Caltrans: Stoplight at Camp Richardson discontinued indefinitely
Following backlash in its first summer of use and input from partner agencies, the pedestrian stoplight at Camp Richardson is on indefinite hiatus, according to the California Department of Transportation.
The device was installed in 2016 as part of a Caltrans construction project. It was mostly used in the summer of 2017 as a means to help address traffic and pedestrian issues.
However, the light, which displayed a red signal to motorists when pedestrians activated it to cross California Route 89, was scrutinized by residents and others who blamed the signal for worsening vehicle congestion.
The light was deactivated around the Fourth of July holiday when, according to Caltrans, a significant increase in motorist and pedestrian activity led to congestion in the area.
Caltrans “decided to discontinue” the light “indefinitely” after meeting with staff from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and U.S. Forest Service. The light will remain off until the State Route 89 Recreation Corridor Management Plan is completed in 2019.
The study, according to Caltrans, will look at short- and long-term solutions to improve travel in the corridor, which can resemble a parking lot on busy weekends in the summer.
The management plan will involve surveying residents and visitors in the Camp Richardson and Emerald Bay areas to better understand why, where and how people are traveling and what types of improvements the public would like implemented, according to Caltrans. Surveys will be offered in person, through mail and online.
In the meantime, the transportation department is not giving up on efforts to improve trraffic flow through the busy corridor in the summer.
“Caltrans and its transportation partners are working on other ways to manage traffic through the corridor, including using flaggers for traffic control at the intersection on busy weekends, installing new crosswalk signs and implementing new entry and exit procedures for local beaches this summer,” the department said in a press release.
For more information on Caltrans’ highway projects in the Tahoe Basin, go to TahoeRoads.com, follow @TahoeRoads on Twitter or like Tahoe Roads on Facebook. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app on iTunes or Google Play.
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