FY 2024 RAISE Application for SR28.pdf

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FY 2024 RAISE Application: Project Description Project Name: Nevada State Route 28 Corridor Safety Improvements, Shared-Use Path, and Environmental Sustainability Project (Central Corridor Phase IIIB)

STIP ID: XS20220009

Regional Introduction The Lake Tahoe Basin is home to the largest alpine lake in North America and has been a popular vacation destination since the late 19th century. Before that, the Washoe Tribe were regular occupants of the Tahoe shoreline. Lake Tahoe is one of the deepest and clearest lakes in the world with its surface at an elevation of 6,225 feet above sea level. The Lake Tahoe Region offers impressive scenery within the Lake Tahoe Basin and throughout the surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains. The region is one of the most heavily visited national forest areas, exceeding 20 million visitors annually, surpassing the visitation of any national park. Lake Tahoe is designated as an Outstanding National Resource Water under the federal Clean Water Act and is the second deepest lake in the United States.

Figure 1-Project Location

The Nevada State Route 28 Corridor Safety Improvements, Shared-Use Path, and Environmental Sustainability Project (Central Corridor Phase IIIB) (Project) is an integral part of a comprehensive corridor improvement plan, State Route 28 (SR 28) National Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan (CMP). The CMP focuses on 11 miles of rural shoreline, the longest undeveloped stretch at Lake Tahoe, which parallels Nevada State Route 28 (SR 28) from Incline Village, NV to Spooner Summit, NV where SR 28 connects with US Highway 50. The SR 28 Corridor handles over two million vehicles annually and over one million recreational users. The corridor hosts a significant number of recreation sites along the shore, as well as access to mountain biking and hiking, including access to the internationally popular Tahoe Rim Trail. Annual snowfall ranges between 100 to 200 inches at lake level, offering additional recreational opportunities, as well as transportation challenges.

This collaborative project takes an integrated approach to improving safety, by relocating over 1,000, often illegally, shoulder parked cars to off-highway parking, expanding transit, and https://www.tahoetransportation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/sr-28-cmp-for-web-131004.pdf

2 | P a g e minimizing pedestrian conflicts on the highway. It will also support commerce and economic growth by encouraging responsible tourism and recreational opportunities in an area that has been largely inaccessible to many populations. Environmental and water quality improvements, as well as infrastructure preservation, within the SR 28 Corridor will be appreciated for generations.

The RAISE grant request for this Project covers a trail segment totaling approximately 1.75 miles (pending final trail alignment) and associated improvements between Nevada’s Sand Harbor State Park and Thunderbird Cove, as depicted in Figure 2. This section of trail is a microcosm of the entire 11- mile corridor in terms of problems and the solution. The completion of this section of trail and associated improvements are vital to the overall CMP and once completed, the advantages will be recognized throughout the corridor.

Problem There have been minimal recreation planning efforts in the corridor and there are few paved, off-highway, parking spaces associated with the recreation areas. This leads to hazardous shoulder parking, which can exceed 1,000 cars on summer days on this narrow, winding mountainside highway.

The lack of bike and pedestrian facilities creates serious safety issues, with over 3,000 bikes and pedestrians, on a summer day, trying to access the public lands by using the travel lanes as sidewalks. Motorists have a difficult time seeing pedestrians when they walk out between vehicles parked bumper to bumper on the shoulder of the highway. Traffic gets congested as people search for parking spaces and slow to accommodate bikes and pedestrians. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), the overall crash rate is 180% higher than the statewide average. Currently due to a lack of infrastructure, there is limited public transit serving the corridor.

In this remote area, cellular connectivity is inconsistent and bandwidth is limited which inhibit communication strategies to mitigate congestion and encourage mode shift.

There are also environmental concerns with shoulder parking, including heightened erosion and fine sediment runoff going into the Lake, which is damaging to its ecology and clarity.

Solution The RAISE funding will be used for final design and construction of this section of the Tahoe East Shore Trail, totaling approximately 1.75 miles of a multi-use path, which will meet Class 1 standards to maximize trail use. The path will have strategically placed benches, vista points, safety and wayfinding signage, and user access points.

The project includes improvements at three intersections, along with four pullouts. A tunnel will be constructed where the trail crosses the Sand Harbor Park entrance to avoid trail users and vehicle at-grade conflicts. Finally, as part of the project, a fiber optic line will be installed in the previously built underground conduit to improve communication and future parking management infrastructure.

The first constructed segment of the Tahoe East Shore Trail, known as the North Demonstration Project (from Incline Village, NV to Sand Harbor Park), includes a three mile off-highway shared use path, with a tunnel under SR 28 for safe bike/pedestrian crossing; 90 off-highway parking spaces in Incline Village, NV, with parking management kiosks; transit stop improvements;

highway safety and scenic improvements, such as new vistas; 4.5 miles of broadband conduit, and five miles of water quality improvements. It was completed in June 2019 and has been a major

3 | P a g e success, with over 225,000 bike and pedestrian users annually. It demonstrated that this multi-model approach can provide a safe alternative to driving, helping to increase sustainable access for all users to enjoy this popular Scenic Byway Corridor.

