THURSDAY UPDATE: Caltrans said the flashing beacons at the crosswalks cannot be activated until the crosswalk pavement markings are installed. Due to conflicts with other construction work and falling temperatures in the basin, the pavement marking work had to be shut down for the winter and will not resume until late April or early May 2026. Once the crosswalk striping is in place, the new beacons will be activated. The new signal at Johnson Blvd. should be up and running by the end of October.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The long-awaited $35.9 million South Lake Tahoe Safety Project is wrapping up work for the 2025 season, with three flashing crosswalk lights and a stoplight being installed this week. Earlier this summer, the other safety feature, new green bike lanes, were installed along US50.
Caltrans contractors placed the over-highway flashers (signal mast arms) this week, and are putting finishing touches on the stoplight at Johnson Blvd. and US50. Not all of the crosswalk flashers will be activated this year, according to crews working on the job, who said two will be working in a few weeks. A call into Caltrans has not yet been returned as to what will be activated in 2025 of the four new features.
Over previous construction seasons, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) installed the underground infrastructure for the project.
The purpose of the proposed project is to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety between the US 50/State Route 89 “Y” intersection and Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe. Also included in the project are new streetlights.
Caltrans found a need to implement the project with input from the City of South Lake Tahoe for several reasons. The new lighting and green bike lanes are planned to reduce the number of fatalities and severe injuries from bicycle collisions along this stretch of the US 50 corridor. Most of the bicycle collisions occurred at night, and the project provides corrective action to address bicyclist-involved collisions.
The mid-block crosswalks with lighted beacons are installed where many pedestrians cross the five-lane highway. They are at the following areas:
- New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 at South Tahoe Middle School with pedestrian hybrid beacon
- New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 between Herbert Ave and Ski Run Blvd with pedestrian hybrid beacon (near Whole Foods)
- New mid-block crosswalk across Hwy 50 between Winnemucca Ave. and River Dr. (near Grocery Outlet)
The intersection of Johnson Boulevard and US 50 in front of Safeway will be signalized and the roadway will be restriped. This brings a third stoplight in a short distance, but there are many crashes in the area, along with fatalities.
