Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
Regular readers of The Collector should be getting the idea by this point that trash and recycling receptacles in bike lanes are a systemic problem in our area. Submit your photos to colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Board of Supervisors Certifies Bay Trail EIR, Addresses Eucalyptus Concerns
The Humboldt County Supervisors approved the environmental review for the last remaining segment of the Humboldt Bay Trail on Tuesday, clearing the way for additional design work, right-of-way negotiation, and (eventually) construction. At a later date, they’ll reconsider the issue of removing eucalyptus trees for the trail when they get the opinions of some outside arborists.

Eureka City Council to Take On H & I Street Redesign
Next Tuesday, the Council will continue its discussion of design alternatives for the north-south corridor, with a view to vastly improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure. CRTP agrees with the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association and others that the best option involves removing one vehicle lane in each direction and adding buffered bike lanes. If you bike or walk in Eureka, show up and let them know what you think!

(Temporary) Pedestrianization in Old Town
2nd Street in Old Town Eureka was closed to cars recently for an event, allowing people to enjoy the public space without fear for their lives. What a concept! Could there be a permanent pedestrianization in Old Town some day?

California CAFE Standards Waiver Really Is on the Chopping Block
Earlier this week, it appeared that Trump’s EPA might not rescind California’s ability to set stricter fuel economy standards for cars, based in part on legal analysis that showed they would likely lose that case in court. But, never an administration to let a losing legal proposition get in its way, they have now proposed to do just that as they attempt to roll back CAFE standards across the nation.

Gas Tax Repeal Supporters Hard at Work Against Transportation Funding
Not only would this November’s Proposition 6 repeal the recent gas tax increase and make it virtually impossible to fund public transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, its supporters are already planning a follow-up effort that would tie all state transportation funding in knots for decades to come. More commentary on Prop 6 from our friends at TransForm here.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
Another case of trash and recycling bins in the bike lane. This one’s particularly egregious (check out the far side of the street). Send your photos of bike lane and sidewalk obstructions to colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Future of the Bay Trail to Be Decided on Tuesday
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is slated to vote on the final four miles of the Bay Trail on Tuesday morning. The main debate is expected to center around the proposed removal of some of the eucalyptus trees overhanging the trail route. County staff have doubled down on their assertion that there can be no trail without eucalyptus removal, while a core of folks who just love those (non-native) trees insist the eucalyptus must be saved.

Driver Sentenced in Eureka Pedestrian Fatality
We would be remiss not to occasionally cover the depressingly regular car-on-pedestrian and car-on-bicyclist collision cases on the 101 corridor in Eureka.

Caltrans Looks to the Future While Planning for the Past
The agency’s latest quarterly newsletter (err, “performance report”) features an assessment of the challenges of planning for an uncertain transportation future, followed immediately by an article about funding massive highway expansion projects in order to (allegedly) relieve congestion. One assumes that the irony of guessing at the priorities of the 2050s while funding the priorities of the 1950s is rather unintentional.

More Evidence that Transportation is Driving Climate Change
This article buries the lede a bit, but finally there it is again: cars and trucks are foiling all our other efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Promised Self-Driving Future Squares Off Against the Proven Record of Public Transit
Planners face big choices amid plenty of confusion and overblown rhetoric.

A Nation Divided… by Cars
The politics of transportation have never been so divisive.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
This week’s obstruction may not look like much, but it can still cause a person on a bike to swerve wildly around it – it’s a pile of broken glass! Granted, it may be harder for the responsible public agencies to prevent this kind of obstruction than to, say, ticket parked cars or move trash cans out of the way. But it’s still a problem! Send your bike lane or sidewalk obstructions to colin@transportationpriorities.org, and you could be in The Collector!

Lots of Local Active Transportation Projects Proposed!
The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) Board considered letters of support to the California Transportation Commission for eight proposed local bike/ped projects yesterday, including Phase II of the Annie & Mary Trail, the Little River Trail, the Humboldt Bay Trail South, and the “Bay to Zoo” Trail in Eureka. Go trails!

Funding for Late-Night Bus Service Identified
Meanwhile, the HCAOG Board also discussed a source of funding for late-night weekday bus service identified by staff. Previously, this service had been identified as an “unmet transit need” which could not be funded. This represents real progress toward better transit in our region.