As shown in Figure 2, the Project parallels SR 28 along the east shore of Lake Tahoe in a RAISE grant-defined rural area. It will connect to the south end of the existing three-mile North Demonstration Project section of the Tahoe East Shore Trail. The Project will extend approximately 1.75 miles and connect to a 0.9-mile trail between Thunderbird Cove and Secret Harbor (Central Corridor Phase IIIA). This will total 5.65-miles of continuous trail that links to 240 vehicle parking spaces and transit infrastructure. Construction for Central Corridor Phase IIIA is planned to commence in 2026-27.

The Project is located in Washoe County census tract 33.10 (Figure 3). The population of the census tract is only 1,584, as the area is mostly undeveloped forest and shoreline consisting of steep topography. It is near several Historically Disadvantaged Communities, including the neighboring census tract in Incline Village, NV, as well as those in Kings Beach, CA and Carson City, NV. These communities would enjoy an improved quality of life with increased access to recreation in their backyard.

The remaining 5.3 miles of the Tahoe East Shore Trail will continue south of Secret Harbor and will terminate at Spooner Summit, crossing into the Nevada counties of Carson City and Douglas (both with census tracts defined as Historically Disadvantaged Community). This final section of the trail will rely on future funding, some of which is programmed and includes construction of 40 parking spaces and transit stops at Skunk Harbor.

The south terminus of the trail is at Spooner Summit, NV, where the Spooner Mobility Hub will be constructed.

Figure 2-Proposed Bikeway Alignment

Figure 3-Washoe County-Census

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The Spooner Mobility Hub project is fully funded with 250 parking spaces to be built near the intersection of SR 28 and US Highway 50 (Hwy 50) with access to Nevada State Park, Spooner Lake. TTD partnered with NDOT on the design of the mobility hub and associated infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging. The mobility hub is located at a primary gateway to Lake Tahoe and will provide a permanent location for an Aquatic Invasive Species Inspection Station, essential to maintaining Tahoe’s aquatic ecosystem and famous water clarity. The new transit facilities allow the East Shore Express (ESE) transit service to expand throughout the corridor and serve all new parking areas and recreational trail access. The ESE service has demonstrated its success by carrying nearly 30,000 visitors from Incline Village to Sand Harbor Park and the Tahoe East Shore Trail over a three-month period in 2022. Further, the mobility hub will join NDOT’s improvements to Hwy 50, which includes transit stops along the Hwy 50 corridor.

The Project, as part of the CMP, has 30% design estimates completed, Environmental Analysis documentation and approvals, and is included in a larger Nevada Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway Project Feasibility Report, with previously expended costs of $1,597,283.

In consideration of the length and complexity of this narrow mountain corridor, a phasing plan was developed to create staging opportunities for more efficient construction. NDOT has installed fiber optics infrastructure as part of previous SR 28 improvements. Fiber optic improvements in this rural community will bring connections closer to the regional backhaul. There may also be an opportunity to coordinate with NV Energy to underground electrical lines under the trail, thus supporting climate resiliency. The undergrounding of the electrical lines would decrease infrastructure construction costs and improve long-term operations of the SR 28 Corridor by reducing highway closures due to repairs and maintenance of the power lines, as well as reducing the risk of wildfires.

The Lake Tahoe Basin is comprised of 79% federally owned land, and the Lake is controlled by the US Bureau of Reclamation. A very small portion of the Sand Harbor to Thunderbird Cove project (approximately 2.2%) is located on US Forest Service (USFS) land. This portion of the trail will be paid for with alternative funds, yet to be secured. The USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is a primary partner in the CMP and supports this project through a special use permit for construction and post construction maintenance and operations.

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Significant public engagement has been completed throughout the CMP process, including the Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway Feasibility Study, the North Demonstration Project, the environmental review of the Central Corridor Project, and the project is widely supported. In fact, a statewide voter approved bond measure was passed to support the Tahoe East Shore Trail. The popular North Demonstration Project, dubbed the “Impossible Trail,” and project partners have been recognized with multiple awards, including the American Institute of Steel Construction/National Steel Bridge Alliance “Special Purpose” Award, the Associated General Contractors Construction Risk Partners “Build America” award, and the 2019 American Trails award.

Conclusion TTD applied for a TIGER 9 grant in 2017, a BUILD grant in 2018, as well as RAISE funding in 2023. Following the RAISE submission in 2023, TTD staff met with US DOT staff to discuss strategies to strengthen future applications, which have been included in this grant request.

The CMP takes a holistic approach in addressing FHWA’s strategic goals and priorities of Executive Order 14052 to improve safety, economic strength and global competitiveness, equity, climate, and sustainability by addressing dangerous conditions for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists by adding a shared-use trail and relocating unsafe highway parking.

