Highway To Lake Tahoe To Be Closed For Roadwork

LAKE TAHOE (KCBS) – It may take visitors a bit longer if they are traveling up to Lake Tahoe over the next few weeks.

Highway 50 at Echo Summit will be closed beginning on May 11 for repairs, as the rock wall barrier along the roadway has become damaged and doesn't meet current safety standards.

"It's made out of mortar and rocks, which is only about 18-inches tall," said Caltrans spokesperson Deanna Shoopman. "That was built to keep a Model T or a Model A on the road. Not a semi, not a big bus or any big SUV."

KCBS' Melissa Culross Reports:

Shoopman said the closure will allow crews to make the necessary repairs to make the roadway safe for those traveling in the area.

"We'll be closed for a full two weeks. Prior to the closure, we'll have one-way traffic control for two days," she said. "After the full closure, we'll have six weeks of one way traffic control also."

She said the goal is to have the roadway open for Memorial Day weekend.

Shoopman said the wall will be replaced with a larger, concrete barrier that will be anchored at the center of the roadway.

Click here for more on the Echo Summit closure.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)