Tahoe road work slated for California side

TAHOE/TRUCKEE — Once again, construction season will soon be upon us. A total of eight major roadway projects are planned for the greater Tahoe/Truckee region this summer, all of them on the California side.

While some projects have already begun or will next week, the road construction season within the Lake Tahoe Basin is between May 1 and Oct. 15, in accordance with the yearly grading season as mandated by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

1. On the North Shore, utility relocations in Kings Beach are under way along Highway 28 for the Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project, a $48 million effort that aims to improve bike and pedestrian safety and the aesthetics and feel of downtown. At all times of work, a minimum of one-lane traffic along the highway, in each direction, will be kept open. Utility relocations are expected to last until August, around which time construction of the Core is targeted to start, according to a previous report.

2. Near the West Shore, two Caltrans water quality improvement drainage projects will occur, one of which is anticipated to start Monday. Between Squaw Valley and Tahoe City, along Highway 89, spot location improvements will be made from May to October on weekday nights, Caltrans officials said Thursday. Travelers can expect up to 20-minute delays.

3. The second project, between Tahoma and Tahoe City, is a three-phase collaborative project between Southwest Gas and Caltrans that will resume this season. Work on Phase One, which extends from Pine Street to Grimsel Pass Road, starts April 8 and ends mid-May, weather permitting, during weekday daytime and evening hours. Nighttime work will be conducted by Caltrans during Phase One and possibly by Southwest Gas in both Phase One and Two. Phase Two, between Grimsel Pass Road and Timberland Lane, will start May 1, weather permitting, and continue through Oct. 15. Drivers can expect a one-lane closure at construction sites with a maximum wait period of 20 minutes, according to a previous report.

4. On Interstate 80, west past Soda Springs, road pavement will be done as part of the Emigrant Gap Project, which aims to rehabilitate the highway, from May to October. Up to a 30-minute delays are expected.

5. On the South Shore, four Caltrans water quality improvement projects are planned. In the city of South Lake Tahoe, roadwork along Highway 50, 1,200 feet west of Ski Run Boulevard to Wildwood Avenue, will take place from May to October.

6. Also in the city, from Trout Creek Bridge to Ski Run Boulevard, along Highway 50, roadway paving and widening will be done, starting in May and ending in July, weather permitting. Travelers can expect up to 10 minute delays for both city projects, the work of which will take place on weekday evenings.

7. From the South Lake Tahoe Airport to the junction of Highway 89 and 50, evening weekday work will be from May to November. Up to 10-minute delays are expected.

8. A similar time delay is expected for work between Johnson Pass Road and Incline Road, along Highway 50. Since no contractor has been named for this project, work is expected to start at the earliest in October; otherwise, it will begin in May 2014.

As for the Nevada side of the Tahoe Basin, a transportation spokesperson on Thursday said there are no major road projects planned this year.