NorCals favorite party river in chaos amid dangerous conditions but theres a $2 solution

One of Northern California’s most popular party rivers is trying to curb dangerous summer chaos with a new $2 shuttle service after years of traffic snarls, illegal parking, pedestrian accidents and overcrowding.The South Yuba River — a favorite warm-weather destination for swimming, floating, cliff jumping and sunbathing — attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.But the seasonal influx has created persistent safety issues.Cars line narrow highways, visitors walk alongside fast-moving traffic, and popular recreation areas become packed, reported The San Francisco Chronicle.To that end, beginning over the Fourth of July weekend and running through Labor Day, Nevada County is launching a pilot shuttle service to the Highway 49 crossing near Hoyt’s Crossing — one of the river’s busiest access points.The 14-passenger shuttles will operate from 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m.every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday, departing every 30 minutes from the Nevada City Government Center.Each ride costs $2, with credit cards and electronic payments accepted.Officials hope the service will reduce dangerous roadside parking, improve emergency access and keep visitors from walking along narrow highway shoulders beside speeding traffic.“It creates a real safety hazard and limits emergency access for accidents and fires,” Nevada County Supervisor Sue Hoek said in a statement.More than half of the river’s visitors come from the Bay Area, according to a 2024 county survey, and officials hope the new service will ease growing congestion along the scenic 39-mile river corridor.“We want to test and see what people think, what people do,” said Shavati Karki-Pearl, recreation economy program manager for Nevada County’s Community Development Agency.“Will it mitigate traffic and unsafe parking? Will it stop people from walking on a narrow shoulder with speeding cars going by? It’s a safety concern.”The shuttle is the latest effort to address longstandin...