Do You Have Photos of Bad Spots for Walking, Biking, or Rolling in McKinleyville?

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 29, 2021

Humboldt’s Draft Regional Transportation Plan Now Open for Comment
You can still take the survey until Sunday, and comments on the draft plan itself will be accepted until November 21st. Stay tuned for more on this critical plan, which will shape future transportation investments in the county for years to come.

Vote for CRTP!
Members of the North Coast Co-op choose which non-profits get to participate in their Seeds for Change Round-Up program, and CRTP is in the running for next year. Please support us!

Do You Have Photos of Bad Spots for Walking, Biking, or Rolling in McKinleyville?
The County wants to see them! (Léelo en español aquí.)

Secure Bike Parking on HSU’s Campus?
There are two opportunities next week to hear about a student-led initiative to address bike storage issues on campus.

Committee Hears Update on McKinleyville Town Center
Will McKinleyville finally get a walkable, transit-friendly town center? Plans are beginning to take shape after decades of work.

Caltrans Considers Options for Protecting Highway 101 Corridor
Rising sea levels will regularly flood the highway (and the new Bay Trail) in the foreseeable future if nothing is done.

RCEA Gets Grant for Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Planning
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority Board accepted a state grant this week to develop a charging and fueling plan for medium- and heavy-duty zero emission vehicles in Humboldt County.

Eureka City Council to Tackle Vacancy Issues
Dense buildings don’t do much to increase walkability if they’re empty.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 839 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

How Should We Incorporate Climate, Safety & Equity Goals into Decision-Making?
Next Thursday, the Technical Advisory Committee of the Humboldt County Association of Governments will take on the topic of ensuring that the projects they plan, approve and fund are actually helping meet our most important goals.

Supervisors Talk Unmet Transit Needs
The discussion raised more questions than answers.

State Housing, Transportation and Pollution Agencies to Hold Joint Meeting
Discussion topics include coordination of efforts to reducing driving, increase housing, and address historic inequities in both housing and transportation.

Biking While Black: The Intersection of Infrastructure and Policing
Black and brown communities across the country typically have less bike infrastructure and much more aggressive law enforcement.

What Does Justice Look Like When a Driver Hits a Bicyclist?
A prominent case in Colorado demonstrates the personal stakes. We should note that it’s rare that a driver is held accountable at all for this kind of incident.

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.

When People Live in Cars, Parking is Housing

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 22, 2021

You Can Still Sign the Broadway Petition for the Next Few Weeks
More than 470 of our friends and neighbors have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Read more about it in this recent Times-Standard article. We’ll be delivering the petition to Caltrans in a few weeks, but in the meantime you can still sign it. If you’ve already signed, thank you – and please share the link with your friends and family so they can sign too.

Caltrans Workshop Next Week on Sea Level Rise
The agency is considering how to adapt the Eureka-Arcata Highway 101 corridor to rising oceans over the coming decades. We want to see any new infrastructure prioritize walking, biking and transit over cars and trucks – after all, we don’t want to cause more climate chaos while we’re adapting to its effects. Register here to attend next Wednesday’s workshop and provide your input.

County Taking More Comments on Eureka Area Subdivision
Humboldt County planners had to re-do the “North McKay Ranch” subdivision Environmental Impact Report to update its transportation analysis to current standards. Unfortunately, the analysis is still pretty bad. As it stands, the project is a car-oriented suburban subdivision with no meaningful provisions for walking, biking or buses – but the county somehow concludes that it won’t result in more driving. You can weigh in on that conclusion by submitting comments to the County today.

When People Live in Cars, Parking is Housing
CRTP is generally not a fan of free parking, but we don’t think parking policy should be used to criminalize people who have nowhere else to go. Following its recent vote to target houseless people with new parking restrictions in an industrial area, the Eureka City Council got an earful this week from people upset about that decision. CRTP joined our friends and allies in calling for a safe parking program for houseless people. You can watch video of the meeting here.

Provide Your Input on Unmet Transit Needs
Every year, the Humboldt County Association of Governments asks the public to identify transit needs that aren’t currently being met. That process is happening now. You can attend one of the many meetings, or provide your input online.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 833 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Eureka City Council Discusses How to Take on the Coal Train Threat
CRTP is committed to working with our allies to end the threat of coal export from Humboldt Bay and preserve the future of the Great Redwood Trail. Unfortunately, federal railroad law won’t make that easy, and we need to learn from the experiences of other communities that have faced the same threat.

