e sections of the highway at the South Shore.
According to California law, speed limits for any given area are based on a number of factors, including a speed survey no more than 5 to 10 years old, safety concerns and the number of accidents in the area. The speed survey measures the average speed of drivers in “free-flowing” traffic through the section of road.
Currently, speed limits on Highway 50 through South Lake Tahoe and Meyers are out of date. Because of this, law enforcement must revert to maximum speed limits on state highways, 55 mph on a two-lane highway and 65 mph on a four-lane highway, though officers can pull drivers over for driving faster than is safe for certain conditions.
“They can legally go those speeds,” California Highway Patrol spokesman Jeff Gartner said. “But we’re encouraging people to obey the posted speed limits. It’s for the safety of them and the community.”
CHP officers stopped issuing speeding tickets on the stretch of highway in December, Gartner said.
When asked why Caltrans hadn’t began the process to update the speed limits until three years after the most recent speed survey had been done, spokeswoman Deanna Shoopman couldn’t explain.
“I can’t answer why they haven’t implemented them earlier,” Shoopman said. “Now, it’s down to where it has to be done.”
Several business and community members objected to the proposed 5 mph speed limit increase during public comment Tuesday.
“We are strongly opposed to speed limit increases,” said JoAnn Conner, president of the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, adding that businesses along the Meyers corridor are concerned about safety.
More than 13 million cars have passed through the Highway 50 section through Meyers in three years. In that time, there have been four crashes, …
www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20120221/NEWS/120229966/
About Post Author
