PLACER COUNTY, CA (MPG) -  A $600,000 grant from the state of California will help Placer County plan sustainable transportation improvements for the “Resort Triangle” area of North Lake Tahoe, county staff announced today.

The grant funds development of the new Resort Triangle Transportation Plan, intended to provide a vision and implementation plan for a cohesive, multi-modal transportation system within North Lake Tahoe’s three main transportation corridors, state Routes, 28, 89 and 267.

“We’ve already made a lot of great progress planning and building trails and other transportation improvements in the Resort Triangle, but there’s still so much work left to do,” said Peter Kraatz, Placer’s assistant director of public works and facilities. “This plan will really be a game changer for coordinating the efforts of many agencies in the area to better accomplish the sustainability goals we’re all working toward.”

Funding for the grant comes from the state’s Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account - Sustainable Communities Grant Program, established with revenue from California’s new gas tax measure, Senate Bill 1.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion and travel by car will be the plan’s main goals, with new strategies and programs for congestion management, parking and “active” transportation infrastructure like trails among the possible plan features.

With a ballot measure to repeal SB1 set for the November ballot, county staff will hold off on extensive work on the plan until after the election when the future of the grant funding is clearer. 

Placer County applied for the grant in February 2018. Developing the plan is expected to cost $680,000, including Placer’s required $80,000 local match.