Read the Latest from the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
One important issue highlighted in their most recent newsletter is the need to design new “bulbouts” and other pedestrian safety features in a way that safely accommodates bicycles, too.

Huffman Supports Climate Infrastructure
The North Coast Congressman has made it pretty clear where he stands on climate programs in the budget reconciliation bill. We’ll take this opportunity to remind everyone that transportation is the country’s biggest source of climate-harming emissions, and the kind of infrastructure we build has a big effect on those emissions.

How Seriously Does the State Transportation Commission Take the Climate Crisis?
Not very seriously, apparently, despite recently adopted plans and public statements to the contrary.

Yes, We Can Make Our Streets Safer
The City of Fremont is showing that when officials take safety seriously, they really can reduce serious collisions and fatalities.

Eureka City Council to Discuss Anti-Coal Ordinance

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 15, 2021

Eureka City Council to Discuss Anti-Coal Ordinance
On Tuesday, the Council will provide direction to staff who are developing an ordinance in response to the threat of coal trains on the North Coast. We applaud the city for joining Humboldt County and other local governments in taking strong steps to stop this disaster from happening.

Our Statement on Last Friday’s Tragedies on Broadway
We mourn the loss of Michael Wray Robinson, and redouble our efforts to get Caltrans to make immediate safety improvements to Broadway. Listen to the latest EcoNews Report about Broadway (recorded before the latest tragedies), check out North Coast News coverage, and please join more than 400 of your friends and neighbors and sign our petition here.

HCAOG Board to Consider Draft Regional Transportation Plan
Next Thursday, the Humboldt County Association of Governments will review the draft Regional Transportation Plan and consider releasing it for public comment. If you go, tell the Board that you support the new Safe and Sustainable Transportation Targets and the focus on transportation equity, and that they need to make sure the projects included in the Plan are actually aligned with these new goals.

Huffman Joins with AOC for Infrastructure Town Hall Tonight
Come out and support better active transportation and transit infrastructure. And can we stop building new stuff for cars already? We can’t even afford to maintain what we’ve got.

Richardson Grove Project Opponents Call on State & Federal Officials
Join our allies in asking the Biden and Newsom administrations to finally intervene and end this unnecessary and outdated highway expansion project. That money should be spent on bike and pedestrian safety projects instead!

Tour the “Gateway Area” with Arcata City Officials
Today and tomorrow, city staff will lead walking tours of the area intended for high-density, walkable infill development.

McGuire to Host “Community Roundtable on Homelessness”
Houseless people comprise a disproportionate number of people killed while walking and biking, and in many areas transportation costs add substantially to the high cost of housing.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 829 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Local Schoolkids Take Buses!
And not just school buses, as this letter to the editor of the Times-Standard reminds us.

Governor Vetoes Jaywalking Decriminalization, Bike Safety Stops
With frustratingly misguided justifications, Newsom nixed two top transportation priorities from this year’s legislative session. He signed another priority bill, AB 43, which will make it slightly easier to lower speed limits in some circumstances (and no, it won’t result in “speed traps“).

Freight Supply Chain Issues Are Harming Public Health in Southern California
Idling container ships are adding to the already hazardous air quality around ports and freight corridors.

Berkeley Leading the Way with Non-Police Traffic Enforcement
Traffic enforcement doesn’t require an officer with a gun.

Statement on Last Week’s Tragedies on Broadway

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities extends its condolences to the family and friends of Michael Wray Robinson, who was killed by a driver while biking through the intersection of Broadway and Henderson Street last Friday, October 8, 2021. As members of the community in which he lived, we grieve Mr. Robinson’s death alongside those who knew him personally.

We also extend our wishes for a full and rapid recovery to the man who was struck by three drivers and critically injured while walking on Broadway on the same night. Our thoughts are with the victim and with his family and friends.

When tragedies like these occur, it is incumbent upon the community not just to publicly grieve our losses, although this is important, but also to take action to prevent future tragedies of the same kind. Appallingly, we have failed to take action many times before. Just in the last few years, we failed to take action when Oudom Douangdao, Robert Mitchell and Russell Busch were killed on Broadway in 2014. We failed when a 70-year-old man, whose name has not even been publicly reported, was killed in 2017. We failed when Raymond Severns was killed in 2018. We failed when Ashley Madonia and Zachary Herbert were killed in 2019. We failed when Kelsey Diffin, Matthew Sullivan and Thomas Burns were killed in 2020.

