Caltrans project to cause road closures and delays near Emerald Bay for two weeks
Submitted by editor on Thu, 09/08/2016 - 1:04pm
Those hoping to take a leisurely drive around Lake Tahoe's iconic Emerald Bay during the next couple of weeks will experience delays and detours because of a construction project set to begin Monday.
Caltrans will perform a full roadway closure of State Highway 89 near South Lake Tahoe from just south of the Cascade Creek Bridge to Bayview Campground and Inspiration Vista Point.
The traveling public will be able to access sightseeing locations: Vikingsholm, Inspiration Point – Bay View Trail. Motorists can expect delays due to one-way traffic control from Inspiration Point to Upper Emerald Bay Road from September 11-23 due to grinding and paving work.
The full roadway closure is scheduled for two weeks beginning Monday, Sept. 12, at 4 a.m. through Friday, September 16, at 4 p.m.; and from Monday, September 19, at 4 a.m. through Friday, September 23, at 4 p.m.
During the closure, traffic will be allowed to travel through the work zone between 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday afternoon through Friday morning. There will be no closure during the weekends from 4 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday.
During the time of the full closure, traffic will be detoured to the north and the east side of the lake going into the Nevada. From the north side of the project the detour will take Highway 89 to Tahoe City, then take Highway 28 along the north and east sides of the lake to U.S. Highway 50 south at Spooner Junction to Highway 89 north at South Lake Tahoe. From the south side of the project, traffic will be detoured the opposite direction: Highway 89 south to U.S. 50 north to Highway 28 south and to Highway 89 south.
This work is part of the $13 million Emerald Bay water quality improvement project. The closure is for one portion of the project’s cold planing and hot mix asphalt paving work located on a ridge with steep slopes on either side of the roadway immediately adjacent to paved surfacing with steep mountainous terrain and tight switchbacks. In this portion of the project, the paving operations would not be possible with conventional reversing traffic control as larger construction equipment and public vehicles would not physically be able to pass each other.
The work is subject to changes due to weather or unexpected events.
For additional information, please visit the Tahoe Roads web site at www.tahoeroads.com, or contact the District 3 Public Information Office at (530) 741-4566.
