Tahoe City Construction Projects: Addressing Community and Business Concerns

Tahoe City is currently undergoing several significant construction projects, including road construction and gas line replacements. These activities are impacting residents, and local businesses, with noticeable disruptions.

The TCDA Business Advocacy Committee has been actively coordinating with stakeholders to mitigate these impacts. Q&D and Caltrans have both provided detailed updates about traffic delays and ongoing paving projects in the Tahoe Basin, emphasizing the importance of timely communication and strategic coordination with the local community and businesses to ensure minimal disruption.

Key Actions and Updates:

  • Communication Enhancements: Q&D plans to update the Southwest Gas website every Friday with details on the next week’s construction plans to keep the community well-informed.
  • Community Collaboration: Efforts are underway to coordinate with the Tahoe City Farmers Market, as well as Tahoe Lake Elementary and NTHS to ensure there is good communication ahead of delays, designated parking areas and minimal disruptions during construction periods.
  • Advance Notices: There will be a policy of providing a minimum of 48 hours notice to property owners before accessing private property for gas service work, ensuring better preparedness for all involved.
  • Safety and Accessibility Measures: Installation of strategic signage on Highway 89 will encourage the use of alternate routes and highlight school zones, neighborhoods and improving safety and traffic flow, particularly during peak times such as student drop-off at Tahoe Lake.

Detailed Project Information:

  • SR28 Enhancements:
    • SW Gas: This is scheduled through the end of August.  Work for this season has SW Gas hydrotesting and to tie in the mainline work completed last year (the 10” new gas main under SR28…work to complete by mid-June) and complete all the lateral gas lines from the mainline to houses/businesses that front SR28.  Most of this work occurs in the Dollar Point and Lake Forest area.  These locations have very narrow shoulders and is only a 2 lane road.
    • RFB Crosswalks: – At Center Street/SR28 (near Garwoods).  Construction will start in May and should complete by the end of June.
    • Tahoe City PUD – The project is mostly inside Caltrans Right of Way, but outside of the vehicular traveled way.  We will need to allow the contractor access through the SW Gas work area and coordination between the agencies has occurred.
    • Broadband Project: Starting mid-June, aimed at improving internet accessibility.
  • SR89 and SR267 Developments:
    • Pheifer House (located in Tahoe City across SR89 from the Caltrans Maintenance Station): Encroachment project starting in May for three weeks, including one week of night work for lane closures. They need to connect sewer and water from across SR89.  This work will start in May and take roughly 3 weeks to complete.  1 week of lane closures (night work) will need to occur.
    • Broadband Installation:
    • Arcadian (broadband installer) will install broadband fiberoptics from Truckee (I80/SR267) to Kings Beach (SR28/267) and to the State Line on SR28.  Night work only.  Work is expected to complete in 2025 for this segment.  Work only from Truckee to Kings Beach and the state line on SR28, to be completed in 2025.

Looking Ahead:

We acknowledge the challenges posed by the construction and remain committed to reducing inconvenience through improved planning and communication with all stakeholders . Special attention is being given to ensure that roadwork and other construction activities are staged thoughtfully to avoid peak business times, particularly during the crucial summer months.

For ongoing updates and details on how these developments might affect you, stay tuned to our communications and ensure to check the TCDA website, and our social media channels. We will also post updates from partners on our Next Door account.

This concerted effort by the TCDA Business Advocacy Committee and partners aim to assist in making the construction period less impactful for the daily lives of both residents and businesses in Tahoe City.