We cannot fail again.

Caltrans is responsible for building, repairing and maintaining Broadway. As transportation planning research makes clear, the built environment significantly influences the rate of pedestrian strikes, and changing it offers the clearest path for reducing similar tragedies in the future. Caltrans deserves credit for planning safety improvements to parts of Broadway, but the improvements are not comprehensive enough, nor are they coming fast enough.

The Coalition is currently collecting signatures on a petition asking Caltrans to make significant, evidence-based, near-term improvements to Broadway before more lives are lost. Members of the community can view and sign that petition here: https://transportationpriorities.org/broadway/. We welcome everyone to join us in asking Caltrans to take action now.

Manila Trail Plans Cut in Half

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 8, 2021

Humboldt Supervisors Approve Anti-Coal Resolution
Humboldt County joins a growing number of North Coast cities and counties opposing the re-opening of the regional train line to ship coal out of Humboldt Bay. Thanks to all who sent comments to the Supervisors in support of the resolution! The Supervisors also discussed what we hope is a minor snag in the development of the Bay Trail South having to do with the Murray Field airport land use plan. We’ll keep you updated if this becomes an obstacle to completing the trail between Arcata and Eureka.

Huffman & Thompson Send Letter to Secretary Buttigieg
The two North Coast Congressmen asked that the US Department of Transportation refuse to fund any coal train project in our region.

It’s Not Too Late to Sign
More than 280 people have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Help us spread the word and get more signers by sharing this video.

A New Opportunity to Comment on Richardson Grove Project
A state court required Caltrans to accept more public comment on changes to environmental documents for the highway expansion project.

Humboldt County Planning Commission Approves Scaled-Back Manila Trail
The long-planned multi-use trail along Highway 255 will unfortunately only be about half as long as was originally planned, due to concerns from some neighbors. Ironically, the concerns were mostly about exposure to more highway noise from tree removal, not about the trail itself (which will generate little if any noise).

Arcata Amends Legislative Platform
At the urging of local advocacy group RCCER, the City Council added policies to support low-carbon transportation and infill development, and removed policies opposing any state land-use mandates. RCCER pointed out that state mandates are often necessary to ensure equitable transportation and housing outcomes. At the same meeting, the Council approved a resolution opposing coal trains.

Westhaven Residents Oppose Road Widening
Widening of Westhaven Drive is proposed as part of the larger interchange project being pursued by the Trinidad Rancheria. CRTP recognizes the legitimate interest of the Rancheria in connecting their lands on either side of Highway 101, but we have significant concerns about many aspects of the proposed interchange.

Arcata Planning Commission to Discuss Old Arcata Road Project
The long-planned project will add much-needed bike and pedestrian infrastructure. It will also add a roundabout at Jacoby Creek Road, which CRTP is concerned will not encourage walking and biking in the area.

Fortuna Gets E-Scooters
The Friendly City is the first in our region to host an e-scooter sharing system.

Charlie Moon Way
Grappling with a racist past, the Eureka Planning Commission will consider next week whether to rename an alley in honor of Charlie Moon. Moon was one of the few people of Chinese descent who remained in Humboldt County after a white mob largely drove out the community and destroyed Eureka’s Chinatown in the 1880s.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 809 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Bikeshare Programs Help Reduce Emissions
Like all transportation modes, they require some government subsidy – but substantially less subsidy than, say, driving.

Low-Density Zoning Hurts Public Health
Disadvantaged communities are most heavily impacted.

Diesel Truck Pollution Disproportionately Impacts Communities of Color
A new study confirms previous findings for a range of cities across the US.

Berlin May Ban Cars Downtown
It’s part of a growing worldwide movement for car-free city centers.

Three Local Climate Crisis Events Next Week

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 1, 2021

More Revelations About Coal Train Threat
A leaked memo seems to confirm the involvement of both the coal industry and the Wiyot Tribe in the attempt to take over the North Coast Railroad Authority rail line, but we’re glad to hear that the Wiyot say they do not support coal trains. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom just signed SB 69, the bill which mandates the final transition from the NCRA to the Great Redwood Trail Agency, and Representative Huffman sent a letter to US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg asking him not to allow any federal funding to support the coal train effort. CRTP continues to work with our allies to stop the coal train threat and save the vision of the Great Redwood Trail.