The multi-use trail represents the project cornerstone, and the Project includes parking improvements, multiple trail access points for all users, entry to other recreational amenities, a public transit mobility hub and multiple public transit stops to provide a ‘complete streets’ project for this highly visited area of Lake Tahoe. The RAISE-funded trail section will provide a vital connection between the existing trail (North Demonstration Project) and the Thunderbird Cove to Secret Harbor trail on the south end to be constructed in 2026-27.

https://www.tahoetransportation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/NV-Bikeway-Feasibility-Report_060711_Final.pdf

FY 2024 RAISE Application: Merit Criteria Project Name: Nevada State Route 28 Corridor Safety Improvements, Shared-Use Path, and Environmental Sustainability Project (Central Corridor, Phase IIIB)

STIP ID: XS20220009

The State Route 28 (SR 28) National Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan (CMP) was developed to address safety, congestion, and environmental concerns. This comprehensive plan is being implemented in a series of smaller projects to make incremental progress towards the overall objectives. The Central Corridor, Phase III-B portion (Project) of the Nevada SR 28 Corridor Safety Improvements, Shared-Use Path, and Environmental Sustainability Project, from Sand Harbor State Park to Thunderbird Cove will extend the connection from the first completed section of the Tahoe East Shore Trail (North Demonstration Project) to the remaining central corridor projects to the south. Illustrated in the project map below.

CRITERION #1 SAFETY

The dueling needs for recreation access and through traffic have created major safety issues and an increasing fatality rate within the SR 28 Corridor. A video of the current SR 28 conditions and safety challenges can be found at:

www.tahoetransportation.org/sr28. The overall injury crash rate of 0.54 per million vehicle miles is 180% higher than the statewide average of 0.30 according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).

SR 28 has limited paved off-highway parking. As a result, the shoulder parking on this narrow highway is the leading cause of crashes. Vehicles park along the edge of steep slopes and in areas with limited sight distance. The lack of bike and pedestrian facilities also creates serious safety issues, with over 3,000 bikes and pedestrians, on a summer day, trying to access the public lands by using the travel lanes as sidewalks. Motorists have a difficult time seeing pedestrians when they step

Figure 1-Project Map http://www.tahoetransportation.org/sr28 out between vehicles parked bumper to bumper on the shoulder. The Project portion of SR 28 is named a High Impact Network (HIN) in Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) Vision Zero Strategy and is included in TRPA’s project list. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization, TRPA is charged with improving roadway safety. A HIN is characterized as having the highest concentration of injuries according to Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) and NDOT data.

Below is crash data in the corridor for the time period between 2019 and 2023:

♦ 239 total incidents (vehicular, pedestrian, and bike); 53 of these incidents occurred between Sand Harbor to Thunderbird Cove

♦ One fatality; this is down from eight fatalities between 2006-2013 ♦ 84 injury incidents, (vehicular, pedestrian, and bike) ♦ 151 property damage only incidents

Crash data is from 2019-2023 and it reveals the number of crashes and seriousness of the incidents has declined. It is not a coincidence that the first section of the Tahoe East Shore Trail (North Demonstration Project) was completed in 2019.

To improve safety in the SR 28 corridor, TTD and CMP partners are currently in the design phase to relocate dangerous shoulder parking to safe off-highway parking locations by providing 530 parking spaces, creating a shared-use path, building a new mobility hub (Hub) lot at the south end of the corridor near Spooner State Park, and creating transit stops and pedestrian crossings along the highway.

Offering transit and bicycle options can decrease the number of crashes by simply reducing the number of single occupancy trips. The US DOT Improving Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit document describes different bicyclist design user profiles and tolerances. Bicyclists of all user profiles and tolerance levels use this corridor which adds to the complexity and safety concerns. There are various events throughout the year that bring professional cyclists to the Basin. These confident riders are contrasted with novice riders who might be distracted while vacationing in a new area.

The Sand Harbor State Park to Spooner Lake State Park segment, which includes the Project, has the least amount of paved off-highway parking (52 spaces), and as a result, has the most shoulder https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/ped_transit/fhwasa21130_PedBike_Access_to_transit.pdf parking and the greatest safety concerns. This RAISE grant request is to fund the construction and final design of the trail (approximately 1.75 miles) between Sand Harbor and Thunderbird Cove, with entrance improvements at Sand Harbor State Park. These improvements will enhance safety by connecting to off-highway parking, and reducing abrupt stops and illegal U-turns by motorists searching for parking. A Class I trail provides a safe alternative to people walking along the narrow highway to access the recreation areas.

The overall CMP project includes four primary strategies to improve safety:

1) Relocate dangerous shoulder parking to safe off-highway parking locations

Add over 500 off-highway parking spaces by expanding two existing USFS lots, building a new parking lot at Skunk Harbor, and creating the Hub at the south end of the corridor. The Hub will be fully ADA accessible with perimeter walkways, crosswalks, ramps, and clear signage. Elements discussed in the Improving Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit guide will be incorporated during design to ensure all users feel welcome and safe.

