The Collector
June 12, 2020
Another Demonstration, Another Attempted Vehicular Homicide
As protesters politely used the crosswalk to cross Central Avenue in McKinleyville yesterday, a driver apparently angry at their anti-racist message sped an SUV through the crowd, narrowly missing several people (and horses). This time, the horrifying incident was captured on video by a local reporter. Yet the incident, which came very close to resulting in serious injury or death for people on the street, was still barely mentioned in media coverage of the event. There has also been no word on whether local law enforcement officials will pursue charges against the driver. This is not an isolated incident. Thankfully, no such incidents were reported at the previous day’s march in Arcata, where protesters occupied the whole street on their way from the Plaza to HSU.
Don’t Forget to Take Our Survey!
Let us know how you’ve been getting around during the pandemic, and what you think of some ideas for making the streets safer and healthier.
A Short Reading List on Racism and Equity in Transportation
There are volumes written on the intertwined histories of racial politics and transportation. But if you’re new to the idea that a highway could be a monument to racism, and you’re looking for a place to start, here are a few suggestions:
- How Segregation Caused Your Traffic Jam: An introduction to the history of racist “urban renewal” and freeway building from the New York Times Magazine.
- What Cars Can Teach Us About New Policing Technologies: Sarah Seo, author of the groundbreaking 2019 book Policing the Open Road, briefly lays out the direct line from the advent of automobiles to the expansion of police powers and modern discriminatory policing.
- Dangerous by Design: The latest edition of the national pedestrian safety report highlights the heightened risk of death for pedestrians of color.
- Race, Class and the Stigma of Riding the Bus in America: How public transit ridership became increasingly low-income and non-white.
- America’s Unfair Rules of the Road: An overview of race and class discrimination in the American transportation system.
How Can Tribal Pedestrian Safety Be Improved?
Pedestrian fatality rates are extremely high in Native communities nationwide. If you’re interested in how to help address this issue on the North Coast, you might want to check out the first in a series of upcoming webinars called “Walking Towards Justice in Indian Country.”
Arcata Planning Commission Discusses Infill Plan
The city’s plan to encourage more infill development is tied closely to its efforts to encourage active transportation and transit.
Trails Everywhere!
An update from last weekend’s Virtual Trails Summit.
Weekly Street Story Update: Harris Street Hazards
Five new local reports were made in Street Story in the last week, including two reports of hazards on Harris Street in Eureka. Like many local reports, these reports highlight areas that can be unsafe for people using any mode of transportation, not just walking or biking. If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision, make your Street Story report here.
New Transportation Bill Introduced by House Democrats Includes Major Changes
There are some important policy shifts to better support transit and long-distance passenger rail, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve safety. But highways still get the vast majority of the funding. For more details and analysis, check out this informative post. Our own North Coast Representative Jared Huffman is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Bike-Parking Bill Passes Assembly
On to the Senate!
Effectiveness and Equity in Post-COVID Commuting
Ideas for ensuring that transit, micro-mobility, and other critical commuting modes are safe and accessible to everyone.
Tesla Refuses to Disclose Carbon Emissions
What’s an EV company got to hide?
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.