The More People, the Better
More than 270 people have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Help us spread the word and get more signers by sharing our new video.

Humboldt Bay Area Housing Workshop Next Tuesday
The County wants to know what you think about housing. Let them know it should be built in walkable, transit-accessible areas, and should be affordable to local residents.

Three Climate Crisis Events Next Week
Local climate advocate and retired physician Wendy Ring will give a talk co-sponsored by CRTP on climate and public health on Monday at 7 pm (link above). North Coast State Senator Mike McGuire will hold a Climate Crisis Town Hall on Wednesday at 6:30 pm. And national climate leader Bill McKibben will give a talk on Thursday sponsored by the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State. (In case you need a reminder, transportation is by far the biggest source of climate-harming emissions on the North Coast, and in the country as a whole.)

Parking Restrictions Shouldn’t Be Used to Persecute Houseless People
That’s what two members of the Eureka Transportation Safety Commission told city staff (and we agree). As a result, the Commission failed to recommend approval of proposed parking restrictions in an industrial area off Broadway. But despite that controversy, the proposed restrictions ended up as Item B.4 on next week’s City Council Consent Calendar, which is meant to allow quick approval of uncontroversial items with no discussion. We think that’s unacceptable. The Council should remove the item from the Consent Calendar, discuss it, and vote against it.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 809 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

New Bike Map & App, Full Regional Transportation Plan Coming Soon
Those and other exciting topics are on next week’s agenda for the Humboldt County Association of Governments Technical Advisory Committee. Stay tuned for more details from CRTP.

Major Climate Initiative from Humboldt Area Foundation
So far, though, the project doesn’t seem to be focused on transportation issues.

Conservatives of Both Parties Continue to Undermine Infrastructure Package
Because, you know, why would we spend money to address the climate crisis when we can all agree that cars and fossil fuels are the future?

Preparing for Automated Vehicles
These strategies recommended by academic experts sound a lot like what CRTP recommended in our landmark report last year.

We Need More Housing. Where We Build It Matters.

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 24, 2021

Humboldt County to Hold Housing “Listening Sessions”
We need more housing. And it needs to be built in existing communities near jobs and services, where people don’t have to get in an expensive, dangerous, climate-destroying vehicle to get anywhere.

Tell Your Friends About the Petition for a Safer Broadway
Decisions are being made about the future of Broadway right now. Tell everyone you know to join the nearly 200 people who have already signed the petition asking for immediate safety improvements for people walking, biking and rolling there.

McGuire Introduces Bill to Fight Coal Trains
The bill, which would be taken up next year, would prohibit the use of state funds to revive the rail line in the Eel River Canyon or to build a coal terminal in Humboldt County. North Coast League of Women Voters chapters also came out against the coal train plan this week, as did the Ukiah City Council.

EV Charger Rebates Now Available in Humboldt
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority has added a rebate for home charging stations to its existing rebate for electric vehicles. If you have to drive a car, make it electric!

More People Are Flying In and Out of Humboldt
And even more air travel is in the works. At some point we are going to have to grapple as a community with the idea of promoting the most carbon-intensive way to travel during a global climate crisis.

Arcata Transportation Safety Committee Struggles with Vacancies
This week, the committee was scheduled to discuss the city’s longstanding plans to redesign Old Arcata Road, but couldn’t because it lost a quorum after members had to recuse themselves. There are now 2 new vacancies on this committee. If you live or work in Arcata, you can help keep things running smoothly by applying now to join the committee!

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 792 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

How to Win Road Safety Improvements
Even when a bunch of loud people are against them.

More Roads, Trails and Buildings Will Flood as the Climate Heats Up
Existing flood maps don’t capture the risks, and fortifications often won’t work – so we’d better start planning for the long term now.

New Pandemic Work Arrangements Aren’t Destroying Cities After All
But they probably are moving people around within large metro areas.

Form-Based Codes to the Rescue
Zoning codes which emphasize mixed uses and walkability result in more development and lower rents than traditional codes, according to a new analysis.

Will E-Bike Incentives Make It Into Federal Legislation?
The negotiations are intense and largely out of the public eye.

