Placer County Department of Public Works – Tahoe Engineering Division is using NTCA funding to implement the construction component of the North Tahoe Recreation Access Plan (NTRAP) completed in 2021.

The NTRAP was developed to provide public agencies with a valuable resource tool for planning, maintaining, and developing existing and future year-round public recreational access areas for a range of user groups in the North Lake Tahoe Truckee regions.

The project site selected for improvements is at the Lower Sawtooth Trailhead/USFS 06 entrance located off of Thelin Dr in Sierra Meadows. The scope of work is to improve the existing trailhead/access point for year-round use by multiple user groups. This will be achieved by paving the existing dirt parking area to create all-weather surfaces that are plowable for winter use; improving water quality pollution by reducing erosion of dirt areas and runoff to nearby waterways; delineating parking areas to mitigate offsite parking on vegetated habitats; getting parking off roadways to help road crews with winter snow removal operations, and reducing traffic concerns on Thelin Dr. related to cars and pedestrians parked in the traveled roadways; and installing public outreach information through interpretive maps and signs which promote responsible trail use and environmental stewardship.

An application for a USFS Tahoe National Forest Special Use Permit & NEPA analysis has been submitted. Public notifications related to the project and meetings were posted, Sawtooth trail use and patterns have been monitored, CEQA documents were prepared and submitted to State Clearinghouse, and a project bid book is being prepared.