Agency kills three-lane, roundabout plan for KB

After an all-day meeting Wednesday, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency board shot down a plan featuring three lanes and roundabouts in the Kings Beach Commercial Core plan.

The vote means Placer County cannot bring a similar project back to the board for 12 months. Instead, Placer officials will likely submit an alternative that includes four lanes and traffic lights.

On Wednesday, so-called three-laners and four-laners took turns debating the configuration of Highway 28 through Kings Beach at the TRPA meeting in Incline Village. Those at the meeting weighed three lanes and roundabouts against four lanes and traffic lights. Chief among people’s concerns were traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, parking and traffic spilling over into residential areas.

“It’s very clear to me it is about half and half,” TRPA board member Stuart Yount said of the audience. “This is the most divided and controversial subject I’ve seen.”

Last week the Placer County Planning Commission unanimously endorsed a plan of that would turn Highway 28 into two lanes of traffic with a center turn lane, using roundabouts at key intersections. The recommended plan would allow for broad sidewalks, bike lanes and other street improvements, along with seasonal on-street parking.