Title
Supervisor Laine recommending the Board receive a presentation on the Emerald Bay Shuttle and Parking Management 2026 Pilot Program.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
This is an informational item only. No Board action is required or requested. Staff from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) will deliver a presentation on the Emerald Bay Transit and Parking Management 2026 Pilot Program, 2025 outcomes, 2026 program enhancements, inter-agency coordination, and next steps.
State Route Highway 89 Recreation Corridor (SR 89 Recreation Corridor) is a two-lane mountain roadway running from Meyers, California north along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. The SR 89 corridor includes 17.5 miles of highway with adjacent recreation uses, extending from West Way in El Dorado County north to the El Dorado/Placer County line at Sugar Pine Point State Park. The area features some of Lake Tahoe’s most popular recreation sites, including beaches, the iconic Emerald Bay, and access to Fallen Leaf Lake and the Desolation Wilderness Area. The roadway serves approximately 1 million vehicle trips each year.
The concentration of recreation in a narrow two-lane corridor creates persistent public safety, environmental, and transportation challenges, including:
• Unsafe and illegal roadside parking along SR-89 from Inspiration Point to D.L. Bliss State Park, frequently stopping traffic and creating serious safety hazards for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
• Vehicle congestion that impedes emergency vehicle access and degrades the visitor experience.
• Stormwater runoff and soil erosion caused by vehicles parking on unpaved shoulders, contributing fine sediment and pollutants to tributaries and ultimately to Lake Tahoe.
• Limited parking infrastructure is unable to meet peak summer demand, especially on weekends and holidays.
The SR89 Recreation Corridor Management Plan, adopted in 2020 through a collaborative effort among TRPA, Caltrans, El Dorado County, the Tahoe Transportation District, U.S. Forest Service, California State Parks, and other partners, identified challenges and potential solutions to reduce environmental and recreation impacts from Pope Beach to Sugar Pine State Park, including Emerald Bay.
The vision of the SR89 Corridor Plan is to provide a safe and seamless travel experience that inspires every visitor and resident to walk, bike, roll, or use transit to access the corridor’s diverse recreation offerings to better manage congestion, enhance environmental resiliency, and allow people to focus on enjoying the special nature of Lake Tahoe’s southwest shoreline.
Emerald Bay Shuttle Pilot Program
In 2024, Supervisor Brooke Laine convened a broad inter-agency working group to move from planning to action. Representatives from Caltrans, TRPA, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), California State Parks, Tahoe Transportation District, City of South Lake Tahoe, Placer County, South Shore Transportation Management Association, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Sierra State Parks Foundation, League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue), and Tahoe Fund collaborated to design the first summer pilot.
The 2025 pilot program launched on July 15, 2025, and ran through September 28, 2025. Additionally, Caltrans and the Tahoe Transportation District installed no-parking signs and temporary barriers restricting roadside parking in certain areas of Emerald Bay. California Highway Patrol provided a contracted overtime enforcement unit throughout weekends during the pilot period.
Shuttle service departed from Camp Richardson and the “Y” (South Shore) and Sugar Pine Point State Park (West Shore). The shuttle ran seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and weekends only from the “Y” with round-trip fares of $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 13 and under.
The 2025 pilot produced meaningful results that validated the core program model and generated data to inform the 2026 expansion:
• Approximately 5,000 riders used the Emerald Bay Shuttle during the pilot, demonstrating strong public acceptance of the transit-first access model.
• Dangerous roadside parking was reduced along the SR-89 corridor through a combination of physical barriers, enforcement, and the availability of a transit alternative.
• A Road Safety Audit conducted by Caltrans in July identified short- and long-term infrastructure improvements to permanently address parking, safety, and access on the highway.
• Data on ridership origins, travel patterns, and time-of-day demand were collected to refine the 2026 program design.
2026 Pilot Program Overview
A key milestone for the 2026 program is the transition of program funding and operations to the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), signaling the program's evolution from a nonprofit-led pilot into a regionally institutionalized transit service. TRPA, TTD, El Dorado County, and partner agencies continue to coordinate under the framework established in 2025.
The 2026 pilot is planned to operate under the following parameters, subject to final confirmation by TTD and partner agencies:
|
Operation Period |
May 25 - September 7 (Memorial Day to Labor Day) |
|
Service Hours |
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., seven days per week |
|
Shuttle Operator |
Tahoe Transportation District through a third-party vendor |
|
Route |
“Y” Transit Center to Sugar Pine State Park with stops at Camp Richardson and Emerald Bay |
|
Hours |
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
|
Parking Restrictions |
Expanded no parking barriers at Emerald Bay |
|
Enforcement |
California Highway Patrol - dedicated overtime unit contract |
Program Goals for 2026
• Expand ridership beyond the 2025 baseline.
• Maintain or improve roadside safety outcomes through continued CHP enforcement and physical parking management infrastructure.
• Collect comprehensive ridership, origin-destination, and satisfaction data to improve operations.
• Evaluate express route connection from hotel base near Stateline directly to Emerald Bay.
• Secure long-term and sustainable funding for operations beyond 2027.
Conclusion -
The SR89 Corridor is a major recreation destination, quality of life amenity, and economic driver for El Dorado County. The County can continue to support the 2026 pilot and long-term access and safety improvements at Emerald Bay. County support could include by:
• Supporting public outreach and advertising for the 2026 pilot season.
• Increase fine amount for illegal parking at Emerald Bay to discourage dangerous and illegal parking.
• Continue to provide financial support and staff time for the pilot program and long-term improvements in the corridor.
• Improve boating access and safety to Emerald Bay by amending the County ordinance to lower the Emerald Bay Boating Speed Limit to 10 mph and ban towing behind boats in the Bay.
Emerald Bay Shuttle and Parking Management 2026 Pilot Program <https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/emerald-bay-shuttle/>
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may elect not to hear the presentation.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar 26-0124 BOS 2/3/2026 Item 15
Legistar 24-1797 BOS 10/15/2024 Item 21
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
AQMD
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Kim Dawson x5393