The Collector

November 18, 2022

Editor’s Note: The Collector is taking a break next week. See you in December!

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State: Cut Driving 25% by 2030
The California Air Resources Board, which oversees the state’s response to the climate crisis, this week released the final draft of its new plan to cut climate pollution. The aspect of the plan that’s getting the most attention is its reliance on controversial and unproven “carbon capture” technologies to meet its targets, which will allow polluters to keep polluting longer.

What you won’t see in most headlines (but should) is this: the Board concluded that even if everything else goes to plan, we’ll have to reduce the collective number of miles driven in the state by 25% by 2030 – and even more by 2045 – in order to avoid total climate chaos. This is a dramatic increase from the last plan 5 years ago, which only called for reducing vehicle miles traveled by 15%. But here’s the thing: we’re nowhere near meeting even that less ambitious target. In fact, both total and per capita driving have increased over the last several years. That’s very bad news for the climate.

Here on the North Coast, driving produces more climate pollution than anything else we do. And people drive their cars for quite a long time before buying new ones, so it will take many years before they can all transition to zero-emission models. That means our collective responsibility to drive less is even greater. Humboldt County’s regional Climate Action Plan must reflect this reality, along with all the new housing, commercial and industrial development being planned for our region.

How Safe Do You Feel on Local Trails?
Cal Poly Humboldt master’s student Natalie Arroyo is conducting research on “people’s perceptions of safety on two local trails – the Hikshari’ Trail in Eureka (southern portion of the Bay Trail in Eureka), and the Hammond Trail in McKinleyville (in particular, the portion of the Hammond Trail north of Hiller Park).” She’s looking specifically for people who have used these trails very recently, so the experience is fresh in their minds. If that’s you, click the link above to take her survey!

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Please report road hazards, near misses and collisions on Street Story.
Your reports can save lives by helping us – and Caltrans and local governments – identify where safety improvements are needed before a tragedy occurs. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Why Are US Streets So Much More Dangerous Than Streets in Other Countries?
It’s not inevitable. It’s the result of choices we’ve made.

Can You Guess Where the Nation’s First All-Electric Bus Fleet Is?
If you guessed “Antelope Valley,” we tip our hats to you.

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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.

The Collector

November 11, 2022

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Give Your Input on Humboldt County’s Public Transit System
Local transportation planners are developing a new five-year plan for investing in our local transit system, and they need to hear from you! Take the survey to provide feedback based on your experiences riding the bus locally – or the reasons you don’t or can’t ride the bus without some changes to the system.

More Money, More Meetings?
Next Tuesday, the Arcata Planning Commission will hold yet another meeting on the Gateway Area Plan. This time, it is meant to focus on the proposed community benefits which the plan will incentivize developers to provide – benefits which could include things like bus passes for residents, upgraded bike storage facilities, and contributions to bike share and car share programs.

The next night, Wednesday, the City Council will consider whether to allocate another $118,000 for the Gateway planning process. The additional money has been requested by the Planning Commission to pay for even more meetings as part of the plan review and the development of a form-based code to implement it.

The Planning Commission has been reviewing the Gateway Plan for almost a year, and so far has nothing to show for it. This plan is critically important for meeting local housing and transportation needs. CRTP believes that the City Council should not write a blank check for more meetings without attaching a firm deadline for the final product. The lack of walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented housing is a crisis in our region, and we can’t afford to keep waiting forever!

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Please report road hazards, near misses and collisions on Street Story.
Your reports can save lives by helping us – and Caltrans and local governments – identify where safety improvements are needed before a tragedy occurs. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Why Did Voters Reject Prop 30?
Taxing the rich to pay for electric vehicle infrastructure should have been a popular idea in California. But the governor’s opposition doomed it.

America’s Rural Roads Are Extremely Dangerous
The risk of dying is much higher on a rural road than on an urban street. Part of the reason is roads designed for high-speed driving.

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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.

The Collector

November 4, 2022

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Zoning Laws Have Created Segregated, Car-Dependent Communities
Find out more about the problematic history and continuing impact of exclusionary zoning on our communities in CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske’s article in the EcoNews. (La versión en español está disponible aquí.)

This history is important to remember when thinking about local proposals like Arcata’s Gateway Area Plan, which attempts to use a different kind of zoning to encourage a less car-dependent neighborhood that could also accommodate a broader range of people than the single-family zoning that dominates most of the city (and others in the region). This is one of many reasons CRTP supports the Gateway Area Plan. The Arcata Planning Commission continues its debate on the plan next week.