2) Construct a ten-foot wide off-highway shared-use path Safely connect the parking nodes with the recreation destinations, relocating bicyclists and pedestrians from the travel lanes completely separated from motor vehicles via the Class I shared-use path. The trail alignments are currently designed to remain consistently on the west side of SR 28 to avoid roadway conflicts; however, value engineering alternatives are being considered. It will be designed with Universal Principles to accommodate all users, including those with slower walking speeds (i.e. older adults, those with mobility devices or strollers).

Utilizing the US DOT Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs, the following quantified safety benefits are for the remaining project phases in the corridor:

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-12/Benefit%20Cost%20Analysis%20Guidance%202024%20Update.pdf

The combination of the shared-use path and off-highway parking will reduce the number of crashes, especially in the Injury/Fatality categories. Further, these improvements are expected to reduce the number of near-misses and minor accidents not reported to law enforcement.

3) Increase transit service and stops Provide transit service and stops in the proposed parking areas and at the Hub by expanding the East Shore Express (ESE) transit service (currently serving Incline Village to Sand Harbor).

Service through the full 11-mile corridor will further reduce reliance on personal vehicles. Buses are equipped with an on-board camera system for safety, as well as space for beach gear of the passengers and bike racks. The Hub will have approximately 250 parking spaces with a lighted shelter to enhance the visibility of passengers. Real-time transit information will be shared on a monitor to keep passengers informed of bus arrival times. Transit and the shared-use path provide affordable and safe access for all, regardless of age or ability.

4) Replacement of aging infrastructure and increase climate resilience NV Energy is working with the CMP partners on the potential to underground the overhead power lines (some over 100 years old). The opportunity to replace and relocate utilities under the shared-use path will drastically improve the function of the highway by reducing construction related delays and closures. It will also enhance the reliability of the utilities and reduce wildfire risks along this primary evacuation route.

Item Fatality Injury PDO Totals Vehicular Crashes (2015-2020) 1 82 153 236 Countermeasure Crash Modification Factor (ID 153) 0.8 0.8 0.8

Bicycle/Pedestrian Crashes 0 4 0 4 Countermeasure Crash Modification Factor (ID N/A) 0.01 0.01 0.01

Crash Reduction 0.2 20.4 30.6 51 Annual Crash Reduction 0.03 3.39 5.10 9 Crash Severity Monetized Value 14,022,900$ 313,000$ 9,100$ Annual Safety Benefit 467,430$ 1,062,113$ 46,410$ 1,575,953$ 20 Year Total Benefit 31,519,067$

Project Safety Benefits (2024 $)

Remove roadside parking

Construct share use path

CRITERION #2 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental sustainability is a priority in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Improving water quality, air quality, scenic resources, and recreation resources are just a few of the concerns to maintaining environmental sustainability. All Tahoe project planning incorporates environmental goals set by the TRPA to meet environmental thresholds as found in their Regional Plan Goals and 2020 Regional Transportation Plan, which includes their Sustainable Communities Strategy. Associated projects are also included in the 2021 Tahoe Climate Adaptation Action Portfolio Climate Change Adaptation | California Tahoe Conservancy. As noted above, there may be opportunities to underground utilities beneath the bikeway. The NV Energy power line undergrounding project elements were identified as priority projects under their Natural Disaster Protection Plan - NV Energy.

Water quality is a major environmental consideration in the Basin. More than seventy percent of pollutants impacting Lake Tahoe’s clarity come from the transportation system and built environment, such as erosion along the shoulders of SR 28 due to unorganized roadside parking and social trails. The Project will help to improve water quality by eliminating shoulder parking, adding water quality Best Management Practices, and eliminating pedestrian use of unauthorized, or social, trails that accelerate erosion. Lake Tahoe also supplies drinking water and it is considered some of the best in the world. There is a Drink Tahoe Tap® initiative that encourages residents and visitors to opt for tap water over bottled water. Preserving water quality is a generational investment. To further this initiative, a permanent Aquatic Invasive Species Inspection station will

Figure 2-Proposed Trail Alignment https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/Adopted-Regional-Plan.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/2020-RTP-FINAL.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/2020-RTP-FINAL.pdf https://tahoe.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/257/2021/08/tahoe-climate-adaptation-action-portfolio-2021.pdf https://tahoe.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/257/2021/08/tahoe-climate-adaptation-action-portfolio-2021.pdf https://www.nvenergy.com/publish/content/dam/nvenergy/brochures_arch/safety/ndpp/NDPP-presentation.pdf https://www.nvenergy.com/publish/content/dam/nvenergy/brochures_arch/safety/ndpp/NDPP-presentation.pdf

6 | P a g e be constructed near the Hub at Spooner Summit and corridor improvements will include stormwater capture and infiltration.

This is also a priority project identified in the Bi-State Consultation on Transportation Final Report, led by Nevada and California Resources Agencies. The plan includes improving mobility through trail and transit improvements, which will reduce greenhouse gases and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). TTD currently operates three battery electric buses and is expected to have four hybrid buses later this year, which is the foundation for its Zero-Emission Conversion Plan currently being developed to offer additional strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Charging infrastructure for electric buses, as well as electric vehicles, will be installed at the Hub.

