaller pieces).

The bridge was built in 1939, is 30.76 feet wide and has three spans over Echo Summit.