Don’t Forget to Vote for CRTP!
North Coast Co-op members: you have until next Thursday (11/10) to vote for CRTP in next year’s Seeds for Change register round-up program. All local voters: you have until next Tuesday (11/8) to vote in those other elections, so do that too!

New Arcata Trail Takes Another Step Toward Construction
Arcata’s portion of the long-envisioned Annie & Mary Trail will provide a much-needed safe connection for people walking, biking and rolling between the Valley West neighborhood and the rest of town. Environmental documents for the project were released this week. The trail is already fully funded, and we are hoping it moves to the construction phase soon!

Another Tragedy on Broadway
Details are sparse, but our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim(s).  Every new tragedy renews our determination to get this deadly street redesigned and rebuilt for safety over speed. CRTP continues to participate in Caltrans project planning for Broadway, advocating for near-term safety improvements that will protect everybody.

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Please report road hazards, near misses and collisions on Street Story.
Your reports can save lives by helping us – and Caltrans and local governments – identify where safety improvements are needed before a tragedy occurs. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Cities and Towns Across the Country Are Eliminating Costly Parking Mandates
Recent towns to abolish parking mandates include Lexington, Kentucky, and Culver City, California. If they can agree on this common-sense reform in places as diverse as Kentucky and Southern California, why aren’t we doing it here?

Fancy New Car “Safety” Tech Isn’t Going to Save Us
Despite the hype, it’s mostly meant to make driving more convenient – not to save lives.

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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.

The Collector

October 28, 2022

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VOTE FOR CRTP!
If you’re a North Coast Co-op member, please click the link above right now to vote for CRTP in next year’s Seeds for Change register round-up program. Funds raised from this program can be a critical source of support for a small organization like us. (Also, don’t forget to vote in those other elections, too.)

A Week of Tragedies
Sunday evening, Rio Dell resident Donald Ferguson was killed by the driver of a pick-up truck while biking on Highway 101 in southern Eureka. Early Wednesday morning, an unnamed person was killed by a driver while walking in Arcata’s Valley West neighborhood. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of both of the victims.

Nationwide, pedestrian deaths are increasing sharply. These tragedies are allowed to happen because we have designed roadways for speed over safety. It doesn’t have to be this way. Listen to the latest episode of the EcoNews Report about getting to zero traffic deaths, and attend a public meeting in Arcata next Wednesday to tell the city you want its Local Road Safety Plan to actually make the roads safe for everybody – even if it means some inconvenience for drivers.

Key Decisions for Local Housing
As CRTP Board Member Tom Wheeler argues in an op-ed in the Times-Standard, it’s time to prioritize affordable infill housing over parking lots. What it’s not time for is more sprawl, like the project proposed in Indianola by local billionaire Rob Arkley. Housing built in a place where you need a car is not housing that’s available for many people with disabilities, people with low incomes, older people, and people who choose not to drive for other reasons. It’s also not great for kids (who can’t drive) or their parents (who have to drive them everywhere).

Arkley’s project is expected to have its first appearance before the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors at their meeting next week, where Supervisors could end the project before it gets any further or could vote to spend a lot of time and money on staff time and studies.

There are also two meetings next week where you can weigh in on Cal Poly Humboldt’s plans for student housing and other campus-related infrastructure. Or just take the survey. Let’s encourage the university to keep it walkable and stop doubling down on cars. In other words, let’s tell them to invest in bike and pedestrian safety and on-campus housing, and forget about their five-story parking structure boondoggles!

Great Redwood Trail Plan Website Unveiled
Check out maps, take the survey, and weigh in on the future of one of the nation’s most ambitious trail projects.

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Please report road hazards, near misses and collisions on Street Story.
Your reports can save lives by helping us – and Caltrans and local governments – identify where safety improvements are needed before a tragedy occurs. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Why Are California Lawmakers So Hostile Toward Scooters?
A new law will make it much harder to operate a scooter-share system, and may not bode well for bikeshare systems either.

Secretary Pete Is Upset About Traffic Violence
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg isn’t pulling his punches when it comes to the carnage on our roads, referring to “murderous” drivers in a recent interview. But his proposed solution – self-driving cars – isn’t really going to work either.

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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.

