Ninety new off-highway parking spots were completed last year near Ponderosa Ranch Road and State Route 28 (SR 28) to provide safer recreational access to the SR 28 Corridor and the Tahoe East Shore Trail. By providing off-highway parking alternatives, transit connections, and a path for pedestrians and bicyclists, motorists can more safely travel along SR 28 on the east shore. By relocating shoulder parking to these parking lots, highway congestion is reduced and allows emergency vehicles easier access along the SR 28 Corridor.
With less vehicles idling due to recreation congestion and highway shoulder parking moving to off-highway parking, the reduced erosion and emissions will improve the environment. Transportation system improvements are critical to protecting Lake Tahoe’s air and water quality because more than 70 percent of the pollutants impacting the lake’s clarity come from the transportation system and built environment.