Eureka Parklets & Outdoor Dining on the Agenda

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 11, 2020

CRTP Joins Allies to Host Local Candidates Forums
CRTP and sixteen other local groups are hosting three candidate forums in the coming weeks – one for Eureka City Council candidates (Friday, 9/18), one for Arcata City Council candidates (Friday, 9/25), and one for McKinleyville and Humboldt Community Services Districts candidates (Friday, 10/2). Tune in to see how candidates answer questions about transportation as well as many other important social and environmental topics.

Eureka City Council to Vote on Parklet & Outdoor Dining Grant Program
Next Tuesday, the Council will consider whether to approve providing grants to local businesses (from federal CARES Act funding) to expand sidewalk and parking lot operations, establish temporary parklets, and possibly close a street or two for outdoor food courts. This is the kind of thing we’ve advocated for since the pandemic started – as long as they leave plenty of room on the sidewalks for pedestrians! Also on Tuesday’s agenda is a report on a new neighborhood mini-grant program, which could be used for items including “median improvements” and “sidewalk planter boxes.”

Caltrans Changes Highway 36 Plans to Avoid Old-Growth Redwood
It’s a markedly different reaction than the agency had many years ago when environmentalists objected to impacts on redwoods from the Richardson Grove highway expansion project.

Learn About CRTP’s New White Paper on the EcoNews Report
You can also read the whole thing here.

New Bay Trail Documents Released
Humboldt County has released new engineering plans and a more detailed report on the final segment of the Humboldt Bay Trail. This is a major milestone in progress toward completion of the trail, which is still expected to be finished late next year.

HCAOG Board to Consider Mobility-on-Demand, Climate
Next Thursday, the Humboldt County Association of Governments will likely adopt a final mobility-on-demand report, which lays out ideas for implementing new responsive transportation systems in Humboldt. See some of our previous coverage in this edition of The Collector. The Board will also consider appointing new members to its new ad hoc committee tasked with incorporating specific climate-related targets into next year’s Regional Transportation Plan update. Both items are on the consent agenda.

New Major Employer Coming
Nordic Aquafarms is promising to hire 150 people for its planned operation on the Samoa Peninsula. This is an area that’s not served by transit and lacks good bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to major population centers. The company has made a big deal of the purported sustainability of its operations. But will they consider how all those employees are going to get to work?

Reminder: Make Your Street Story Reports
675 reports (and counting) have been made in Humboldt County so far. If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision on the street, make your Street Story report here. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

County Compiles Rules on Speeding, Parking and More
Check out the new online list of resources and give them feedback!

State Issues Annual Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Report
The attention is mostly on electric vehicles these days, but some new hydrogen fueling stations continue to be built in parts of the state.

Northeastern States Will Give Updates on Reducing Transportation Emissions
A coalition of northeastern states which joined together to tackle greenhouse gas emissions from transportation is holding two webinars this month to give updates on their progress.

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.

Is “Bicycle Road Rage” Really a Thing?

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 4, 2020

HCAOG Seeks New Executive Director
Retiring Executive Director Marcella May has been a strong supporter of active transportation safety and mode shift efforts, and it will be hard to replace her. If you know of someone who would be a good fit – whether they live here already or not – encourage them to apply!

A Chance to Improve County Transportation Guidelines
At the last minute, Humboldt County planning staff delayed the scheduled hearing Thursday of a deeply flawed proposal for assessing transportation impacts (specifically vehicle miles traveled, or VMT) during the environmental review of future projects. The County is now scheduling a meeting with stakeholders to discuss ways to improve the proposal. That means our comments are working!

Is “Bicycle Road Rage” Really a Thing?
An assault this week by someone who had been riding a bike on another person who had been riding a bike was labeled “bicycle road rage” by the Arcata Police Department and local media. While this was a serious incident that shouldn’t be taken lightly, we would argue that “road rage” is not the right description of it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “road rage” is an extreme form of aggressive driving, dangerous because the enraged person is behind the wheel of a vehicle that can serve as a deadly weapon. Using the term to refer to criminal acts committed in proximity to other forms of transportation is misleading and serves to downplay and normalize the extreme dangers of rage and aggression expressed by a person behind the wheel.

