The Collector
July 10, 2026
The Plan for Zero Traffic Deaths in Humboldt County
The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) has been developing a regional Vision Zero Action Plan for the last year or so. Vision Zero is the policy, increasingly adopted by governments around the world, that all traffic deaths and serious injuries are unacceptable and must be prevented.
The draft plan for eliminating traffic deaths and injuries in Humboldt is not yet available, but HCAOG has recently published some additional data they are using to inform their efforts and a proposed list of priority safety projects. Unsurprisingly, the data identify parts of Broadway, 4th, and 5th Streets as some of the most dangerous places in the county. CRTP is still reviewing the new information and will continue to advocate for effective and comprehensive safety reforms.
As part of the Vision Zero plan development, several local governments are currently implementing pop-up safety interventions. These include four speed humps on Arcata’s K and 11th Streets – corridors CRTP has long targeted for safety upgrades – along with two mini roundabouts in Eureka, speed humps and bike lanes in Ferndale, and radar speed feedback signs in Fortuna. Local government representatives will be visiting some of these sites to observe driver behavior and get feedback on July 20th and 21st. You can also provide feedback on these projects through an online survey.
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These pop-up projects will only be in place for a couple of months. We think they should be permanent. But we know it will take more than a few small interventions – even permanent ones – to get to zero deaths. And every new death on our streets in the meantime is one that could have been avoided if Caltrans and local governments had acted sooner.
Thanks for Sharing Your Stories!
Many of you responded to our call last week for stories about the importance of the Amtrak connecting bus between Arcata and the San Francisco Bay Area. We sent those stories to the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority – the agency that runs the Amtrak bus – to show them how needed this service is on the North Coast. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months as we continue to advocate to protect this essential bus service.
Eureka Housing Workshop Next Tuesday
As progress continues on several planned and under-construction housing projects in the city, Eureka is updating its state-mandated Housing Element to demonstrate how and where the city plans to add more needed housing over the next eight years. Next Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Wharfinger Building, the city will be hosting a family-friendly workshop to gather input on the Housing Element. If you can’t make it to the workshop, you can also fill out an online survey. Encourage the city to continue its focus on walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented development, to ensure that new housing is affordable, equitable, and climate-friendly!
Arcata is also updating its Housing Element, and recently conducted its own online survey of residents. Most respondents thought that new housing should go in renovated buildings, near shopping or town centers, near bus routes, and near mixed-use or commercial areas. The results show that Arcata residents understand the connection between housing and transportation, and that they place a high value on walkability.
Also Next Tuesday: Amazon Distribution Center Meeting
If you’re not at the Eureka housing workshop next Tuesday evening, you may want to attend an online public meeting being held in preparation for the environmental review of the proposed Amazon distribution center in McKinleyville.
The purpose of the meeting is to get public input on what types of environmental impacts should be reviewed. If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can also submit comments by July 29th via mail or email (instructions here). CRTP will be urging the county to consider the safety impacts of the additional traffic on local streets with no sidewalks or bike lanes, as well as the impacts of new driving and pollution caused by all the additional quick-delivery online shopping the facility is intended to enable.
Solidarity Gathering Next Monday
Join CRTP’s friends and allies at 350 Humboldt and the Climate Action Campaign at Humbrews on Monday for Friends of the Eel River’s monthly Solidarity Gathering. The door will be open at 5:00, and presentations begin at 5:30. Each organization will take fifteen minutes to introduce themselves and give you something you can do right then and there to take action for the climate!
Mark Your Calendars for Transit Month and the Week Without Driving
CRTP and Tri-County Independent Living are hosting the annual Week Without Driving from October 1 through October 8, 2026. This year, leading up to the Week Without Driving, we’ll also be recognizing September as California’s Transit Month. Stay tuned for information about Transit Month events.
The Week Without Driving helps drivers understand the experiences of nondrivers, including many people with disabilities, seniors, kids, and folks who can’t afford a car. Anyone can sign up to participate, but we particularly encourage elected officials, public agency staff, business leaders, and editors and reporters at local media outlets to sign up, since these are all positions with a strong influence on our local transportation system.
Volunteer to Help Out with Bike Valet!
CRTP has expanded its bike valet service to many more local events this year, including the weekly Friday Night Markets in Eureka. We need volunteers to help us provide this free service! If you’re interested, email crtpbikevalet@gmail.com to find out more and volunteer.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Ode to the Humble Sidewalk
A new book discusses the central role of sidewalks in American life, along with all of the sidewalk controversies, policy challenges, and funding failures that are so common in our communities. Listen to an interview with the author here.
Walkable Development Is Sensible Fiscal Policy
Low-density, surburban-style development requires more local government spending than it produces in tax revenue. In contrast, higher density, walkable, downtown development generates significantly more revenue than it costs to serve with utilities and other infrastructure. The result is that downtowns subsidize sprawl, even when the suburbs are much wealthier. In the absence of dense, walkable development, local governments struggle to maintain needed infrastructure.
North Carolina Ends Parking Mandates
Under a new state law, local governments in North Carolina are prohibited from mandating that large amounts of parking be included in most new development. The law is meant to lower construction costs, which are driven up by the costs of parking lots and garages, and to reduce water pollution from overbuilt parking lots.
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.