Times-Standard Letter: “Be Ever Vigilant, Save Richardson Grove Again!”

From the Times-Standard letters section:

“Rumor has it that Caltrans may still be cooking up plans for the highway expansion project for big trucks in Richardson Grove State Park, despite being rebuked by the courts two years ago. If this is true, I hope Caltrans will allow the public to comment, and that they’ll take our input seriously….”

Read the full letter here.

Times-Standard: Coastal “Electric Highway” Coming to Eureka

Good news for the transition to all-electric vehicles from the Times-Standard:

“…The Recargo project will join together 33 California locations and allow drivers with long-range battery electric vehicles the means to travel to virtually any point in the state without running out of power.

[Recargo spokesperson Tony] Rice also said most trips Californians take are between 200 to 250 miles and Recargo plans to provide stations every 100 miles or so to ensure that electric vehicle drivers don’t run out of power while driving the long and sometimes isolated stretches on the North Coast…”

Read the full story here.

Times-Standard: New tax proposal to care for roads moves forward

Key to the discussion over local road funding is this often neglected fact: Even if the new tax is approved by voters, it will make only a small dent in the large and growing local infrastructure deficit.  We will still have to make tough choices about our transportation spending priorities.  So while the two-thirds support for a sales tax grabs the headlines, another of the survey’s findings may be even more important: Humboldt County voters overwhelmingly believe that fixing and maintaining local roads is the most important goal, while support for expanding the system – widening roads and bridges or building new roads – is extremely low.  Local policymakers should take note.

From the Times-Standard:

“‘Voters want a local source of funding to address transportation issues, but are not overwhelmingly confident funds from a local sales tax would be spent well,’ [pollster Miranda] Everett told the [HCAOG] board. The board has estimated the proposed tax would bring in $200 million over its 20-year lifespan.”

Read the full article here.

Triplicate Op-Ed: “199 needs guardrails, not trucks”

From the Triplicate:

“…Now would be a good time for the DNLTC to relinquish its misguided STAA truck funding for Highways 199/197 and put it toward improved safety measures like replacing the Middle Fork Bridge. Shifting funds to the Last Chance Grade replacement would promote a project with obvious economic and safety improvements for the citizens of Del Norte County….”

Read the full op-ed here.

Humboldt County Public Works Asks for a Fraction of the Maintenance Funds it Needs

Lower gas tax revenue is already starting to hit home here on the North Coast.  From the Times-Standard:

“If approved the $2.5 million will cover just 1 percent of deferred maintenance on the 1,207 total miles of county roads, of which between 1,000 and 1,100 miles need work, Humboldt County Public Works Director Tom Mattson said.”

Read the full article here.