The Collector
September 18, 2026
Just How Dangerous Is Our Region for Pedestrians?
Almost every year, Humboldt County ranks among the most dangerous counties in the state for pedestrians. Eureka is always close to the top in the list of the most dangerous small cities in the state.
We know that much of this bad local safety record for pedestrians – and for bicyclists and motorists – is the result of the dangers on US 101 in Eureka, which is why we are fighting so hard for safety improvements on Broadway and on 4th and 5th Streets. Just this week, in a dark irony, a young Caltrans contractor helping to install new protected bike lanes on Broadway – bike lanes CRTP fought hard to get built – was hit by a driver and severely injured. Our thoughts are with Ronnie Franklin, and we hope he has a full and speedy recovery. Clearly, we have a long way to go to make our local roads safe.
A new national report helps put our local situation into perspective. The report ranks California’s 2nd Congressional District, encompassing the North Coast region, as the 150th most dangerous for pedestrians. In other words, about two thirds of US congressional districts have a pedestrian safety record better than ours. And the United States as a whole has the highest pedestrian death rate among the world’s high-income countries.
While Eureka might be the epicenter of this crisis locally, these data show that the whole region has a lot of work to do to ensure the freedom to walk safely in our local communities.
Join the Local Transit Improvement Movement!
As California Transit Month continues, CRTP will be hosting a local gathering for transit riders next Monday, September 21st. It’s an opportunity to connect with fellow riders and add your voice to local and regional transit issues. From protecting existing funding to building a better system for riders of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds, attend to learn how you can make a difference on Humboldt’s bus systems. Text or call 707-440-9839 for time & location.
You can also honor Transit Month by participating in the annual Unmet Transit Needs process, which provides an opportunity to get your observations and opinions about the need for specific transit service improvements documented in the official record. You can provide your input using the survey here.
And don’t forget to keep logging your transit rides throughout the month of September for a chance to win prizes donated by the Humboldt Transit Authority!
Big Local Trail Investments Planned
The Great Redwood Trail Agency board of directors is meeting today and is slated to approve a list of substantial new investments in trail projects throughout the region. We are particularly excited to see funding allocated to complete environmental and design work for a new trail from Eureka to College of the Redwoods, and to plan, design, and build a trail from Arcata to Manila.
These trails are long-time community priorities which will fill in big gaps in regional active transportation commuting infrastructure. Currently, many people bike on highway shoulders to get between College of the Redwoods and Eureka, and between Arcata and Manila, often because they have no other options. Developing these trails will dramatically improve safety and attract more people to use healthy, climate-friendly modes of transportation.
Why Are Street Safety Improvements Being Removed?
This week, the city of Eureka removed two quick-build mini-roundabouts that had only recently been installed. The idea is to collect data on intersection safety without the mini-roundabouts in place, so it can be compared to data collected while they were there. We wish the city had collected data before they installed the mini-roundabouts and then left them there. But under the circumstances, we hope that the new safety data will at least provide support for more safety interventions in the future.
Meanwhile, we are advocating for the city of Arcata to leave its new quick-build speed humps on K and 11th Streets in place. While they have not solved all the safety problems on these streets, these speed humps have resulted in notable decreases in vehicle speeds where they were installed.
Eureka Parking Management Changes
Eureka is proposing new parking rules in its Downtown and Old Town neighborhoods, adding stricter time limits for on-street parking in an attempt to encourage parking turnover and benefit local businesses. We appreciate the city’s attempt to better manage its on-street parking. But the most effective, efficient, and fair way to manage parking is to charge a reasonable rate for it and let drivers decide how long to stay, rather than trying to figure out in advance exactly how long a car should be allowed to occupy each space. The city has previously announced plans to meter on-street parking in the area, and we look forward to those plans being developed and implemented soon.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Why Are State Leaders Giving Money to Big Oil Instead of Transit?
Check out this op-ed for an overview of the California Air Resources Board’s terrible decision de-funding state transit programs, and the legislature’s failure to fix the problem.
Vote No on Propositions 43 & 45
Proposition 43 would make it nearly impossible for local communities to raise money for things like transit, bike lanes, and sidewalks. Proposition 45 would remove environmental guardrails for major construction projects, including highway expansions and other climate-wrecking boondoggles. CRTP urges a No vote on both.
The Self-Driving Cars Are Coming…and There’s Nobody in Them
For years, experts have warned that if autonomous vehicles become widespread, they will clog the streets and highways while driving around empty waiting for a passenger. We are seeing glimpses of that future already, leading advocates to call for the implementation of a vacant vehicle fee.
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.