Local “Mobility on Demand” Plan in the Works
In yet more HCAOG news, the agency has issued a request for proposals to develop a “Mobility on Demand Strategic Development Plan” for the county. Keep your eye on this one – it’s not clear yet what direction it will take.

Humboldt Slated for Lots of SB1 Money…
…but not nearly enough to keep the roads maintained. Still, things will be a lot worse if the current effort to repeal the bill (which among other things raised the gas tax) succeed in November.

A Nostalgic Ode to the Great Redwood Trail
How can one be nostalgic for something that hasn’t happened yet? Just read it.

The Village Hearing Continues
We think you’ve heard it all by now. If not, this article is for you.

State Train Group Doesn’t Like the Great Redwood Trail Act
We know it’s hard for those outside the region to understand why local environmentalists might not like trains so much, but they really should do their homework before jumping into such an issue head-first. Oh, and they should have read the most current version of the bill (it actually does not require rail-banking at all, just that a trail be built somewhere on or near the rail right-of-way).

American Cities Have More Parking Than Housing… Way More
In one of the first studies of its kind, five very different American cities were analyzed for the amount of parking they provide. Hint: too much.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
A parked vehicle blocking a bike lane… again. Well, the pictures reflect the reality! If you see a more interesting or unique bike lane obstruction – or just more parked cars and trash cans – take pictures and send them to colin@transportationpriorities.org

Rails Removed for Fish Passage
Salmon will get access to old spawning grounds blocked by railroad construction a century ago. A story that highlights the importance of unbuilding transportation infrastructure when the time is right for it to go.

Opposition to Great Redwood Trail Act Emerges
Meanwhile, the bill which could convert the whole North Coast rail line to trails will soon be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The North Coast Railroad Authority, which to date has more or less pretended to be OK with the bill, is finally complaining a bit. As is the Timber Heritage Association. If you think the objections are a bit silly – and we think you do – you might call the Governor’s office and let him know you support full funding for SB 1029. Or maybe write your own letter to the editor.

CRTP Submits Comments on Eureka General Plan Update
Summary: the denser infill development proposed will help reduce vehicle miles traveled, but a lot more could be done.

State Money Coming for Trails in McKay Tract
Soon, you’ll be able to walk to and through Eureka’s new public forestland!

Bike Commuting Reduces Carbon Emissions
No surprise there – but it’s nice to have some numbers.

California Carbon Emissions Inch Down, but Transportation Emissions Keep Going Up
There’s a lot of work to do to achieve a sustainable transportation system. But you probably knew that, or you wouldn’t be reading The Collector.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
This week, another version of a classic obstruction – hey, we see them so often biking around town, why not put a few more pictures in The Collector? Send your pictures of bike lane and sidewalk obstructions to colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Joint State Transportation Meeting Reveals Major Disconnects
The first joint meeting between the Air Resources Board and the Transportation Commission received very little press coverage, but revealed stark differences between the agencies. While ARB board members, focused on meeting climate and air quality goals, pointed out that we need to significantly reduce driving in the state, Transportation Commissioners seemed to think that was impossible.

One More Week to Comment on Eureka General Plan EIR
Thank them for planning for dense infill development and better bike/pedestrian infrastructure, complain about their failure to reduce vehicle miles traveled… Just let them know what you think!

Arcata Plaza Closed to Cars Last Saturday
The Plaza was closed to cars for the farmers market and subsequent “Fairy Festival,” and guess what? The sky didn’t fall. In fact, people loved it!

Repainting the Bridge, or The Importance of Planning Infrastructure Maintenance
The North Coast Journal reviews how a poorly planned infrastructure maintenance project – in this case repainting the bridge connecting Scotia to Rio Dell – can seriously impact a local community.

SB 1 Repeal Would Have Big Impacts
Local governments, among others, are a little freaked out about how they’ll pay for transportation infrastructure if the repeal effort succeeds.

Cities Can Grow Cut Transportation Emissions… or Not
It all depends on the choices we make (and some things that most of us really can’t do much about).

