Regional Transportation Plan approved for Lake Tahoe

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board has unanimously approved a new transportation plan and policies that will do more to reduce reliance on the automobile and get projects on the ground than any previous plan. The plan has received broad support from Lake Tahoe transportation organizations, and more than 8.500 people participated throughout the process of its adoption.

“This new plan and policies are a blueprint for a 21st-century transportation system for Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Executive Director Joanne S. Marchetta said. “For the first time, we are aligning land use and science with specific projects and funding to achieve what everyone wants: an interconnected transportation system that achieves climate change strategies, reduces congestion, and better serves residents and visitors.”

The TRPA board approved updated air quality standards for the Tahoe Basin to measure Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per capita, which will improve how development standards are used to mitigate traffic impacts and further reduce reliance on the automobile.

A fundamental goal of the TRPA has been reducing reliance on the automobile since the agency was formed more than 50 years ago. Through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, many collaborative transportation projects have been completed. The Regional Transportation Plan will systematically connect projects while emphasizing improved transit service and parking management in high visitation areas. The new plan will also implement the climate action policies and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of both states and local governments.

Elements of the new transportation plan include:

- A sustainable funding plan to get projects completed
- A full trail system including completion of the Tahoe Trail encircling the lake
- Maintaining free transit and increasing frequency of service
- On-demand rideshare, bikeshare, and micro shuttle services
- Shuttles to and from communities outside the basin
- 17 new mobility hubs throughout the region
- Employer and employee transportation programs
- Technology improvements such as smartphone apps
- Parking management and variable parking pricing

The TRPA said the next steps for the transportation plan are to identify a range of regional revenue options with assistance from a Bi-State Consultation on Transportation and to re-assess regional development mitigation options to achieve the new per-capita VMT threshold standard.

The plan can be viewed at www.trpa.gov/rtp.