To further increase environmental sustainability, recycled asphalt will be used for all paved sections of the trail and fly ash will be used for concrete components of the project. Any timber removed will be salvaged for onsite hardscape, landscape, or mulch. Trail and Hub amenities will be made of recycled materials and other natural materials will be utilized whenever possible.

Under the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, which was ratified by the US Congress, specific environmental thresholds were established to protect Lake Tahoe. The proposed corridor improvements are part of the larger Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program and are anticipated to provide the following benefits:

CRITERION #3 QUALITY OF LIFE

On average, 20 million people travel to Lake Tahoe every year, with many of those visitors heading to Tahoe’s east shore (project location), the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline, seeking the high-quality recreation Lake Tahoe and the mountains have to offer. This creates urban demand on a rural system and SR 28 is a primary access area for visitors, as well as the residents in nearby

TRPA Threshold Environmental Benefit

Air Quality Reduced congestion from vehicles searching for parking Reduced VMT as use shifts to transit and bicycling

Water Quality Reduced erosion from shoulder parking Reduced stormwater runoff from unauthorized trails Improved aquatic species habitat Prevention of invasive species (permanent Aquatic Invasive

Species control station at Spooner Mobility Hub) Scenic Resources Improved visual quality from both roadway and Lake Tahoe with relocated shoulder parking to off-highway parking areas Improved visual quality with enhanced roadway aesthetics and possible undergrounding of power lines Vegetation Preservation Reduced impacts on vegetation by relocating shoulder parking and creating formalized trails Reduced wildfire risk with undergrounding of power lines

Recreation Improved access to recreation sites Recreation experience is improved with new safe recreation opportunities, including the Class I shared-use path https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/00-BiStateConsultationOnTransportationFinal-Report-3.26.19.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/00-BiStateConsultationOnTransportationFinal-Report-3.26.19.pdf

7 | P a g e communities. Many commuters rely on SR 28 when traveling to and from the state capital of Carson City. Limited parking, lack of bike and pedestrian facilities, and limited public transit and transit access lead to long wait times on the highway, heightened safety concerns, and less time to enjoy nature. Sparse access to the shoreline results in congestion in certain beach areas, which impacts the ecosystem and creates stress in a normally tranquil setting.

Construction of the Class I shared-use path improves access to the shoreline and federal lands, allowing people to disperse, while reducing highway congestion by moving the parking, as well as bike and pedestrian traffic, off the highway. These improvements will enhance and extend active and passive recreation, which has been shown to improve quality of life. Sand Harbor State Park has 530 parking spaces and had over 1.2 million visitors in 2023. Using TRPA’s Bike and Pedestrian Corridor Use Model (Existing, Proposed) for projected non-motorist use, the path extension is expected to add approximately 106,000 active transportation users to the 225,000 annual users on the completed portion of the path. Currently, most of the recreation sites are gated off in the winter, but these improvements should allow for access throughout most of the year, barring extreme snow events.

The ESE transit service currently operates during the peak summer months. In 2023, the total ridership (one-way passenger trips) was 22,395. As a comparison, the 2022 ridership was 29,163 and 2019 was 36,815. Service was cancelled during COVID and reduced post-pandemic due to an operator shortage. The average passenger per hour on this service ranges between 25 to 50. Once the service extends to the Hub, it will intercept visitors and commuters, but ridership is not anticipated to remain as high throughout the year as in peak season. It is reasonable to compare it to an existing commuter route, which has approximately 1,000 passengers per month. Ridership is estimated to increase by approximately 45% (22,395 over 65 days plus 10,000 over 300 days), but this is subject to final design, seasonality, and operational guidelines.

In addition to recreation, the improved free-to-user transit connections increase access to employment, healthcare, schools, and shopping. Many specialty healthcare providers (e.g., dialysis clinics) are not available in the Lake Tahoe Basin, requiring local residents to travel to Carson City for healthcare. Ultimately, transit connections improve the social determinants of health outlined in the Improving Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit document.

Limited intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technology and infrastructure make it difficult to communicate with the traveling public. The proposed CMP project improvements will enhance communication with motorists to help them make informed decisions. The trail, improved parking, and transit access (primary project elements), provide an alternative way to recreate at Lake Tahoe’s east shore that reduces vehicle dependence and increases public health and affordability for travelers and residents alike. To ensure the improvements are usable by all people, the seven principles of Universal Design will be used to help guide the project design.

The TRPA Transportation Equity Study highlights obstacles that prevent people from accessing recreation. Public beach access for people living in poverty in Incline Village, NV is an area of concern as shown in the Public Beach Access for People Living in Poverty map below. The highlighted region below includes the area classified as a Historically Disadvantaged Community.