Unsafe Conditions Mitigated in Safety Corridor
We reported last week that construction had resulted in dramatically reduced shoulders and unsafe conditions for bicyclists on parts of Highway 101 between Arcata and Eureka. After objections from CRTP and allies, Caltrans has committed to both temporary safety improvements during construction, as well as to permanently maintaining at least 6 foot shoulders through the area.

Supes Approve Secondary Housing Unit Ordinance
Across the state, secondary housing units (a.k.a. “mother-in-law” or “granny flats”) are considered to have great potential for increasing housing stock without sprawl. As Supervisor Mike Wilson pointed out, however, there are some concerns in Humboldt County that they could actually encourage sprawl because they’re now allowed “by right” in rural resource lands.

Did You Miss the Broadway Corridor Workshop?
Now you can watch it online! And don’t forget to read CRTP’s take on the situation here.

Got Social Media Skills? CRTP Needs You!
CRTP is looking for someone with great social media skills and a passion for responsible transportation to serve as our volunteer Social Media Coordinator. If you’re a savvy user of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms, this could be you! For more information or to apply, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Arcata Moves to Let Businesses Use Outdoor City Spaces
The city-owned parking lot which was transitioned to temporary shelter for houseless folks at the beginning of the pandemic has now reverted back to parking. Maybe lots like this could be put to more productive use again.

Humboldt Transit Authority Struggles During Pandemic
Ridership has continued at levels roughly 75% below normal. Federal aid is expected to keep the agency (relatively) fiscally healthy for the time being, but it won’t last forever.

Does Smelliness Make “Cannabis Sprawl” Inevitable?
A program intended to encourage cannabis operations to come down out of the hills and establish in more appropriate areas closer to population centers is under attack from neighbors who complain about the odor.

HSU Study on Biking in Older Adults
As the headline says, “Cycling keeps you young!”

Great Redwood Trail Follow-Up Bill in Limbo
SB 356, a follow-up to the Great Redwood Trail Act focused on the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART), appears to have been one of many casualties of a COVID-19 dominated legislative session.

Reminder: Make Your Street Story Reports
672 reports (and counting) have been made in Humboldt County so far. If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision on the street, make your Street Story report here. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

Legislative Session Wraps Up
Among the outcomes: a bill to fast-track bike, pedestrian and transit projects passed, while another bill with a provision that would have threatened bikeshare programs with overwhelming liability was amended after outcry from advocates.

Another Vehicular Attack on Black Lives Matter Protesters
These ongoing attacks continue to remind us that similar local incidents in McKinleyville and Eureka did not happen in a vacuum.

CalBike Petition to Transform Traffic Law Enforcement
This is your chance to endorse principles for reducing the role of police in transportation safety and regulation.

Revisiting the Ecological Footprint (or Wheelprint)
The biggest portion of most Americans’ “ecological footprint” is linked to transportation – specifically driving. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to drive less! But there’s increasing evidence that the focus on personal impacts might be counter-productive, and is encouraged by polluting industries to distract citizens from the much bigger systemic impacts caused by the industries themselves.

Charges Against Driver Who Almost Killed McKinleyville Demonstrators

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 28, 2020

CRTP Issues Major New Report
Three major phenomena are shaping the future of the transportation system in Humboldt County and nationwide: climate chaos, autonomous vehicles, and the road safety crisis (particularly for non-vehicular road users). Our new report lays out the challenges – and what we need to do about them. Find out more by reading the report and registering for our online presentation and Q&A session on September 10th.

