Designer on board for new Sierra Boulevard Project

Sierra Boulevard is about to get a whole new look that will include a better experience for bicyclists and pedestrians, streetlights and water quality improvements.

During Tuesday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting, NCE, Inc. was awarded a contract to design the project which will run from Barbara Avenue to Palmira Avenue. They will be paid up to $610,110.

NCE, Inc has a renowned reputation for their pavement structural design knowledge, something that will be needed to create a durable roadway that can withstand the extra winter travel to the Caltrans snow storage area at the end of Sierra Blvd. Councilmembers discussed the possibility of keeping heavy trucks off the road for the first two years after constructions.

The City has the funding to complete the design portion, and about one-half of the project. Public Works Director Ray Jarvis said he expects to have the rest of the funding in place within a year through grants that are easier to obtain once a design is completed.

NCE, Inc. will hold public meetings with neighborhood residents to get their input in the project as well as with other stakeholders.

The neighborhood of Sierra Tract has been renamed to reflect its original name of Tahoe Sierra. Sierra Blvd. will include an official entrance to that neighborhood.

During the past ten years, the City and utility companies have completed a significant amount of subsurface and surface utility work in preparation for the reconstruction of Sierra Blvd as follows:

1. Liberty Energy coordinated the effort to relocate overhead utilities consisting of power, phone, and cable. The undergrounding of Sierra Blvd overhead utilities occurred between 2013 and 2014.

2. The Sierra Tract Erosion Control Project (ECP), Phase 3-4 was constructed during 2015 and 2016. The Phase 3-4 erosion control project included the replacement of a storm drain system that crossed Sierra Blvd at Chris Avenue and construction of storm drain improvements located between Palmira Avenue and William Avenue.

3. In the interest of minimizing pavement cuts after completion of the Sierra Blvd Complete Streets project, South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) replaced several water mains that cross under Sierra Blvd.

Caltrans will be working on Highway 50 starting in 2017 and will be reconstructing the US50/Sierra Blvd. intersection in 2018. The City wants to combine as much work as possible to limit traffic disruptions at this important intersection to a single construction season. Coordinating construction will also provide opportunities to assure a smoother transition between the two projects.

Construction is expected to being on Sierra Blvd. on May 1, 2018 and will cost an estimated $5 million.