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
An all too familiar sight: a sign placed by a public agency blocking a marked bike lane to warn cars about upcoming road construction. Often they contain a “no parking” warning, as this one does… conveniently right next to a permanent “no parking, bike lane” sign. Send your photos of bike lane and sidewalk obstructions to colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Last Chance Grade Geotechnical Report Released
Caltrans has released a third-party review of the geotechnical feasibility of various alternate routes being considered to avoid the active landslide area of US 101 called Last Chance Grade. A stakeholder group convened by Congressman Huffman previously agreed that a re-route is necessary in order to avoid a complete failure of the highway at some point in the future but did not recommend a specific route. The new report finds that the longest alternate routes – which would require clearing the most forest but would avoid old-growth redwoods – would be nearly certain to fail within 50 years, while the shortest and most expensive proposed route – a tunnel which would require clearcutting several acres of old growth – would be by far the most geotechnically stable. The findings set up some difficult decisions for Caltrans and local environmental advocates.

Great Redwood Trail Act Clears Another Hurdle
Senator McGuire’s bill passed the Assembly Transportation Committee unanimously and now heads to the Appropriations Committee, likely its final stop before a vote by the full Assembly (and then the governor’s desk). The one sticking point – and it’s a big one – remains securing funding to buy out the North Coast Railroad Authority’s debt and ensure the new Great Redwood Trail Agency starts out on good footing.

Man on Bicycle Killed By Truck, Blamed
A man riding a bicycle was hit by a log truck on Broadway in Eureka and later died of his injuries. Predictably, the Highway Patrol and subsequent news reports prominently highlighted that the victim was not wearing a helmet and implied that he was to blame for the accident. The unsafe design of that road for bicyclists and pedestrians was not mentioned in news reports, nor was the inherent safety risk posed by extremely heavy trucks traveling on public roads. Our condolences go to the victim’s family and friends.

Local Projects at the CTC: UPDATE
Since our report last week on a number of local projects being considered for funding by the California Transportation Commission, we’ve received more information from Caltrans staff about two of the most interesting. We’ve been told that the tide gate project along US 101, scheduled for construction in 2020, would replace nine existing tide gates built in 1954. Meanwhile, the proposed 101 improvements in North Arcata are scheduled for 2022 and would include a Class 1 Bike Trail connecting Wymore and Heindon Roads under US 101. This would allow a much more direct connection between popular bike routes through the Arcata Bottoms (connecting to the Hammond Trail) and the bike/ped crossing of the Mad River on the highway bridge.

Safe Route to School Considered in Del Norte
The Del Norte Local Transportation Commission’s Technical Advisory Committee considered a request this week for more than $80,000 for the Bess Maxwell Safe Routes to School project.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
OK, maybe horse manure is more of a nuisance than an obstruction…but it still shouldn’t be in a bike lane! Thanks to an early-morning bike-commuting reader of The Collector for sending this in. You can submit photos of bike lane or sidewalk obstructions to colin@transportationpriorities.org

SB 1029 Action Alert
CRTP joined almost every other local group concerned with bike and pedestrian infrastructure this week in issuing an action alert about SB 1029, Senator McGuire’s Great Redwood Trail Act. The bill isn’t encountering any organized opposition in the legislature, but for it to be meaningful it must be funded! If you haven’t already, call Governor Brown’s office at 916-445-2841 and ask him to fully SB 1029’s transition between the North Coast Railroad Authority and the new Great Redwood Trail Agency.

Plaza Improvement Task Force Vacancies
The City of Arcata’s newly formed Plaza Improvement Task Force has three at-large slots for interested and engaged community members, but they have not received enough applications to fill them. If you live or work in Arcata and want to advocate for transportation (and other) improvements to the Plaza, click the link above and fill out an application!

Another Two Meetings on The Village
First Humboldt State University hosted a public meeting to discuss its previously-denied involvement with the project, then the Arcata City Council toured the site and heard more public testimony.

HCAOG Monthly Meeting – More Exciting Than it Sounds!
Among the items on yesterday’s agenda was adopting the new Humboldt County Regional Bike Plan.

CTC, CARB to Hold First Joint Meeting
The California Transportation Commission and California Air Resources Board are scheduled to hold their first joint meeting next week to discuss issues of air quality, climate change and transportation. Joint meetings of the two agencies to coordinate their goals will become a regular occurrence as a result of a state law passed last year.