The Collector

October 21, 2022

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Eureka’s Bay-to-Zoo Trail and C Street Bike Boulevard Fully Funded!
Staff at the California Transportation Commission have recommended funding these two long-awaited active transportation projects. (Unfortunately, a proposed trail project in Fortuna did not make it onto the funding list.) Both Eureka projects will provide much-needed north-south bike and pedestrian connectivity between Downtown/Old Town and other residential and commercial areas. The Commission itself will have to vote on the recommendations at a future meeting, but staff recommendations for funding are almost always upheld.

In other Eureka news, the City Council this week approved an amended housing plan that will speed up development of walkable, infill housing on downtown parking lots and in other parts of the city, and Cal Poly Humboldt is offering additional funding for the EaRTH Center transit and housing hub.

Big Steps Forward for the Great Redwood Trail
We’re happy to announce that the federal Surface Transportation Board, which oversees railroads, this week rejected an attempt by the Skunk Train’s parent company to take over part of the defunct rail line near Willits. If successful, this takeover would have put a big hole in the middle of the future Great Redwood Trail system. Fortunately, it was the last obstacle in the railbanking process. With that out of the way – and the outrageous coal train scheme defeated months ago – State Senator Mike McGuire will be holding a public trail planning kick-off town hall next Monday. Click the link in the headline above to register.

Arcata Council Candidates Talk About Transportation, Other Topics
You can watch the full candidate forum here. We also encourage you to tell the city directly what you think about road safety issues by taking the survey currently available here (en español aquí), and by making reports on Street Story. Whatever you do, don’t forget to vote!

County Proposes Living Shoreline for Eureka-Arcata Corridor
Humboldt County says it will protect the key transportation corridor – which by late next year will include a complete Humboldt Bay Trail! – from accelerating sea level rise by restoring some of the bordering salt marsh. This is a great environmentally friendly approach, although we’ve been warned it’s likely to be extremely expensive.

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The City of Arcata would like you to make more reports on Street Story.
The city is developing a Local Road Safety Plan, and they are using Street Story reports to help identify safety concerns. So this week, we’re specifically asking you to make reports of hazards, near-misses and collisions located in Arcata. Of course, you can also make reports anywhere else too! La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Canadian Cities Discover Parking Isn’t the Best Use of Precious Urban Space
Hey, we could have told them that.

Parking Guru Donald Shoup Explains How Less Parking Means More Affordable Housing
Which is part of why a new California law prohibiting local governments from imposing costly parking mandates near high-quality transit is such a big deal.

Banks Are Perpetuating the Oversupply of Parking
Providing parking with new housing makes construction more expensive, increases rents and encourages car dependence. But even when local governments encourage a development to include less parking, the banks funding the project often require more. Is anyone really surprised that big banks are behind yet another societal problem?

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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.

The Collector

October 14, 2022

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VOTE!
You probably received your ballot in the mail this week. Don’t ignore it! Local, state and federal elections have a huge impact on our transportation systems and our daily lives. Do your research and vote for candidates and ballot measures that support your values and priorities.

New Proposed Gateway Plan Revisions
The City of Arcata has proposed some revisions to the Gateway Area Plan, for the first time since the draft plan was published last December. The most high-profile issues, like building height, have not yet been addressed, but the changes do include a number of small improvements – many of them suggested by CRTP in our initial comment letter. It remains, as we’ve said many times, the most bike and pedestrian friendly land use plan ever seen in our region.

The Planning Commission also discussed the Plan again this week, and tentatively settled on a building height cap of 7 stories instead of 8. But rather than making any final recommendations, they instead spent several hours identifying topics they wanted to talk about more. Nearly a year into their review with little to show for it, the Planning Commission may be wishing they had heeded our earlier advice to conduct a time-limited, targeted review instead of getting bogged down in endless discussions with the same people about the same topics.

Parking, Parking and More Parking at the Eureka Planning Commission
As we see often at local planning meetings, when the Eureka Planning Commission met this week, they had parking on the brain. First, they approved construction of yet another downtown parking lot, despite the city’s own parking study showing that the area already has more parking than it needs. Then, they discussed whether to require the historic Victorian “Pinc Lady” mansion to pave over its garden for a parking lot to serve patrons of its new café and lodging rooms. Thankfully, that idea was voted down.

But they weren’t done talking about parking! It was also a hot topic in their discussions about the city’s housing plans, and about the update of its coastal zoning code. Unfortunately, we at CRTP have to talk about parking a lot too, as we try to undo the damage done to our communities by decades of policies requiring way too much of it everywhere – and the resulting cultural expectation of being able to store your personal vehicle anywhere you want, in public, for free.