All beaches in Incline Village, NV, are for private use by property owners. The beaches located in https://www.tahoetransportation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/TahoeBikePedSimplifiedModel-SH-TC-Existing.xlsx https://www.tahoetransportation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/TahoeBikePedSimplifiedModel-SH-TC-Proposed.xlsx https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Equity-Study-with-Appendix.pdf

8 | P a g e the SR 28 Corridor are the closest public beaches for Incline Village residents (i.e., renters) without access to the private beaches.

CRITERION #4 MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY

CONNECTIVITY

Along SR 28 where the project is proposed, limited parking, lack of bike and pedestrian facilities, and limited transit lead to long wait times on the highway, with motorists searching for parking and having less time to recreate.

Limited ITS, cellular, and broadband make it difficult to communicate with the traveling public. Historically, Lake Tahoe has been inaccessible to many due to socioeconomic factors and mobility challenges. This Project, as well as the CMP, level the playing field for all to enjoy this national treasure. The proposed project improvements will incorporate Universal Design principles to enhance access and provide safe alternative mode choices, as well as drastically improve the experience and quality of life through enhanced wayfinding, operational efficiencies, safe off-highway parking, access to the ESE transit service, and multi-use trail for visitors and residents, regardless of age or ability.

As the Project is on mostly undeveloped state land, it is not in a Historically Disadvantaged Community, but it is adjacent to the disadvantaged census tract in Incline Village, NV and those in nearby Kings Beach, CA and Carson City, NV as shown in the map below. In this bi-state, rural area, these communities are interdependent and connectivity is necessary.

Figure 3-Public Beach Access

US DOT Grant Project Location Verification: Historically Disadvantaged Communities https://maps.dot.gov/BTS/GrantProjectLocationVerification/

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Regionally, the EPA Environmental Justice screening tool shows the following nearby communities have 80 to 95 percentile range of low-income: Kings Beach, CA (north shore of Lake Tahoe); Douglas County, Washoe County, and Carson City. Multiple census tracts within Washoe County have 95 to 100 percentile range of low income. Census tracts in Incline Village, NV range between 60 to 80 percentile range of low-income (Attachment A). The screening tool also shows a significant portion of the region’s communities’ people of color, located in Incline Village and ranging between 70 to 80% and in Carson City between 80 to 90% (Attachment B). Areas with limited English-speaking reach the 95-100 percentile in the neighboring community of Kings Beach (Attachment C). Despite the geographical distance, these communities are intertwined economically, with the rural highways being the primary linkage. The Project will enhance mobility and improve connections for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles to their recreation destination, thereby reducing transportation burdens for challenged groups.

Once all the corridor improvements are complete, there will be fare-free public transit available between Truckee, CA and South Lake Tahoe, CA along the east shore of Lake Tahoe; connecting Interstates 80 and 50. This regional connection has been included in the TRPA’s Unmet Transit Needs Report for at least 10 years and is also highlighted in their Transportation Equity Study.

Connectivity between these communities offers more employment options, educational alternatives, and increased access to health care.

The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California is a member of the Corridor’s Project Development Team and will continue to be consulted throughout the project. They provided input into Tahoe East Shore Trail and parking facilities and will be involved throughout the final design. The Washoe (Wašiw) identify with Lake Tahoe as “the center of the Wašiw world is Da.aw (Lake Tahoe) both geographically and spiritually.” While the project is not located within tribal land, tribal consultation led to a feature for Tribal access to their lakeshore land via a trail from the proposed Skunk Harbor parking lot. Currently, there is no safe off-highway parking for the Tribe to access their land.

The CMP has been identified in the TRPA regional planning documents for over 15 years. The project was included in TRPA’s Active Transportation Plan and transit linkages identified in TRPA Transportation Equity Study, both of which included outreach specific to disadvantaged communities near the project area. Numerous outreach events and public involvement were included as part of the Nevada Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway Project Feasibility Study and as part of the Environmental Analysis and project development. All these planning documents involved public participation, public hearings, and various open public forums. The Project does not displace disadvantaged communities, but instead creates new infrastructure in a remote area with safe pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access and numerous recreation opportunities.

An interactive website and extensive public outreach process is consistent with the approaches outlined in the US DOT Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making document and includes notifying the public how they can be involved. These practices will continue throughout the project implementation. Several publicly noticed hearings were completed and a community review committee provided input during the initial design. To obtain a cross-section of the community, press releases, bi-lingual notices of the website at community meetings were numerous, including outreach to community-based organizations to ensure underserved communities were involved. A database was developed with all interested https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/2022-Unmet-Transit-Needs-Final-Report.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/2022-Unmet-Transit-Needs-Final-Report.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Equity-Study-with-Appendix.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/documents/archive/2/2018_ATP_Technical_Amendment_1_FINAL.pdf https://www.trpa.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Equity-Study-with-Appendix.pdf https://www.tahoetransportation.org/document-library/nevada-stateline-to-stateline-bikeway-project-feasibility-study-report-2011/ https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-10/Promising%20Practices%20for%20Meaningful%20Public%20Involvement%20in%20Transportation%20Decision-making.pdf https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-10/Promising%20Practices%20for%20Meaningful%20Public%20Involvement%20in%20Transportation%20Decision-making.pdf

10 | P a g e parties and regular eblasts, Facebook posts, and Twitter feeds have kept the community informed with the North Demonstration Project. In addition to meetings and social media, there have been interviews with local and regional news sources, press releases, and articles in the newspapers. A multilingual and culturally appropriate approach will be taken for the Project.

