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Transportation programs in the Lake Tahoe Basin strive to improve the use
and effectiveness of all modes of transportation. An efficient
and accessible transportation system includes roadways, bicycle
and pedestrian paths, and transit opportunities. All modes
are critical components to a successful transportation system
and desired visitation at a resort community. Transportation
programs that ease traffic congestion and provide convenient
public transit facilities help create a positive visit to Lake
Tahoe. Visitors are a benefit to the Basin´s economy and help
provide jobs for both residents and those commuting to the Basin
for work. An enjoyable experience for a visitor, including
relatively free traffic flow and user friendly information about
the transportation system, is an attribute to the Lake Tahoe
community.
Population growth in the Lake Tahoe Basin is relatively low in comparison
to other urban areas in Californian and Nevada; yet, because
of it´s close proximity to many major urban centers including
Sacramento, San Francisco and Reno, the overall population in
the Basin at any given time or event can be much higher and
is directly related to the number of visitors coming to the
Basin. Transportation programs strive to balance the greater
impacts to natural and built resources that are associated with
a greater number of visitors. In Lake Tahoe, built resources
include roadway systems with approximately 90% of visitors driving
to Lake Tahoe in private vehicles. The increase in visitors
adds to an increase in traffic congestion, which translates
to other roadway impacts, such as additional vehicle miles traveled,
increased air pollution, and what is being learned through scientific
research – a degradation in Water Quality Standards.
The Lake Tahoe Basin transportation system affects air quality, water quality,
scenic resources, and recreation opportunities. Airborne materials, such
as road dust and vehicle exhaust, have a high impact on Lake Tahoe air quality
due to down slope drainage winds and inversions that hold air pollutants close
to the Lake´s surface. These issues demonstrate the need for a continued
collaboration between air quality and transportation decisions.
There are many elements to the Lake Tahoe transportation system including
traffic engineering, traffic systems management, traffic signal
design, multi-modal transportation planning, transit planning
and operations, parking analysis and parking feasibility reports,
parking facility design, traffic impact studies, access planning
and design, and bicycle/pedestrian circulation. Lake Tahoe
Basin transportation plans and projects must comply with federal,
state, and local standards including strict guidelines or requirements
imposed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Compact
and Goals and Policies, the California Transportation Commission
Checklist, and various chapters of the Code of Federal Regulations
from the Federal Highway Administration.
Lake Tahoe is progressive in the transit systems provided, by each reducing
the impacts of private automobile travel, including the Tahoe
Area Regional Transit (TART) system; Tahoe Trolley; Truckee
Trolley; South Tahoe Area Ground Express (STAGE) system; Nifty
Fifty Trolley; Blue Go; Heavenly, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Alpine Meadows,
Squaw Valley, Ski Incline and Northstar ski shuttles; and Tahoe
Casino Express.
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In planning for both existing and future conditions, transportation program efforts must
meet the needs of a variety of system users (businesses, residents, disabled, and visitors).
A long-range plan is required that will maintain environmental threshold carrying capacities,
look realistically at the impact of growth in major population centers surrounding the Lake Tahoe
Basin, and ultimately support the economic vitality of the Basin. Two TRPA threshold indicators,
under the Air Quality and Transportation Programs, are reviewed for the long-range plan; Vehicle
Miles Traveled (VMT) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels, both of which increase with additional
vehicles on the roadways.
The reduction of VMT as a threshold indicator was based on estimated traffic counts taken at the Tahoe Basin
in 1981. The national average for growth in VMT has been shown to directly relate to population increases.
The population at the Basin has increased at a much slower rate than surrounding areas, and a 3% increase in VMT
over the past 20 years generally corresponds with the population growth rate at the Basin. While there has been
minimal growth in VMT, a reduction in vehicle miles traveled is still required to obtain compliance with the
current threshold indicator. Lake Tahoe Basin transportation programs strive to achieve a reduction in VMT and
create incentives for visitors and residents to utilize public transit opportunities.
The threshold indicator for CO is aimed at reducing carbon monoxide emissions thus helping to maintain
health-based, air quality standards. These standards are currently being met, as air quality standards remain
within adopted ranges. However, acceptable air quality and water quality levels are also found to be directly
related to lake clarity, and therefore must be considered in any transportation planning effort. Increases in VMT
and the CO Indicator, and the overall increase in visitors to the Basin impacts all of the environmental
thresholds in one way or another, with air and water quality receiving the highest impacts from vehicles using
Basin roadways.
TRPA Air Quality Indicators from Draft 2001 Threshold Evaluation
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Scientific research conducted by organizations, agencies, and universities aims to detect
sources of pollution and discover ways to monitor and ultimately eliminate their impacts.
Ongoing research efforts collecting baseline data will help regulatory agencies establish
regulations and develop limits and indicators designed to improve environmental health.
Lake Tahoe transportation issues are addressed by a complex mix of planners and program implementers.
Projects that increase mobility by the implementation of various travel options aimed at increasing recreational
access, water-born transit, inter-regional access, around the lake-bus service, intelligent transportation
systems, additional bicycle lanes, incentives for car and vanpools, and the development of transit-oriented
communities are favored. These and many other objectives defined through the transportation planning process
are the responsibility of the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization (TMPO). On January 1, 1999, the United
States Congress designated the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency as a Metropolitan Planning Organization and created
the TMPO.
The TMPO is responsible for completing Lake Tahoe Regional transportation plans for transportation projects.
These projects may include: the construction of roads and parking lots, development of scenic view points, and
designate areas for snow storage; the purchasing and operations of transit systems; and completion of bicycle and
pedestrian facilities. Active agencies that implement these types of projects include the Nevada and California
Departments of Transportation, Douglas, Washoe, and Placer Counties and the U.S. Forest Service.
The TMPO works with these and many other private, local, state, federal, and tribal organizations to obtain
comments and contributions for the development of Basin transportation plans and programs.
Different travel options are some of the many ways to help accomplish a reduction in vehicle miles traveled.
There are still additional measures that need to be explored and tested as the Lake Tahoe Basin moves into the
21st Century. Building transportation improvements that achieve environmental and mobility goals, and continue to
preserve Lake Tahoe's crystal blue waters are the primary objectives in achieving the goal of a successful
transportation system.
It takes working together with many agencies and interested parties to develop a transportation system that
will help preserve Lake Tahoe and continue the coordination and cooperation with the Federal, State, and Local
entities, Washoe Tribe, interested citizens, and non-English speaking community, is a must for getting this work
done.
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