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Residents urge Truckee to pursue traffic calming, parking and erosion solutions at Donner Lake
Summary
Multiple Donner Lake-area residents told the Town Council they have seen crashes, parking-related erosion and safety hazards on Donner Pass Road and nearby shores and asked the council to fund a traffic-calming study, earlier bike-lane striping, enforcement and changes to parking and shore protections.
A group of Donner Lake residents pressed the Truckee Town Council on May 27 for immediate action on traffic safety, parking congestion and erosion along Donner Pass Road and shorelines adjacent to the state park.
Katie Hawkins, who identified herself as a Donner Lake neighborhood resident, told the council she and neighbors had formed a working group and asked the town to commission a traffic-calming study on Donner Pass Road. Hawkins asked for a stakeholders’ study involving the town, Nevada County, Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District and Sugar Bowl Resort and presented a support letter signed by 63 community members.
Other residents echoed safety concerns: Mercy Galvin said Donner Pass Road carries high pedestrian, bicycle and motor-vehicle traffic, that Interstate 80 closures often divert large volumes into the neighborhood and that striping of bike lanes at Donner Lake was often delayed late into the season. Lynn Redner and Jack Cashton described erosion, unsafe parking on shoulders, blocked bike lanes, U-turns and illegal passing. Mike Cook and Paul Crawford also described near-collisions and urged the town to re-review a separate West Reed/right-of-way petition and to accelerate traffic-calming measures and parking enforcement.
Speakers asked for specific actions: a formal traffic-calming study for Donner Pass Road, earlier and prioritized bike-lane striping in spring, stronger parking enforcement and consideration of structural measures such as speed feedback signs, enhanced signage, and changes to where parking is allowed to reduce erosion into Donner Lake. Several speakers said they had already engaged Nevada County and other stakeholders and asked the town to coordinate regionally.
Why it matters: residents described a combination of increased visitor activity and infrastructure constraints — narrow shoulders, high posted speed, adjacent park uses and access to docks and businesses — that they say creates repeated safety and erosion incidents. Town staff acknowledged they were collecting data and said they would return to council with findings; residents asked the council to agendize a coordinated, multi-agency study and more immediate enforcement and striping action where possible.