Eureka City Council to Talk Downtown Housing and Transit
Next Tuesday’s Eureka City Council agenda includes the scheduled adoption of an amended Housing Element, the legally binding document that details the city’s plans for developing new housing. Although we continue to be deeply disappointed with the decision to scrap plans for housing on several downtown parking lots, the new Element does include the exciting housing-and-transit EaRTH Center as well as other much-needed infill development on city-owned lots – and it commits to soliciting proposals from developers for all these sites within 6 months. For those reasons, CRTP is supporting the amended Housing Element.

Speaking of the EaRTH Center, the Council will also be considering an agreement with Cal Poly Humboldt to help fund student housing as part of that project, bringing it one step closer to reality.

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Your reports help us advocate for safer streets.
Make a report on Street Story every time you see or experience a new hazard, near-miss or collision. La versión en español está disponible aquí. 

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Sidewalks Are Important!
But in many communities – including here on the North Coast – building and maintaining sidewalks is the responsibility of adjacent property owners, even while government agencies pay to maintain the streets. This typically results in a patchwork of deteriorating sidewalks which are impossible to navigate for many people. Advocates in Denver are looking to change that with a ballot initiative that would provide dedicated public funding for sidewalks.

Walking is So Good For You
That’s not news. But a new study finds that you don’t have to walk many miles a day to improve your health – every little bit helps. Considering that the average American takes 4 trips a day, almost all by car, converting even just one short trip a day to active transportation would have a huge impact on public health – not to mention the climate.

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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.

The Collector

October 7, 2022

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Will Arcata Planning Commission Make Some Decisions on the Gateway Plan?
The Commissioners were supposed to make key recommendations about issues like building heights at their last meeting, but didn’t get to it because of long discussion about another agenda item. Next week, the Gateway Plan is the only item on their agenda. Taller buildings are needed to achieve levels of density that support real walkability, bikeability, and better public transit, so the recommendation on building heights will be an important one for Arcata’s transportation future. But the City Council will have the final say.

Eureka City Council to Reconsider Bike Safety Improvements!
At the end of its Tuesday meeting, the Council decided to reconsider its previous rejection of one-lane streets with bikeways on W and Dolbeer Streets. The issue is now expected to come back to the Council on October 18th. On another topic, Councilmember (and soon-to-be County Supervisor) Natalie Arroyo also requested city staff return at some time in the future with a plan for filling gaps in the city’s sidewalk network. And the Council also approved a revolving loan fund for streetscape improvements. Meanwhile, potential future Councilmembers recently weighed in on some transportation issues as well.

The Invention of “Jaywalking”
Learn how, starting in the early 1900s, people were deprived of their long-held right to walk in public streets and roads in this article by CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske. But things may be turning around! Last week Governor Newsom signed a bill that prohibits police from stopping people who cross the street safely outside a crosswalk – effectively decriminalizing a lot of “jaywalking.”

Take the Survey About Street Safety in Arcata
The city is developing a local road safety plan and wants your input. They also want you to make more reports on Street Story!

CRTP & Allies Issue Statement on PG&E Power Pole Herbicide Spraying
Many power poles are in or near areas where people walk, bike and roll, and measures must be taken to protect kids and other vulnerable road users from dangerous pesticides.

Humboldt Residents to Be Appointed to Statewide Transportation Equity Committee
At its meeting next week, the California Transportation Commission will appoint members – including local advocate for people with disabilities (and CRTP Board Member) Peggy Martinez, as well as Cal Poly Humboldt Executive Director of Initiatives Connie Stewart – to a committee to advice Caltrans and other agencies on how to improve transportation equity.

Funding for Bay Trail South Set for Final Approval!
Also on the state Transportation Commission’s agenda next week is approval of construction funding for the final 4 miles of the Bay Trail connecting Arcata and Eureka. The long-awaited trail is currently scheduled for construction next summer. If you missed the recent Trails Summit, get more local trail updates here.

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Your reports help us advocate for safer streets.
Make a report on Street Story every time you see or experience a new hazard, near-miss or collision. La versión en español está disponible aquí. 

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Words Are Nice, But We Need Safer Streets
Check out the op-ed by CRTP Board Member Carisse Geronimo.

Gas Prices Are Super High Again
Apparently, no one knows why or what to do about it. We remind policymakers that you don’t need gas to walk, bike, roll, or take an electric bus.