CRITERION #5 ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND OPPORTUNITY

The connection between corridor improvements and economic vitality, especially in areas such as Lake Tahoe, are demonstrated as agencies find opportunities to create synergies between projects to maximize funding sources, accelerate delivery, and leverage resources for ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M). The Project, along with all the projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin, look at access holistically for all modes of transportation, as well as the infrastructure the local communities rely on for quality of life, goods movement, and commerce. As Tahoe continues to grow as a recreation destination and tourism-based industry, it is important to develop solutions that balance the core values of the communities, environment, and economies. With the SR 28 Corridor serving as one of the largest recreation areas in the Basin, it directly influences visitor demand across the region. The neighboring communities and millions of visitors rely on this corridor. The improvements and operational strategies outlined in the CMP are key to the economic competitiveness and sustainability of the local communities who serve the visitors.

TTD’s intent is to maximize Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals and objectives on all elements of the CMP. DBE goals will be developed once the final design begins.

All elements of the corridor improvements offer job growth opportunities for the businesses in the surrounding communities, such as restaurants, lodging properties, bike shops/rentals, and concessionaires at beaches and the Hub. In addition to private business benefits, public agencies who maintain the path will hire new employees for O&M activities. The expansion of transit provides opportunities for TTD to expand its transit team, which are bargaining members of Teamsters Local 533. Below are the TTD classifications with current wages and the estimated increase in positions.

Positions 2024 Wage/Hr Estimated Additional Positions

Bus Operator $25.00 3 Transit Dispatcher $23.40 1 Maintenance Technician $27.60 to $32.40 1 Facilities Maintenance Worker $21.60 to $23.40 1 Parts Technician $27.40 1

In addition to offering a living wage, these positions are year-round, and full-time with benefits, ultimately alleviating fluctuations and inconsistency of seasonal occupations. Further, additional support positions and/or contracts will be necessary for snow removal and parking management.

CRITERION #6 STATE OF GOOD REPAIR

The USFS acquired properties along the corridor were originally private properties and thus have had limited planning or improvements completed until the collaborative efforts of the 13 partner agencies of the CMP. Connecting safe off-highway parking areas with the shared-use path and transit will allow for extensions of the SR 28 No Parking Zones to prevent vehicles from parking

11 | P a g e in environmentally constrained areas and preserve the structural integrity of the highway, while improving water quality, and decommissioning social trails to address existing erosion issues.

Co-location of power and fiber conduit underground and removal of the old power lines will reduce wildfire risks from aging overhead lines and will also reduce the cost of future maintenance. The trail design allows for typical wildland fire vehicle access. The Basin is particularly cognizant of wildfire after the mandatory evacuations due to the Caldor Fire in 2021. Broadband and ITS will provide needed traffic, wayfinding, and parking management technology. Co-location improves overall long-term corridor infrastructure O&M, will help reduce traffic congestion and delays, and improve electrical and communications continuity and reliability, as well as assist in evacuations in the event of a catastrophic event.

The parking lots will include improved ingress/egress, as well as parking management and proper signage informing the public of safe parking and vista options. The shared-use path will relocate bikes and pedestrians off the highway and transit connections will provide safe access. This will allow the road functionality and level of service to improve, offer more efficient maintenance of the highway, and reduce VMTs. Improved wayfinding, real-time information, and parking signage will assist visitors in traveling safely and reduce congestion.

Corridor improvements will align with NDOT’s US 50 East Shore Corridor Management Plan, which improves safety and transit connectivity at the southern terminus.

Existing SR 28 Corridor Condition: Two-lane highway with over four million vehicles traveling through annually, at speeds exceeding the posted 45 mph while functioning as a parking lot for millions of vehicles annually. Pedestrians and bicyclists use the travel lanes as sidewalks.

Unsafe shoulder parking leads to erosion of highway shoulders and fill slopes, creating maintenance issues Very little shoulder parking exists along SR 28 due to steep embankments on the lake side.

Motorists park along the dirt shoulder where possible and then walk down the embankments to the beach below. This creates erosion issues, impacts sensitive habitat, and causes long-term maintenance issues on the highway.

Proposed Project Improvement: The off-highway parking areas will allow for the removal and restriction of shoulder parking and preserve the structural integrity of the highway. Added water quality improvements and decommissioning of social trails will address existing erosion issues and help protect the ecosystem.

Aging power lines create wildfire risks The overhead power lines, dating back to the early 1900’s, create a serious fire risk along this primary evacuation route for the Lake Tahoe Basin. NV Energy has deemed this area as critical for replacement and is working with the project partners on the potential to underground those power lines.