District Attorney Charges Driver Who Almost Killed Racial Justice Demonstrators
The charges against the person who sped her SUV through a crowd in McKinleyville in June, narrowly missing people on foot and on horseback, include reckless driving, running a red light, and failure to yield to pedestrians. These are all misdemeanors or infractions which typically result only in fines or points on a license. Based on video of the incident and witness accounts, as well as the fact that this is not an isolated incident, CRTP believes that this was an intentional attempt to injure or kill people. We’re disappointed that the DA apparently didn’t take it more seriously.

Broadway Planning Process Moves Forward
At a public workshop this week, consultants announced that previously proposed ideas which included an extension of Waterfront Drive are no longer under consideration (good!), nor are any ideas to reduce vehicle lanes on Broadway (not so good). The remaining options include various forms of “couplets” (making Broadway one-way and adding another one-way on Koster and other streets), and safety improvements to the existing Broadway right-of-way. CRTP continues to advocate for immediate improvements to the existing right-of-way, given the urgent safety crisis for people trying to use Broadway without a car or truck.

Unsafe Conditions in “Safety Corridor”
Construction on southbound Highway 101 between Arcata and Eureka has recently resulted in a long stretch of 12-foot, red-painted, rumble strip-protected shoulder being replaced with a 4-foot, unpainted, completely unprotected new shoulder. This is a major bike commuting route and part of the officially designated Pacific Coast Bike Route, but the new conditions are completely unsafe for bicyclists. CRTP and allies have objected to the changes, and Caltrans has committed to “seeking a solution” to the problem. In recent days, part of the shoulder seems to have been widened marginally, and temporary orange cones added.

More Restaurants Put Tables in Parking Areas
The outdoors: it’s not just for vehicle storage!

New Partnership Promises Progress on Little River Trail
The Redwood Community Action Agency’s agreement with Caltrans could be just what’s needed to push ahead with a bike-ped connection between McKinleyville and points north.

Touchless Pedestrian Buttons on Broadway
CRTP has learned that, in response to our recent advocacy, Caltrans has begun rolling out touchless pedestrian buttons in Eureka. This technology allows people to activate the pedestrian signal with a wave of the hand, helping to avoid a “high-touch” surface in the pandemic era. So far, the new buttons have been installed on Broadway south of Wabash.

Sudden Pharmacy Closure in Southern Humboldt
The closure “will create travel times of an hour or more one way to the nearest pharmacy” for many residents, highlighting the importance of a dense mix of land uses and services to improve access for everyone and reduce vehicle miles traveled.

Reminder: Make Your Street Story Reports
If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision on the street, make your Street Story report here. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

Crescent City Puts Sales Tax Increase on the Ballot
Some of the money would go toward transportation infrastructure.

In the 1920s, Eureka Police Were Serious About Traffic Laws
Back then, violating traffic laws wasn’t considered routine – it was seen as a serious threat to public safety and order.

San Francisco Closes Another Street on Weekends
The main purpose: to help businesses! Local businesses on the North Coast, take note.

The Legacy and Continuing Practice of Racism in Public Transit
Our transportation systems have all been shaped by racist decisions and policies, and transit is no exception.

Progress Toward Establishing Regional Transportation & Climate Targets

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 21, 2020

HCAOG Board Forms Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Targets
At its meeting on Thursday, the Humboldt County Association of Governments Board of Directors heard suggested goals from CRTP and allies for reducing driving and increasing transportation electrification. The Board then voted to form an ad hoc subcommittee made up of Arcata Mayor Michael Winkler, Fortuna City Council Member Mike Johnson, and Caltrans’ Kevin Tucker to consider such targets.

HCAOG Board Fails to Connect Racism to Other Inequities
In less positive news, the Board refused to approve the addition of anti-racist language into the Bylaws for its Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC) until a sentence connecting racism with other transportation inequities was edited out. Even then, the Rio Dell representative voted against it. Board members professed to believe that there is no connection between racism and inequities involving the elderly, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty. For the record: Structural racism in transportation planning has tended to also result in inequities for other groups, in part because of the history of defining the “normative user” as an able-bodied white man with a car.

