Roadwork continues Echo Summit/US50 public meeting set for Strawberry-Ice House project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Crews from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will continue their scaling project on US50 at Echo Summit next week. No work is scheduled for Saturday-Monday, but it will resume on Tuesday, April 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The rest of the week depends on the weather, according to Caltrans.

Work has been done all week with one-way traffic over the pass. Expect delays. Follow https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ for updates.

Caltrans has scheduled a public meeting next week on a proposed $33.7 million project on U.S. Highway 50 in El Dorado County near Pollock Pines, Kyburz, and Strawberry, from west of Icehouse Road to just east of Strawberry.

The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 549 Main Street, Placerville.

This project is proposing to rehabilitate pavement and drainage systems as well as upgrade lighting and guardrail on 19 miles of US 50 through El Dorado County.

Caltrans has released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the project. The department welcomes all feedback from the public, partner agencies and stakeholders on the DEIR during the project’s review period, which ends on Friday, May 17.

Attendees at the meeting will be able to view displays to see the latest updates about the project, ask questions to Caltrans staff and provide input to the project team. Comments also can be emailed to the project team at ED50.CAPM@dot.ca.gov

The primary purpose of this project is to improve the quality of the pavement and enhance drainage systems by replacing or rehabilitating fair or poor facilities. This project also proposes to replace existing roadway lighting and upgrade existing two-post signs and guardrails to current standards.

In addition, this project proposes to include hardening of infrastructure to account for natural disasters related to climate change. This will be achieved by replacing fire-vulnerable culvert and guardrail materials with more fire-resistant concrete and steel products.

The DEIR is available for viewing online at ED 50 CAPM Project and in person at the El Dorado County Library – Pollock Pines Branch, 6210 Pony Express Trail, Pollock Pines. It is also available for review and copying weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Caltrans Office of Environmental Management, 703 B Street, Marysville.

Caltrans anticipates construction to begin in September 2025 with completion by December 2027, contingent on the weather and availability of materials and equipment.