Bay to Zoo Trail One Step Closer to Reality

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 17, 2021

Citizens Show Opposition to Coal Trains, Support for Trails
In just three days, more than 650 people signed onto a letter to the Surface Transportation Board organized by CRTP and our allies supporting the railbanking process for the Great Redwood Trail and opposing the attempt to take over the rail line for coal trains. The letter was submitted earlier this week. You can still sign on to the coalition’s letter asking the Harbor District to block coal facilities in their jurisdiction.

Have You Signed the Safer Broadway Petition Yet?
More than 170 people have. You don’t have to live in Eureka to sign. You just have to care about the safety of people walking, biking and rolling there.

Assurances of Good Design for Bay to Zoo Trail
The Eureka Planning Commission approved environmental documents for the trail on Monday evening, but only after adding specific directions to city staff to prioritizebike and pedestrian safety on difficult sections of the trail (where it crosses busy streets and where bikes are expected to ride on the road). CRTP advocated vigorously for this outcome, and we’re grateful that the Commission took our concerns seriously.

Double the Student Housing as HSU Expands
Humboldt State University has announced that it intends to build a lot more housing as anticipated enrollment increases over the next few years. Where and how that housing is built, and what university policies come along with it, will determine whether students can easily walk, bike or take the bus to campus, or if Arcata is overrun with new cars.

EPIC Vows to Keep Fighting Richardson Grove Project
The campaign to stop the highway expansion project is far from over.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 775 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Newsom Signs Infill Housing Bills
Local governments will now have to allow most lot owners in single-family zoning districts to subdivide and build accessory dwelling units, potentially allowing the construction of up to 6 housing units on a single-family zoned parcel. This could allow significantly more housing to be built in local North Coast communities.

How Long Should Police Hold the Cars of Unlicensed Drivers?
Studies suggest that unlicensed drivers account for a disproportionately high number of serious crashes. But they are also more likely to have low incomes and rely on their vehicles for their livelihoods, often living in communities designed for cars where walking, biking and public transit don’t work very well. That makes this a tricky policy question.

Semiconductor Chip Shortage Holds Up Electric Vehicle Manufacturing
Well, really, all vehicle manufacturing. But EVs typically have more chips than gas-powered vehicles.

9-Cent Taxis Transport Residents in Rural South Korea
Where there’s not enough population or infrastructure to support a bus, older low-income residents rely on subsidized taxi rides.

The Latest on Coal Trains, Trails, Buses and Broadway

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 10, 2021

Local Officials Fighting Coal Trains
CRTP is also working with local allies to fight this horrible proposal. One of the most immediate concerns is the potential to disrupt the railbanking process required to make the Great Redwood Trail a reality. We’ll have more information for you as it’s available. In the meantime, we’re happy to report that SB 69, Senator McGuire’s bill to officially convert the North Coast Railroad Authority into the Great Redwood Trail Agency, has just passed the legislature and is on its way to the Governor’s desk.

Sign the Petition for a Safer Broadway!
You don’t have to live in Eureka to sign. You just have to care about the safety of people walking, biking and rolling there. Join the more than 150 people who have already signed, and help us spread the word.

Regional Transportation Plan Workshop on Monday
Attend the Zoom workshop on Monday to show your support for adopting ambitious targets to improve safety, reduce emissions, and reducing driving – and make sure the projects that are funded actually help us meet those goals.

Bay to Zoo Trail at Eureka Planning Commission – Again
Last time, the Commission voted at CRTP’s urging to direct staff to come back with a project description that ensured better bicycle safety on Dolbeer Street and safer pedestrian crossings of major streets. But city staff now appear to be ignoring that direction and presenting the same documents as before. Join the virtual meeting next Monday (9/13) at 5:30 pm – if you’re not at the RTP workshop – to tell the Commission to continue demanding safer designs, and to approve the documents once they get them. (You’ll have to email planning@ci.eureka.ca.gov with your phone number ahead of the meeting to sign up for a comment slot.)

Humboldt Transit Authority Tests Hydrogen Bus
Current battery-electric buses don’t have the range for longer regional routes such as the Redwood Transit Service from Trinidad to Scotia. So HTA is looking to meet zero-emission transit mandates by investing in hydrogen-fueled buses. From an emissions perspective, this plan is complicated by the fact that hydrogen fuel is today almost entirely derived from fossil fuels and would have to be shipped hundreds of miles to Humboldt County on diesel trucks. “Green hydrogen” is derived instead from renewable electricity and water, but is not yet commercially available. CRTP recognizes the challenges of transitioning to truly zero-emission buses in a rural context and supports HTA’s efforts to work through those challenges.