Public Meeting on Broadway Corridor Next Week
Show up (on Zoom) to tell planners that the top priority is increasing safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on Broadway now – no delays.

County Wants to Limit Parking…
…for people who have nowhere else to go. We suggest that instead of prohibiting overnight parking to evict houseless people from their campsites, the county focus on building affordable housing in accessible areas – and limit daytime parking in developed areas, where doing so actually encourage other forms of transportation.

Sheriff’s Deputy Hits Pedestrian
The person walking appears to have been seriously injured.

Planning Commission Hearing on Vehicle Miles Traveled is Delayed
After discussing one cannabis operation after another for 3 1/2 hours, the Humboldt County Planning Commission ran out of time to talk about vehicle miles traveled. The hearing is now scheduled for September 3rd.

Highway 36 Expansion Nears Completion
The widening and straightening have largely been touted as safety measures, but the comment by a spokesperson that it would also “improve traffic flow” is revealing. Research increasingly suggests that smoothing out flows and increasing vehicle speeds can actually decrease safety, but that message has apparently not trickled down to a lot of local highway planners.

Foor for People Adds More Walk-Up Food Distributions
Many people who need assistance with food can’t use drive-thrus, because they don’t have cars.

The Sprawl Pandemic
Another study finds that sprawl – not compact urban form, as conventional wisdom holds – is associated with high COVID-19 death rates.

Uber & Lyft in Pitched Battle Over Operations in California
Both companies claim it would kill them to recognize that their drivers are actually employees and provide them with legally required protections and benefits.

Bill Would Make It Easier to Build Bike & Bus Lanes
A hearing is expected soon. Here’s some background.

New Study on the Causes of the Pedestrian Safety Crisis
Bigger cars & trucks, wider roads and higher speeds are among the top culprits. Meanwhile, some experts say an internal investigation into the national car safety program might inadvertently spotlight the epidemic of pedestrian deaths.

“The Beginning of the End for Transit”?
The pandemic may be an existential threat for many transit systems if Congress doesn’t step up with more emergency funding.

Bus Funding, Racial Equity and the Climate Crisis in Humboldt

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 14, 2020

Humboldt Planning Commission to Consider Small Change with Huge Impacts
To comply with state law, the county has to change the way it assesses transportation impacts of projects undergoing environmental review. If done right, this change should encourage infill and active transportation and make it very hard to approve new sprawling development. Unfortunately, the county’s proposal falls far short of the mark. For example, it inexplicably identifies many remote rural communities – where people are forced to drive a lot – as “low vehicle miles traveled” zones where transportation impacts wouldn’t even be considered. Read the full analysis from CRTP and partners here. And attend Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting to tell them they need to get this right!

Transit Funding, Racial Equity and the Climate Crisis All on HCAOG Agenda
At its Board meeting next Thursday, the Humboldt County Association of Governments is poised to approve the allocation of federal emergency COVID-19 funding for local bus systems, letters of support for grant applications to fund major portions of the planned regional trail system, as well as a new policy committing the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council to transportation equity. Later in the agenda, the Board will consider the annual Unmet Transit Needs report, which concludes that identified needs can’t currently be met because of the severe impacts of the pandemic on transit finances. The Board will also discuss priorities for next year’s update to the Regional Transportation Plan, focusing on how to plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation system and how to establish concrete goals and measure progress toward meeting them.

F Street Residents Organize for Safety
Residents of the southern segment of F Street in Eureka are tired of speeding cars and tragic collisions. They want traffic calming and better bike and pedestrian infrastructure to make their street a safe and comfortable place to move and to live.

Broadway Corridor Alternatives Assessed
CRTP and partners continue to advocate for immediate and effective bike and pedestrian safety improvements on Broadway in Eureka, to address the ongoing safety crisis. The city of Eureka and Caltrans are considering longer term plans that might improve safety by would likely take decades to materialize – time we don’t have as people walking, biking and rolling on Broadway continue to be hit and killed with disturbing regularity. Check out the alternative plans under consideration here, and mark your calendar for a public meeting on August 25th.

