There is a traffic safety crisis on Highway 101 in Eureka, including Broadway, 4th Street, and 5th Street. These streets are extremely dangerous for people walking, biking, and rolling. Thankfully, Caltrans has begun making safety improvements to Broadway, including building protected bike lanes, additional safe pedestrian crossings, and intersection improvements. However, the remainder of Broadway improvements are not yet funded, and there are currently no plans for major safety improvements to 4th and 5th Streets.
Because of the way these streets are designed, vulnerable people are regularly killed there. In the last decade alone, at least 5 people have been killed and at least 35 people severely injured while walking or biking on 4th and 5th Streets. Pedestrians are severely injured or killed on these streets at 90 times the average rate for streets and roads in Humboldt County.
As local residents and street users, we are united in our belief that saving lives, improving quality of life, and increasing healthy transportation options should be prioritized above maintaining travel speeds. We ask that Caltrans take the following actions as soon as possible:
- Fully fund and construct planned safety improvements throughout the Broadway corridor.
- Convert one lane on 4th Street and one lane on 5th Street to protected bike lanes, so that Highway 101 consists of 2 vehicle lanes and 1 protected bike lane in each direction throughout Eureka.
- Add traffic signals and other safety improvements to key intersections on 4th and 5th Streets.
- Improve visibility at intersections.
- Slow car and truck traffic for everyone’s safety.
- Consider all safety upgrades recommended in the “Dangerous Downtown Streets” report.