Lake Tahoe, CA/NV – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board Wednesday unanimously approved a new transportation plan and policies that will do more to reduce reliance on the automobile and get projects on the ground than any previous plan, the agency said today.

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The Regional Transportation Plan has been broadly supported by Lake Tahoe transportation organizations and developed with input from more than 8,500 people through an inclusive information gathering process with some elements provided in English and in Spanish. A concurrent approval by the TRPA board today updated air quality standards for the Tahoe Basin to measure Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per capita, which will improve how development standards are used to mitigate traffic impacts and further reduce reliance on the automobile.

“This new plan and policies are a blueprint for a 21st century transportation system for Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Executive Director Joanne S. Marchetta said. “For the first time, we are aligning land use and science with specific projects and funding to achieve what everyone wants: an interconnected transportation system that achieves climate change strategies, reduces congestion, and better serves residents and visitors.”

Reducing reliance on the automobile has been a fundamental goal since TRPA was created more than 50 years ago, according to the agency. Through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, many collaborative transportation projects have been completed. The Regional Transportation Plan will systematically connect projects while emphasizing improved transit service and parking management in high visitation areas. The new plan will also implement the climate action policies and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of both states and local governments.

Elements of the new transportation plan include:

A sustainable funding plan to get projects completed
A full trail system including completion of the Tahoe Trail encircling the lake
Maintaining free transit and increasing frequency of service
On-demand rideshare, bikeshare, and micro shuttle services
Shuttles to and from communities outside the basin
17 new mobility hubs throughout the region
Employer and employee transportation programs
Technology improvements such as smartphone apps
Parking management and variable parking pricing
Next steps for the transportation plan are to identify a range of regional revenue options with assistance from a Bi-State Consultation on Transportation and to re-assess regional development mitigation options to achieve the new per-capita VMT threshold standard.

The plan can be viewed at www.trpa.gov/rtp.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.

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