Proposed Project Improvement: There is an opportunity to locate utilities under the shared-use path and remove the old lines. This will eliminate the need to have years of ongoing lane closures resulting congestion and delays, if the utilities are placed under the highway. It also has potential to reduce the cost of reconstructing the highway.

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The highway was not designed for bike, pedestrian, parking, or transit use The highway is narrow and meant for through traffic, with unsafe parking on the narrow shoulders causing a public safety concern that is difficult to enforce. With the high usage of the corridor due to over 12,000 acres of public recreation opportunities, including access to the Tahoe Rim Trail with over 400,000 annual users, the highway does not function properly when bike and pedestrians use the travel lanes. Not only is this unsafe, but also creates blockages for through traffic, including emergency vehicles and highway maintenance workers. Emergency pullouts and areas for vehicles to safely pull over to view the lake are few and far between, creating congestion and exacerbating safety issues.

Proposed Project Improvement: According to the American Public Transportation Association, transit agencies can help manage parking demand, build customer goodwill, expand transit reach, increase ridership, and create safer and more convenient connections to fixed route service when integrating bicycle facilities. These attributes are objectives of the CMP and they underscore the importance of a connected Tahoe East Shore Trail. The proposed parking areas will relocate shoulder parking and improve ingress/egress, with proper signage informing the public of safe parking options. The shared-use path will move bikes and pedestrians off the highway and improve non-motorized access to the region. With vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians off the highway, the functionality will improve and allow for more efficient use and maintenance of the highway.

Improved wayfinding and parking signage will assist visitors to travel safely. The additions of emergency pullouts and scenic vistas will allow visitors an opportunity to move from the highway travel lanes safely, reducing congestion. Ultimately, the no parking zones will be expanded to improve the overall safety and traffic flow along SR 28. Creating safe, off-highway parking management creates an opportunity for a value capture approach to effectively manage and enforce parking in the corridor, using revenues to reinvest into O&M of the parking lots, multi-use path, and transit.

This corridor project is key to the successful long-term O&M of the SR 28 corridor. Operations and maintenance responsibility agreements are being drafted between partner agencies to provide a coordinated approach. Revenues generated by the parking management system will be used to fund O&M to ensure the corridor remains in a state of good repair for decades to come.

CRITERION #7 PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

The CMP is a true collaboration to address corridor wide issues, leverage non-federal resources, and save a significant amount of money by partnering with multiple agencies to address various infrastructure issues simultaneously. Figure 6 below illustrates the 13 various partners involved in the CMP. Please refer to the Letters of Support document of this grant application that details recent support.

In addition to the stakeholders, the public has been engaged throughout the SR 28 Corridor planning process. Staff and consultants will continue to use the concepts and guidance from the Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making document to reach a diverse cross-section of the community. There are various advocacy groups (e.g., Family Resource Center, Tahoe Family Solutions, Tahoe Area Coordinated Council for the Disabled, and Access Tahoe) that TTD routinely collaborates with to ensure all populations have an opportunity to provide public participation. The economic benefits of the CMP (i.e., workforce https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-10/Promising%20Practices%20for%20Meaningful%20Public%20Involvement%20in%20Transportation%20Decision-making.pdf

13 | P a g e development) as well as the quality-of-life improvements will be highlighted during future public meetings, where an interpreter will be available and local community groups will be encouraged to participate. Whenever practical, TTD will partner with DBE firms. Throughout the CMP, principles from Thriving Communities Network will be incorporated to further environmental justice and civil rights.

Figure 6-CMP Partners

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CRITERION #8 INNOVATION

Technology Technology is an important element of the transportation network and provides significant economic advantages to rural communities. Information and communication developments will have significant effects on reducing emissions and congestion. Information Technology Systems and travel demand management are important for high demand recreation areas. These technologies share notifications with visitors well in advance so they can make decisions about alternative modes or changes to their destinations prior to becoming part of the congestion problem.

Value Pricing Pilot Program and Parking Management System– The electronic parking management system has been implemented at parking areas at the north end of the Tahoe East Shore Trail and is planned for the entire corridor. Demand pricing is used to manage capacity, allowing for better utilization of the available parking by encouraging turnover, as well as promote alternative transportation and create revenue generation for O&M and transit. It will also help to control recreational capacity by shifting users from crowded areas to other areas of the corridor with more capacity.

Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant – TTD was awarded the SMART grant and phase one will be used to ground truth the number of vehicles traveling into the Tahoe Basin. Turn movements, as well as bike and pedestrian movements, will be collected. The data collected will be used to plan and implement demand strategy improvements to reduce VMTs and subsequently greenhouse gases. Also, there may be future opportunities to determine real-time parking demand through this type of technology.

Installation of Fiber Optic Conduit and ITS – Will connect rural communities, urban communities, and transportation. This infrastructure installation is underway and will continue through the RAISE grant project and the corridor.

Project Delivery TTD brings an innovative approach to corridor implementation through extensive partnerships and collaboration, as well as leveraging resources,…