Give Your Input on Redistricting in Humboldt County
Because the way political districts are drawn affects…well, everything else, including transportation. Your chances to provide input on local redistricting include a hearing next Tuesday at 11 am, and a series of community workshops happening now.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 774 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Transportation Bills Heading to the Governor’s Desk
With the session ending, there’s a lot of action in the state legislature. For example, in a historic move, the legislature approved AB 1238, which decriminalizes “jaywalking.” The legislature also approved AB 43, which despite a lot of watering-down in the Senate will still make it somewhat easier to lower speed limits. Both of these bills still need to be signed by the governor before going into effect.

Active Transportation and Transit Funding Held Hostage in Legislature
One issue the legislature did not resolve was its long-running squabble over high speed rail funding. And because of an earlier political compromise, that means that billions promised for transit and active transportation won’t be made available, either. We’re disappointed and frankly a little disgusted with this outcome.

Yes, Rural Areas Can Have Good Transportation Systems Too
We’re not just “drive-through country” here!

Caltrans Officially Adopts a “Safe Systems” Approach
This is an official acknowledgement, among other things, that traffic safety isn’t just about responding to deadly crashes after they happen. It’s an example of the shifting approaches from Caltrans headquarters in recent years, especially since the arrival of Director Toks Omishakin. It’s taking a while for changes to actually be felt on the streets, but we’re glad they’re happening.

Coal Companies Trying to Derail Great Redwood Trail

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 3, 2021

Coal Companies Want to Stop the Great Redwood Trail…
…and make Humboldt an accomplice to toxic pollution and climate destruction in the process. CRTP joins with our local and regional allies in vowing to fight tooth and nail against this horrific plan. We’ll have more information for you soon. In the meantime, please sign this petition against the coal trains organized by State Senator Mike McGuire.

Sign the Petition for a Safer Broadway!
If you live, work, shop, or play in Eureka, or care about those who do, please sign this petition today. We can’t afford to wait until more people die to make Broadway a safer place for walking, biking and rolling.

A Step Forward for McKinleyville Town Center Plans
At its meeting this week, the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee gave the OK to County planning staff to move ahead with drafting an ordinance for the Town Center based on the design concept created by local architect Kash Boodjeh. The devil will be in the ordinance details, but CRTP is pleased that the concept includes dense mixed-use development with bike and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes.

A Loss for Opponents of Richardson Grove Highway Expansion Project
The latest court ruling is a disappointment for those who, like CRTP, believe Caltrans should abandon its outdated and damaging highway expansion projects and focus on safe, low-carbon transportation infrastructure.

Arcata City Council Allocates $500,000 to Decarbonization Efforts
The Redwood Coalition for Climate and Environmental Responsibility (RCCER) and others had asked for $1.65 million. Based on Councilmember comments, it seems they may have ignored climate spending altogether if they hadn’t received some public pressure. Most local greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation.

Eureka Preparing to Streamline Denser Development Downtown
At its meeting next week, the City Council will consider issuing a Request for Proposals for development of a “Waterfront Specific Plan” that would make it easier to build more housing and commercial development in the core of the city.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 772 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Bike Safety Stop Law Awaits Governor’s Signature!
Assuming Governor Newsom signs the bill, it will soon be legal to do what almost all people already do when riding bikes – roll slowly through a stop sign when it’s safe to do so. A bunch of other bills to improve transportation systems and allow denser housing have also passed or are moving through the legislature. Unfortunately, the one bill which attempted to reform outdated parking requirements for new development will not be approved this year.

Will the US Finally Ban Lead in Aviation Fuel?
Yup, there’s still lead in a lot of airplane fuel, especially the kind used by small planes at “general aviation” airports – of which there are a lot on the North Coast.

Advocates Lobby for Promised Transit Funding
$10 billion for public transit mysteriously disappeared from the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure deal.

Is “Peak Car” Already in the Rearview Mirror?
According to one expert, at least, the world is slowly moving past its car obsession. (And yes, the car-related metaphor in the headline was intentional.)