Two new roundabouts and bridge over the Truckee River in Tahoe City are now open, allowing drivers to bypass the Y-intersection to stay on Highway 89.

One roundabout has been constructed on the north side of the Truckee River with outlets onto the new bridge and West River Road. Another roundabout connects a new route from the new bridge to West Lake Boulevard.

According to the project’s website the construction of another bridge over the Truckee River “was a critical safety goal of the project to ensure two egresses and ingresses from the west shore of Lake Tahoe.”

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The new Truckee River Bridge, located east of the Caltrans maintenance yard along Hwy. 89 and downstream of Fanny Bridge, connects the two roundabouts as the new junction between Hwy. 89 and Hwy. 28. The roundabouts each feature new Tahoe City welcome signs leading into the city.

West Lake Boulevard also received improvements including new crosswalks, and street and trail signs.

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Construction on the project, originally conceptualized in the 1994 Tahoe City Community Plan, began in May 2018.

The entire project includes the construction of a third roundabout that will replace Tahoe City’s busiest intersection where the original junction between Hwy. 89 and Hwy. 28 was and a rebuild of the 88-year-old Fanny Bridge, with new sidewalks and bike lanes on each side.

This portion of the project is delayed however, and may not be completed until 2021 as the original contract was split in two, according to Placer County officials.

Hannah Jones is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. She can be reached at hjones@sierrasun.com or 530-550-2652.