In Search of Local Complete Streets Champions
The CDC and Smart Growth America are hosting an education and training program for local elected officials. Can you think of someone on the North Coast who could benefit from this? Encourage them to apply!

Local Electric Vehicle Workshop Announced
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority will be holding a webinar on August 26th to introduce interested residents to the detail of electric car buying and talk about RCEA’s new electric vehicle incentive program. Advance registration required.

Bike and Scooter Share Programs Threatened by Legislation
According to CalBike’s analysis of AB 1286, it could put an unsustainable – and unfair – burden on shared micromobility companies.

May Was Still Bike Month, but Cycle September is Coming Up
Every month is bike month! Register for fun competition and encouragement.

Carmakers Are Intentionally Putting Aesthetics Over Pedestrian Lives
Pickup trucks (and SUVs) are increasingly marketed to people who don’t need them and designed in ways that add no utility but appeal to the macho sensibility of their target audience – and also happen to make it much more likely that they will kill other street users.

How to Improve Neighborhoods Without Gentrifying Them
Case studies from Washington, DC and Portland.

Portland Sets the Bar for Residential Zoning Reform
No more single-family-home-only neighborhoods or pesky parking requirements.

Humboldt Native Makes It Big in E-Bikes
Rad Power Bikes is one of the industry leaders.

Britain Launches a New Agency Just for Biking and Walking
Imagine the US creating a Federal Bureau of Active Transportation!

McKinleyville Bike & Pedestrian Projects in the Works

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 7, 2020

Join CRTP Next Week for a Talk on “Policing the Open Road”
American police departments owe a lot of their current size and power to the rise of the automobile in the early 20th century. At a Zoom talk next week for North Coast audiences, Columbia University Law Professor Sarah Seo, author of the award-winning 2019 book Policing the Open Road, will explain what happened – and what it means for people living in the U.S. today. Join us on Thursday, August 13th, at 5:30 pm to listen in and ask questions. Co-sponsored by CRTP, EPIC, Centro Del Pueblo, 350 Humboldt, and the Northcoast Environmental Center. Click here to register.

McKinleyville Bike/Ped Projects in the Works
At last week’s meeting, the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee heard updates from the county on safety improvements at the Hiller Road/Hammond Trail intersection and a project to improve the walkability of Ocean Drive. For the latter project, the county is considering trying an “edge lane road” – a.k.a. advisory bike lanes – which would be a first in California. In related news, the Humboldt County Association of Governments Technical Advisory Committee heard a presentation about edge lane roads from a global expert on the subject this week.

Local Transit System Tackles the Pandemic
A decent overview of the issues facing the bus system in Humboldt County.

Low-Income Tribal Housing Project Planned for Arcata
It appears to be a solid infill project with bike, pedestrian, transit, and car-share amenities.

State to Allocate Money for North Coast Projects
As usual, the California Transportation Commission has a number of North Coast items included on its extensive agenda for next week’s meeting. Among them is to consider allocations of $24 million for roadway rehabilitation on Highway 101 south of Eureka, $5.6 million for ADA upgrades to Highway 101 in Eureka, and $15 million for safety improvements on Highway 299 in Willow Creek.

People Are Driving More, COVID is Spreading More
The latest big tech data suggests people on the North Coast aren’t staying home as much lately, despite the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Santa Rosa Poised to Eliminate Parking Minimums Downtown
Less off-street parking near transit means more ability to build housing and services.

“What the Defund the Police Movement Means for Bicycling”
Thought-provoking proposals for from CalBike for reallocating traffic enforcement funding.

At Least Somebody Cares About Bikes Lanes
Portland officials told the feds their fence was blocking a bike lane. Maybe local officials on the North Coast can be taught to care about bike lane obstructions, too.

