The Collector
April 28, 2023
May is Bike Month. Take the Pledge to Pedal!
Bike Month is an annual celebration of biking as a fun, healthy, sustainable mode of transportation, and a way to encourage new people to get out on their bikes. This year, CRTP and the Bike Month Humboldt Coalition are encouraging people to sign a “pledge to pedal.” You can customize your pledge, whether it’s to join one of the many scheduled events or to take a trip by bike that you would normally take by car. And while you’re on the website, don’t miss the calendar. The featured event next week: Wednesday is National Walk, Roll or Bike to School Day!
Let’s Invest in Public Transit
Check out today’s op-ed from CRTP in the Lost Coast Outpost about the need for more local investment in the transit system. We’re excited and proud that local transit agencies keep getting state grants like the one this week, which will help fund the transition to zero-emission buses and build a much-needed transit center in Crescent City. But if we want really high-quality transit service, we’re going to have to invest local dollars too.
The Kind of Development Environmentalists Support
We like walkable, transit-oriented infill development – especially affordable housing on underused parking lots! Listen to this week’s EcoNews Report for much more on this topic. And if you know an affordable housing developer who might be interested in the opportunities currently available in Eureka, check out the city’s requests for proposals here.
Better Bike Parking for the McKinleyville Town Center
Our years of advocacy for a walkable, bikeable Town Center plan continue to have an impact! This week, members of the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee unanimously supported improving standards for secure, weather-protected, short-term and long-term bike parking in the Town Center ordinance.
Victims of Eureka High-Speed Car Chase Need Help
We’ve said it many times before: high-speed police chases are notorious for injuring and killing bystanders (not to mention police and suspects). In this case, the suspects crashed their truck into another vehicle, critically injuring its occupants. Earlier, their vehicle had hit and severely injured a pedestrian. These outcomes are tragically predictable. So why are dangerous high-speed chases still allowed by local law enforcement agencies?
When Was the Last Time You Made a Report on Street Story?
Reports of hazards on the street, as well as near-misses and even actual collisions, help CRTP advocate for safety improvements and help local governments get safety grants. The more reports we have, the harder it is for decision-makers to ignore. You can even review reports other people have made if you want to advocate for safety improvements yourself! So make reporting on Street Story part of your routine. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Bike Safety Stop Bill Passes Transportation Committee (Again)
For the third year in a row, the bill allowing adult bicyclists to yield (instead of coming to a complete stop) at stop signs is moving through the legislature. Research has shown that this common-sense measure can actually increase safety, but the governor has vetoed it each of the last two years.
Pedestrian Fatality Data for 2021 Are Finally Released. It’s Really Bad.
Nationally, deaths increased by double-digit percentages. The problem is even greater in Black and Latinx neighborhoods. What will it take for policy makers to start taking this crisis seriously?
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.