CTC Considers North Coast Projects for Funding
At its own meeting next week, the CTC will consider a large number of funding requests from Caltrans and local agencies for local projects. Those include two bridge retrofits and an electric vehicle charging station on Route 96, upgrades to the Highway 101/299 interchange in Arcata and the 101/Ehler Road intersection in Klamath, some pedestrian improvements to Broadway in Eureka, fish passage barrier removal on Avenue of the Giants, the Martin Slough restoration project, stormwater drainage improvements on Route 36, several Safe Routes to School projects, and more. Perhaps most intriguing are a project which would include construction of a Class 1 bike path along Highway 101 in Arcata from the St. Louis Road overpass to north of Giuntoli Lane and one which would construction tide gates along the US 101 corridor between Arcata and Eureka.

AB 2363 Passes Assembly Committee
The bill, which would re-examine the state’s current policy on setting speed limits, passed the Transportation & Housing Committee and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Caltrain Improves Rider Service & Intermodal Connectivity
The newly expanded “bikes board first” program seems to be working out quite well.

Koch Brothers Lead the Fight Against Public Transit Nationwide
Is anyone really surprised?

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
This week’s obstruction is a parked utility truck completely blocking the lane. Also seen (but not photographed) this week: orange traffic cones, with “temporary no parking” signs taped to them, placed in a marked bike lane. “Temporary”?!?  Submit your photos of bike lane (or sidewalk) obstructions to colin@tranportationpriorities.org.

HSU Meeting on The Village, Council to Conduct Site Visit
After months of radio silence, Humboldt State administrators have finally admitted that they will be actively involved in operating the (newly housing-downsized, parking-upsized) student housing project called The Village. HSU will host a “town hall” meeting to answer questions about the project on Monday. Meanwhile, the Arcata City Council continues its consideration of the project with a planned meeting & site visit on Tuesday.

CRTP on the EcoNews Report
Executive Director Colin Fiske was interviewed this week for the KHSU show by EPIC Executive Director (and CRTP Board member) Tom Wheeler. Listen to the archived show for a discussion of interesting transportation planning topics and some CRTP projects.

California Utilities Move Forward with Big Plans for EV Charging Network
Thousands of new charging stations for cars as well as heavy-duty vehicles are planned for locations across the state.

E-Scooters Are the Hot New Transportation Thing – But What to Do About Them?
A bill in the state legislature seeks to define what they are, at least. Meanwhile, Los Angeles and San Francisco crack down on scooter-share programs, but Santa Monica refuses to do the same.

SB 827 is Dead (for Now), But the Debate Continues
Is upzoning around transit a racist gentrification policy or a socially and environmentally responsible way to address the housing crisis? Or maybe it depends on the context?

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Bike Lane Obstruction of the Week
This week: parked cars in Arcata (this is an almost daily obstruction at this particular location). Submit your photos of bike lane (or sidewalk) obstructions to colin@tranportationpriorities.org!

The Village Moves to City Council with Less Housing, More Parking
The Arcata City Council took up The Village student housing project this week after months of marathon Planning Commission hearings. But before they did, the project was once more revised to lower the number of proposed residents to 600 (from an original proposal of 800) and increase the parking spaces provided to 409 (from an original proposal of 366). In other words, its a much less effective infill project than originally proposed, and incentives to avoid car usage have been significantly reduced. This is a clear result of the constant drumbeat of complaints from local residents worried, among other things, about students driving and parking on their streets. Ironically, the changes will likely lead to more traffic impacts from the project rather than less.

Humboldt County Supes to Consider a Budget with More Road Funding
An increase of more than $4 million for road maintenance and repair is proposed. Probably necessary, but it’s a drop in the bucket.

Eureka’s Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Cancelled
Again. What’s going on here? No one would claim that Eureka has no transportation problems to tackle, but the Commission has repeatedly cancelled meetings for lack of agenda items.

Transportation Wins in Statewide Votes
Bike/ped/transit advocates were pretty happy with the results of Tuesday’s statewide voting.

Traffic Safety/Speed Limit Bill Heads to the Senate
After passing the Assembly, the so-called “Vision Zero Task Force” bill, which would create a committee to study the wacky way California sets speed limits among other factors influencing traffic injuries and fatalities, has been referred to the Senate Transportation & Housing Committee.

UCLA Study Shows State Transit Ridership is Declining
And recommends how to reverse the decline. Perhaps the most significant suggestion: make transit cheaper (or free) and make driving and parking more expensive, to better reflect the public costs and benefits of each mode of transportation.

Caltrans’ Internal Struggles to Address Bike & Pedestrian Safety
A revealing inside look at how things are changing (a little) in the massive agency.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.