Placer County commissions implementation plan for North Lake Tahoe highway transit improvements  

Published May 30, 2023 

TAHOE CITY, Calif. -- Placer County is continuing efforts to address traffic concerns and enhance transit along state routes 89 and 267 in North Lake Tahoe with short-term and long-term improvements. 

The Placer County Board of Supervisors last week approved a $511,838 contract with Wood Rodgers Inc. to create a strategic implementation and phasing plan to advance implementation along the two corridors, both of which connect Interstate 80 to North Lake Tahoe.  The plan will include collaboration with stakeholder groups such as Caltrans, the Town of Truckee, emergency responders, local businesses and residents in the region. 

The plan will expand on the transportation recommendations provided in the county’s Resort Triangle Transportation Plan that the board approved in October 2020. The RTTP outlined initiatives to reduce traffic, get people out of their cars, encourage alternative commuting options and address congestion.

The plan will measure four key enhancements from the RTTP, including a proposal to provide priority for transit vehicles at traffic signals, lanes that allow for transit vehicles to jump ahead in the queue at intersections, a reversible bus-only lane between intersections and a dedicated “climbing lane” for buses and trucks over Brockway Summit on state Route 267. The plan will also refine design considerations and designate which options provide the most benefit for residents along each corridor.

“Essentially, this plan will give the county and our partners a clear picture of what improvements will give us the biggest benefits and what we should focus on implementing first,” said Placer’s Public Works Deputy Director Rebecca Taber. “Our goal is to ease traffic impacts during peak periods by ensuring our transit solutions get priority along each state route.”

Aspects of the plan will include transportation planning and traffic engineering associated with transit systems, traffic signal operation and modeling. The engineering firm will also study right-of-way elements, climate impacts, community evacuation, Caltrans assistance, funding, programming, scheduling and preliminary environmental impact analysis.

The plan will determine the most viable alternatives for implementing project components in both the near-term and long-term.

“We’ve heard from our local residents —this is a priority and we’re excited to get this plan started and begin implementing solutions as soon as possible,” added Taber.

To learn more about the county’s work along state Routes 89 and 267, visit https://www.placer.ca.gov/8893/SR89-and-SR267-Corridor-Management.