Bottlenecks around Lake Tahoe prompt Governor Sisolak declaring State of Emergency
Submitted by paula on Tue, 12/28/2021 - 9:20pm
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After the City of South Lake Tahoe activated its Emergency Operations Center, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak declared a State of Emergency for Northern Nevada due to impacted roads.
US-50 was one big parking lot from Cave Rock to Placerville Tuesday after CalTrans reopened the main artery between South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. Stranded travelers from I-80 flocked quickly to US-50 in Nevada to make their way to South Lake Tahoe and over Echo Summit.
"Based on advice from my team, I will be declaring a State of Emergency in Northern Nevada. Highway 50, Highway 207 (Kingsbury Grade), and Highway 28 are experiencing delays, dangerous road conditions, and an oncoming storm," Sisolak said on Twitter.
Sisolak said the Emergency will allow officials to order cars to head back into the valley until conditions subside and the roadways are safe. This will help prevent motorists from becoming stranded, potentially running out of gas in subfreezing temperatures without emergency services.
The emergency went into place at 8:30 p.m. on December 28 and immediately the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) maps showed the roads closed and traffic was noticeably lessened at Cave Rock by 9:00 p.m. For most of the day, traffic cameras showed cars stopped from Cave Rock, through Zephyr Cove, South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, and into Placerville.
With I-80 closed as many were ending their Christmas holidays, travelers were stuck across Northern Nevada as well as Northern California and used the opportunity of US-50 opening to get to their destination.
South Lake Tahoe residents reported hours on the road trying to get to work just a few miles away, with no ability to get to grocery stores or doctor's appointments. The trip from Carson City to Meyers is about 33 miles yet the trip took many about 11 hours due to the gridlock.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 10:00 p.m. Tuesday until 10:00 p.m. Wednesday. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches are possible for communities around Lake Tahoe, with 6 to 12 inches above 7000 feet.