More Bills Signed and Vetoed by Newsom
Before the deadline last week, Governor Newsom approved bills requiring the development of statewide bike parking standards, and one that further supports development of the Great Redwood Trail, among many others. Disturbingly, he vetoed a bill that would have required transportation spending to align with the state’s climate goals. And he signed a bill that will impose onerous insurance requirements on scooter-share systems, striking a potentially critical blow to low-carbon “micromobility” systems. Check out the article linked in the headline for a full review of bills signed and vetoed.

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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.

The Collector

September 30, 2022

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$500,000 for Eureka Streetscape Improvements?
On Tuesday, the City Council will consider establishing a loan fund to support businesses making improvements like curb extensions, bike parking and public art.

Ride the Bus!
Check out CRTP Vice President Tom Wheeler’s handy guide to riding the bus in Humboldt County.

Eureka Council Stops Safety Improvements on W & Dolbeer Streets
Despite overwhelming evidence that safety would be improved and a recommendation from the city’s Transportation Safety Commission to move forward with the project, 3 of the 5 Councilmembers voted against it.

Migrations: Walking Together in Arcata
Join all or part of the walk on Saturday from the Arcata Playhouse to Carlson Park for this “multi-disciplinary, multicultural performance project.”

Unmet Transit Needs Hearings Coming Up
Do you have a problem with the local bus system that our transit agencies could fix? Attend one of the upcoming annual Unmet Transit Needs hearings and share your input. (Información en español aquí.) Any information you provide is useful to our local agencies. But it’s also important to know that there are legal and funding restrictions that prevent a lot of needed improvements from being made, so broader reforms are needed. Find out more about how this annual process works here.

Fish Farm Appeal Denied, New Commitments Made
While the vote to deny the appeal was unanimous, Supervisor Mike Wilson was still able to secure some changes to the project – including a commitment to an annual report on decarbonization of the truck fleet serving the facility.

Changes Coming to Arcata’s 8th and 9th Streets
They will become single-lane one ways between I and K Streets, hopefully with significant bike and pedestrian improvements. Check out a pop-up demonstration Saturday morning, and take the survey to provide your input.

Are You a Member of the Cal Poly Humboldt Community?
Join us at the Sustainable Transportation Fair next Tuesday!

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Your reports help us advocate for safer streets.
Make a report on Street Story every time you see or experience a new hazard, near-miss or collision. La versión en español está disponible aquí. 

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Newsom Signs Bills Requiring Safer Traffic Signals, Traffic Safety Plans
AB 2264 will require most traffic signals to provide a “walk” sign at least 3 seconds before the light turns green for cars, to improve safety and visibility for pedestrians. SB 932 requires cities and counties to incorporate better bike, pedestrian and traffic safety plans into their General Plans.

But He Vetoes Support for E-Bikes, Car-Free Households
Newsom killed a bill that would have provided tax breaks for zer0-car households, and one that would have made an e-bike voucher program permanent – even though that program is already funded and under development.

Second Major City Poised to Ban Right-on-Red
The maneuver, legalized by an obscure provision of a federal energy policy law in the 1970s, has long been known to be dangerous for pedestrians.

Bloated Gas-Guzzler Sales Undoing Progress from EVs
People are buying more electric vehicles. But they’re also buying ever-bigger gas-powered trucks and SUVs, so emissions from the transportation sector keep going up.

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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.

The Collector

September 23, 2022

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Global Climate March Today at 5pm on Arcata Plaza
Take part in a global day of action and hear what local youth have to say about the future of the planet.

Eureka City Council Puts Off Decision on W and Dolbeer Streets
Commenters were split for and against the proposed project. CRTP acknowledges that it’s natural for people to have concerns about changes to a street in front of an elementary school, and there are some design improvements that can and should be made. But we also believe that decisions like this should be based on evidence, and the evidence is clear that high-quality bike facilities and narrower streets increase safety for everyone, including kids.

2022 Humboldt Trails Summit Tomorrow
Hear about what’s going on in the local trail scene, including updates from Humboldt County Deputy Public Works Director Hank Seemann and State Senator Mike McGuire.

Take a “Good Neighbor Bike Ride” in Eureka
Join the good folks at Bike Party Humboldt and meet some new friends and neighbors.

Arcata Planning Commission to Try Working Through Gateway Issues
Next Tuesday, Commissioners will participate in an exercise to “identify concerns and solutions” related to hot-button issues like building height, community benefits and public engagement. We hope this exercise will finally result in some votes to start moving this important plan forward. In the meantime, check CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske’s recent op-ed in the Times-Standard explaining why parking is not – and should not be – a focus of the plan.

