Tahoe Chamber Solidarity with City of South Lake Tahoe Opposing Caltrans Plan to Increase Speeds on Segments of US 50 and SR 89
Tahoe Chamber | July 19, 2023 | Community News • Press Releases
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June 29, 2023
Dear Director Benipal:
Lake Tahoe, within Caltrans District 3, has benefited from your direct engagement on many of the issues and challenges we have collectively faced over the years during your tenure as Caltrans District 3 Director. Today, we are writing to respectfully request your direct engagement in connection with the recent Caltrans proposal to increase the speed limit on segments of US 50 and State Route 89 within the City and immediately adjacent to the City limits.
Tahoe Chamber participated in the June 20, 2023 public hearing conducted by the South Lake Tahoe City Council on the proposed speed limit increases. We joined in the community’s overwhelming opposition to any and all of the proposed speed increases. Our concern is that the Caltrans staff members who developed the proposed increases will proceed with their plans despite the community’s opposition and the City Council’s unanimous vote to approve Resolution 2023-061 opposing Caltrans’ Proposed Speed Limit increases on Sections of US 50 and State Route 89.
The City’s June 27th letter addressed to Mr. D’Arcy McLeod of your District 3 Department of Safety documents the opposition of the community and City Council to the proposed speed increases.
Tahoe Chamber stands with the City of South Lake Tahoe and our membership in support of the City’s request that Caltrans rescind its planned speed limit increases and instead initiate a corridor studies to include traffic calming measures and multi-modal mobility enhancements. The study would be done in cooperation with the City and other relevant agencies for the US 50 and 89 corridors. This approach would be consistent with the City’s 2023-2028 adopted Strategic Plan and other goals and vision for these South Lake Tahoe corridors. We urge Caltrans to also coordinate with the appropriate goals and adopted plans of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency/Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization (TRPA/TMPO).
We respectfully encourage your active engagement with the members of your District 3 team as they review the City’s letter, adopted Resolution 2023-061, and Minute Order as transmitted to Caltrans following the June 20th public hearing. Respectfully, no speed limit increases should be implemented. Instead, please support the multi-modal corridor study approach requested by the City.
As expressed at the public hearing, we have included the essence of our Tahoe Chamber concerns as an attachment to this letter.
Thank you for your timely attention to this matter and our request.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Glover – Chief Executive Officer
Steve Teshara – Director, Government Relations