“The Curb Cut Effect”
Improving accessibility for people with disabilities ends up benefiting everyone.

Designing Streets for Kids
A century ago, streets were places where kids could play. (The rise of “playgrounds” was a direct response to the threat posed to kids by increasing numbers of cars on the streets.) What if they could be that way again?

Humboldt County “Parking Crater” Lawsuit Settled

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 24, 2020

Editor’s Note: We’re taking a summer break next week, but we’ll be back! The next edition of The Collector will be published on Friday, August 7.

Humboldt County “Parking Crater” Lawsuit Settled
Readers of The Collector may recall that back in January, CRTP joined a lawsuit to force Humboldt County to provide relocation assistance to residential tenants who would be displaced by its actions – in this case, a now-canceled plan to demolish a bunch of apartments and other buildings in downtown Eureka to make way for a big parking lot. We’re happy to report that the lawsuit has now been settled. The county will pay current residents to help cover their relocation costs, and will develop a plan to ensure that we never end up in this situation again. Among other things, the plan will ensure than any future residents displaced by county actions will receive assistance to relocate somewhere with equivalent access to public transit and other transportation amenities.

What Can You Do About Climate Change?
The climate crisis requires fundamental changes in the way we live, including our transportation system. But that’s a hard sell for a lot of people. So what can we do to convince folks to take meaningful action? Register for this webinar with Dr. Connie Roser-Renouf – co-sponsored by CRTP – to get some ideas.

Eureka Tax Measure to Be on November Ballot
If it’s approved by voters, some of the money will go toward streets and roads – one of the city’s major expenses.

Billboard Drama Continues
It’s telling that high passions are aroused over the fate of big signs designed specifically for people to see while driving.

Got Social Media Skills? CRTP Needs You!

CRTP is looking for someone with great social media skills and a passion for responsible transportation to serve as our volunteer Social Media Coordinator. If you’re a savvy user of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other platforms, this could be you! For more information or to apply, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Caltrans Project Could Threaten Old-Growth Redwoods
No, not Richardson Grove. This one is on Highway 36. But like in Richardson Grove, the part of the project that would cut down the big trees is to benefit big trucks and seems suspiciously unnecessary. Our friends at EPIC are keeping a close eye on it.

Weigh in on County Airport Land Use Plan
Airports are some of the most impactful components of the transportation system. Air travel contributes more climate emissions per passenger-mile than any other mode. So what should the county do about land uses around its many airports?

Another Local Restaurant Puts Tables in Parking Spaces
Why does it take a global pandemic for us to prioritize outdoor socializing over car storage?

Fires Close Highway 96
It’s that time of year again – the time when it’s impossible to ignore how vulnerable much of our road system is to wildfire. Those impacts will only grow as the climate continues to warm.

Wheel People, Wheel Information
The latest edition of the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association newsletter is available.

CalBike’s Call to Action for Bike-Parking Bill
A bill that would make housing cheaper and more bike-friendly should be a no-brainer, right? Let your elected officials know what you think.

Redding: The North State’s Most Bike-Friendly City?
The fascinating story of how that unlikely claim is getting closer to becoming a reality.

Public Input in the COVID Era
During the best of times, public meetings about land use planning are often hijacked by privileged local residents, while those with the most to lose (or gain) have little say. These inequities have been heightened over the past few months as public processes go online – or disappear entirely.

Police Stops, Car Crashes and Parking Enforcement

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 17, 2020

County Enforcement of Encroachment Permits Starts Today
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal announced this week that his office will start enforcement procedures against businesses that have moved dining tables or retail operations into parking areas without a permit. We have a couple of questions: (1) Is keeping parking spaces free of obstructions really a top priority for the county right now? (2) Even if officials for some reason think the answer to question #1 is “yes,” does it really need to be done by gun-toting law enforcement officers? If this is what police departments are spending their time on, maybe a little de-funding doesn’t seem so radical.