Humboldt Supervisors to Hear Nordic Aquafarms Appeal Next Wednesday
Among the issues raised by appellants is the likely undercounting of emissions from long-distance trucking to serve the massive facility.

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Your reports help us advocate for safer streets.
Make a report on Street Story every time you see or experience a new hazard, near-miss or collision. La versión en español está disponible aquí. 

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What Does PG&E’s Mess in Southern Humboldt Mean for Climate Action?
Local officials are sounding the alarm that the apparent moratorium on new electric hookups in the area could hamstring climate action, which requires electrification of buildings and vehicles. CRTP shares this concern. But we have also always known that electrification is not enough – we also have to reduce overall energy use, especially driving. This latest mess is a reminder that the climate crisis can’t be solved by just swapping out an electric machine for a fossil-powered one and continuing on with business as usual. Thankfully, driving less and lowering energy use have a lot of other benefits for health, safety, the economy and the environment as well!

Newsom Signs Bike Omnibus Bill!
The new law requires cars to change lanes (where possible) when passing a bike, allows bikes to follow pedestrian signals at intersections, prohibits local governments from requiring a bike license, and allows all e-bikes to use bike facilities by default. The governor also signed AB 2097 this week, which will prohibit parking requirements near high-quality public transit. The North Coast doesn’t currently have transit services that qualify, but hopefully we will in the future! Also signed into law was AB 1938, which makes it slightly easier to lower speed limits.

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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.

The Collector

September 16, 2022

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Arcata Highway Canyon Could Be Covered One Day
Decades ago, many Arcatans fought to prevent Caltrans from digging a massive trench through the heart of town to make Highway 101 into a freeway. Now, CRTP has learned that Caltrans may apply for a grant to study “capping” that freeway and adding new facilities like a transit hub and bus rapid transit system. A highway cap – or the related alternative of turning the freeway back into a slower urban street – could potentially create enough real estate not only for a transit hub but also much-needed amenities like parks and housing. It could help reconnect Cal Poly Humboldt and surrounding neighborhoods with the rest of town. This concept is in its earliest stages, so stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Eureka City Council to Decide on Bike Safety Project on W and Dolbeer Streets
City staff have proposed making them one-lane, one-way streets near Washington Elementary School and the zoo, in order to add bike facilities. Good bikeways are especially critical in places like this, where a lot of kids are likely to be biking or walking. These streets are also intended to anchor the future Bay-to-Zoo Trail, making it even more important that they have safe biking infrastructure. Show up or email the City Council to voice your support, and ask that they include a physical barrier between the bike lane and the cars.

Cal Poly Humboldt Holding Public Meetings on Campus Development Plans
There are two meetings next week where you can tell university administrators to follow its recently adopted Climate Action Plan – in other words, cancel plans for costly new parking structures, build on-campus bike storage facilities, and expand bikeshare and carshare systems, among other things.

Ride Your Bike to the North Country Fair!
CRTP will be providing free bike valet for anyone who arrives on a pedal-powered device. Come on down and see us!

Arcata Planning Commission Again Puts Off Gateway Plan Decisions
Commissioners seemed to reject the idea of a new Gateway task force – which CRTP also opposes as an unnecessary delay in the process – and inched toward supporting some of the proposed building heights, but didn’t take any actual votes. Meanwhile Alex Stillman has become the second Councilmember forced to recuse herself from future decision-making on the plan, and the city’s Transportation Safety Committee may reconsider its position on the plan’s proposed L and K Street changes next week.

Humboldt’s Road System Is Just Too Big and Expensive to Maintain
Despite an infusion of federal funding, the county still has a significant road funding deficit, largely driven by the constant need to repair major storm damage on rural roads.

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Your reports help us advocate for safer streets.
Make a report on Street Story every time you see or experience a new hazard, near-miss or collision. La versión en español está disponible aquí. 

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Newsom Vetoes Free Transit Passes for Kids…
Despite recent record surpluses in Sacramento, he says it’s just not in the budget. Find a more comprehensive legislative update from CalBike here.

…But There’s Apparently Plenty of Money to Support Our Gas Habit
Look for “gas refund” checks arriving from the state soon.

States Are Still Spending Huge Amounts of Money to Expand Highways
Despite the federal government finally recommending against it.

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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.