The Collector
September 13, 2024
Public Meeting Next Week on Hiller Road Safety Improvements
Next Wednesday at 6 pm at Azalea Hall, the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee (MMAC) will be hosting a public meeting focused on the design of future safety improvements on Hiller Road. The project will be particularly focused on bike and pedestrian safety, and at CRTP’s urging it will be a “quick-build” project, meaning that it will be built soon using low-cost materials that last a few years – providing immediate safety benefits while giving time to find money for permanent improvements. CRTP is asking for the project to include narrower lanes and other traffic calming features, protected bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks, public art, and a quick-build protected intersection at Hiller & McKinleyville Avenue. Show up next Wednesday to have your say!
In addition to attending the meeting on Wednesday, a fantastic opportunity to share your experiences on Hiller Road is to make reports on Street Story! The MMAC has said they will review reports as they develop plans for the project. Get your reports in soon, and you can also make reports after the quick build has been completed to share your experience utilizing the new infrastructure. Haga clic aquí para hacer un informe en español.
South Broadway Complete Streets Project Nears Construction
CRTP has learned that the South Broadway Complete Streets project is on track for construction next year! This project is the result of years of advocacy by CRTP and our allies and will make one of the most dangerous stretches of road in our region much safer. CRTP continues to track the progress of the two other closely related safety projects that are planned for the rest of the Broadway corridor.
Another exciting project heading for construction in 2025 (or possibly 2026) is the long-planned Boyd Draw bike path under Highway 101 just north of Arcata’s Valley West neighborhood. The project will provide an alternate route for bicyclists and pedestrians across US 101 that avoids the Giuntoli interchange, and provide better access to the bike and pedestrian path on the Mad River highway bridge. The Humboldt County Planning Commission approved permits for the project this week.
Make Mosaics with Mir!
Join CRTP and local artist Mir de Silva on Thursday, October 10th for a mosaic-making workshop at Six Rivers Brewery in McKinleyville! All mosaic supplies will be included and all ticket proceeds benefit the work of the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities. We look forward to crafting a safer, greener future with you! Click here to buy tickets.
The Week Without Driving Starts Soon!
We’re just over a week away from the second national Week Without Driving. If you are a transportation decision-maker or an interested community member there’s still time to take the pledge to participate! And whether or not you take the pledge, you are invited to join CRTP and our partners for our two Week Without Driving walk audits in Eureka.
Who Are the Real Cheaters When It Comes to Measure F?
Rob Arkley has plowed over $1 million into the ballot measure to block affordable housing on Eureka’s downtown parking lots, paying for armies of professional petitioners, marketers and canvassers. At every step, the Measure F campaign has lied and misled the public about what the measure will do. They forced the city to defend itself against an absurd (and now dismissed) lawsuit about when the vote should be held. There was even a shadowy shell company that strung along the Eureka City School Board for months in an apparent attempt to re-shape the narrative about Measure F.
Now an opponent of Measure F reports that the campaign put a “Yes on F” sign in his yard without his permission. When he repurposed the sign to reflect his actual position on the issue, the Measure F campaign sent a mailer to Eureka voters accusing him and the entire No on F campaign of being “cheaters.” The irony of such an accusation should not be lost on Eurekans.
Eureka City Council Adopts Bike Plan
On Tuesday, the Eureka City Council adopted a citywide bike plan focused mainly on developing a network of Bike Boulevards on low-traffic streets. The Council did not take up CRTP’s requests to establish minimum design criteria for the Bike Boulevards to ensure they are actually safe and low-stress for bicyclists, nor commit to safety improvements on dangerous high-traffic streets as well. However, the Council did direct staff to pursue our proposal for a quick-build strategy for many of the projects. City staff assured Councilmembers and the public that the plan is a “living document” and can be changed in the future.
E-Bike Voucher Funds Running Low (Unless You Live in Arcata)
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority still has a little money for e-bike vouchers, but not very much – so if you apply now, you may be placed on a waiting list. But if you live in Arcata, there’s extra money set aside just for you! That’s because the city made a special contribution to RCEA’s e-bike fund just for Arcata residents.
News from Beyond the North Coast
First Federal Vehicle Standards for Pedestrian Safety Proposed
For the first time, the federal government is proposing a safety rule for vehicles meant to protect pedestrians (instead of just people inside the vehicle). The new rule is aimed squarely at the enormous and dangerous pickup trucks and SUVs taking over American roads, and would require automakers to change hood designs to protect the heads of the pedestrians their vehicles might hit.
Bike Lanes Make Roads Safer for Everyone
A new study adds to the evidence that bike lanes – especially when protected by vertical barriers – cause drivers to slow down, which reduces injuries and deaths for all road users.
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.