Alert: Driving Is Really Dangerous
We don’t cover most local car crashes in The Collector, partly because there are just so many of them. But a number of major crashes made the news this week, and sometimes it’s worth a reminder that driving is just a really dangerous activity.

Arcata Police Department Moves Ahead with Some Reforms
Meanwhile, Eureka continues to devote half its budget to police. Unmentioned in most reports on police reform, but critical to remember, is that the vast majority of police encounters with members of the public happen on the street – in car lanes, in bike lanes, on the shoulder or on the sidewalk. The recently introduced federal BREATHE Act would, for example, prohibit “pretextual stops and ‘consent’ searches.”

Eureka City Council to Discuss Tax Renewal
The city’s “Supplemental Transactions and Use Tax” is scheduled to expire, and its renewal will likely appear on November’s ballot. Tax revenues are used for a number of purposes, including building and maintaining transportation infrastructure.

Car Culture Restaurant Opens on Broadway
A drive-thru restaurant decided that it didn’t really need people to actually leave their vehicles, so it could open during the pandemic after all. Imagine that.

Tech Data: Humboldt Residents Are Moving Around More
But they’re not necessarily going to the same places they used to.

DMV Lets Older Drivers Keep Their Licenses for a Year
Drivers over 70 are usually required to renew their licenses in person, in part to test their eyesight and otherwise confirm that they are still able to safely drive. Due to the pandemic, the California DMV is waiving that requirement for a year. We don’t want vulnerable seniors to have to visit a DMV office either, but please don’t forget: This isn’t just meaningless red tape – driving is dangerous!

A Conservative Argument to Abolish Single-Family Zoning
In the US, suburban single-family subdivisions have been associated with political conservatism for decades. But single-family zoning restricts property rights and the suburbs are dependent on massive federal highway subsidies for survival. Doesn’t sound too conservative, does it?

Local Elections and “The Disability Vote”
Local officials have a lot of influence over how accessible streets, roads and other public facilities are.

House Climate Report Incorporates Transportation and Land Use
It’s pretty unusual for a mainstream climate platform to address transportation with anything more than “let’s electrify all the cars.” So we are encouraged by the House Democrats’ report, which includes important measures like building more housing near transit and improving bicycle and pedestrian safety.

More Street Art is Coming to Eureka

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 10, 2020

Eureka City Council Approves Housing on Parking Lots
Despite complaints from some nearby tenants, the Council unanimously voted to move ahead with attempts to attract developers to build low-income housing on three city-owned parking lots. CRTP fully supports the move. Below is a photo of one of the parking lots at issue, earlier in the day of the City Council meeting. The number of empty spaces is telling.

Eureka Street Art Festival Bringing Murals to Henderson Center
There won’t be a block party this year. But artists will still be sprucing up the city with cool murals! For those of us who think a lot about the pragmatics of transportation, it’s important to remember that art can play an important role in improving the streets.

Eureka Budget, Transit Agreement on Council Agenda
As car-minded pundits like to say, local budgets are “where the rubber meets the road” for policy implementation.

CHP Conducts High-Speed Chase
These kinds of pursuits are notorious for causing injury and death. Luckily, this time the only damage appears to have been to a vehicle.

How About We Don’t Include Road-Building in the Next Infrastructure Legislation?
It’s just not a good investment.

PG&E Offers EV Savings Calculator
Wondering if an electric vehicle is in your future?

The E-Bike Ad That Couldn’t Be Shown on French TV
What’s so offensive about it? It makes the car industry look bad.

Will COVID Change Everything?
More experts weigh in on the post-pandemic future of transportation.

Bike Lanes Can Be “Functionally Obsolete” Too
“Functional obsolescence” is the term engineers use to describe infrastructure that no longer meets modern standards. Frequently, it’s used to justify very expensive upgrades to vehicle-serving infrastructure. Almost never is it applied to active transportation infrastructure, despite the fact that old bike lanes and sidewalks – and even many new ones – frequently fail to meet modern standards.

Shutdowns Saved a Lot of Animals
The daily death toll of wildlife on American roadways is normally astronomical.

A Bold Proposal for Manhattan
What could the heart of one of the world’s great cities look like with no personal automobiles?

Turning Parking Lots into Housing in Eureka?

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 3, 2020

Turning Parking Lots into Housing in Eureka?
The City of Eureka will hold a public hearing next week on a proposal to allow development of affordable housing on land currently occupied by under-utilized parking lots. This is the kind of creative approach to infill development that’s necessary to meet both housing and driving-reduction goals, and CRTP fully supports the move.

CRTP Teams Up with EPIC, Humboldt Baykeeper on Subdivision Comments
In a second comment letter on the huge McKay subdivision project, we elaborate on the legal insufficiency of the transportation impact analysis and also discuss impacts to ecosystems and wildlife. You can read our first comment letter with EPIC here.

Activists Roll Around Eureka for Rent, Mortgage Relief
Taking to the streets continues to be the preferred method of protest for many. Using wheels lets you cover more ground.

Planning Commission to Consider Samoa Development Permit
The Humboldt County Planning Commission will hold a hearing on a Coastal Development Permit for the long-planned redevelopment and expansion of the Town of Samoa. CRTP is concerned about the impacts of developing more and more housing in areas far removed from public transit and other services.

Arcata Transit System Agrees to Conditional Deal with HSU
Humboldt State students, faculty and staff provide most of the ridership for the Arcata Mad River Transit System. Each year, the university pays the City of Arcata (which operates the system) a fixed amount based on the previous year’s ridership figures to cover the cost of the next year’s rides. With the new academic year approaching, the city and the university have inked a deal. But ridership predictions are a big question mark due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic on university operations. For that reason, the contract contains a provision to allow renegotiation at the end of October based on actual ridership up to that date. So the system appears to be fully funded for now – but if student ridership stays low (as it probably will), the funding system could come crashing down later in the fall.

County Residents Want Parks
In unincorporated urban areas like Cutten and Myrtletown, the county only maintains one kind of public space: roads. Residents are asking for neighborhood parks, but the county says it doesn’t really do that. Here’s an idea: allow some roads to function as parks with Slow Streets, public art, and placemaking.

Reminder: Make Your Street Story Reports
9 new hazards and 7 near misses have been reported in the county in the last few weeks. If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision on the street, make your Street Story report here. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

Transportation Commission Approves Bike/Ped Funding, Talks About Equity
Commissioners fulfilled their promise to set aside a full $100 million for active transportation projects, then delved into the issue of transportation equity – a somewhat shocking turn of events for an agency that historically has never seen a highway project it didn’t like.

Caltrans Rolls Out New Five-Year Safety Plan
Fatalities have been rising in the state for years, particularly among bicyclists and pedestrians.

Transportation Folded into Bigger Infrastructure Bill
The INVEST Act, House Democrats’ transformative transportation bill, has now been incorporated into the much bigger Moving Forward Act, a comprehensive infrastructure bill. Also included: a provision from our very own Representative Huffman to fund a switch to electric mail trucks and charging stations!

Safe Routes to School: Enforcement Is Not a Solution
In light of undeniable inequities in law enforcement nationwide, the national Safe Routes Partnership has eliminated enforcement from its list of guiding principles.

Four Steps Toward Anti-Racist Urban Planning
Recommendations from planner Amina Yasin.

SB 743 Is Now the Law of the Land!
Thirteen years after the law was passed, agencies in California can now no longer consider traffic congestion to be an environmental impact of new projects.

Defund the Police, Fund the DOT?
Berkeley is considering taking traffic enforcement responsibilities away from the police department and giving them to unarmed civilian transportation officials.

Evidence Mounts That Transit Is Not a Major Cause of COVID Spread
Despite what you may have heard.