Mark Your Calendar for the National Week Without Driving

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 25, 2023

Mark Your Calendar for the National Week Without Driving
Decision makers often assume that everybody drives a car, but the truth is that about 30% of Americans can’t drive because they are too young or too old, have a disability, or can’t afford a car. In 2021 and 2022, leaders in Washington state participated in a Week Without Driving to gain some insight into the experiences of people who can’t drive. This year, organizations from across the country are hosting the first National Week Without Driving from October 2-8, 2023. Here on the North Coast, it’s hosted by CRTP.

Anyone can take the Week Without Driving pledge, but we are specifically asking elected and appointed officials, planners and engineers to participate. That’s because it’s particularly important for people who make decisions about the transportation system to understand what it’s like for people who can’t drive. If you are an elected official or a professional who works on transportation or land use issues, please mark your calendar and take the pledge today.

A Win and a Block for the Gateway Plan
The Arcata City Council nixed the idea of a K and L Street couplet this week, and directed staff to come back with new plans to redesign K and 11th Streets for bike and pedestrian safety. This prioritization of safety on K and 11th Streets is exactly what we’ve been asking for, so we consider this a win. Thanks to the Council for moving it forward, and thanks to our supporters for all the comments you submitted on this topic!

On the other big Gateway Plan topic of discussion, progress was harder to find. As outlined in comments submitted shortly before the meeting, 2 of the 3 Councilmembers eligible to vote on the Gateway Plan support allowing taller buildings, which we have long pointed out are needed for walkable development. However, the third Councilmember actually proposed decreasing building heights from what is currently allowed, which would be a major step backwards. Because of a quirk of state law, all 3 Councilmembers have to vote yes on the final plan, so one “no” vote can effectively block it. Because denser development is key to the Gateway Plan’s success, this week’s Council discussion puts the future of the plan in serious question.

Plans Make Progress in McKinleyville
The McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee this week seemed to move toward majority support for a much-needed lane reduction and redesign of Central Avenue, after more than a year of stalemate on the issue. Committee members also reaffirmed their support for eliminating costly parking mandates from the Town Center plan, a positive step that helps clear the way for walkable development.

Also this week, the Board of Supervisors took the first step toward a required environmental review for the Town Center ordinance, and accepted a report recommending significant bike and pedestrian safety improvements throughout McKinleyville. Our region’s third largest community – long characterized by a sprawling, car-dominated suburban form – is finally taking real steps toward transportation safety and climate-friendly planning!

Eureka Bike Plan Survey Still Available
If you haven’t filled out the survey yet, please do it today! Your input will help inform plans for the city’s future bike network.

Si aún no ha completado la encuesta del plan de bicicletas de Eureka, ¡hágalo hoy! Su opinión ayudará a informar los planes para la futura red de bicicletas de la ciudad. Haga clic aquí para ver la encuesta.

While we’re talking about Eureka: don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbors not to sign that anti-housing, anti-transit, anti-walkability petition that’s going around!

Street Story: A Simple Way to Contribute to the Fight for Safe Streets
Reports on Street Story only take a few minutes, and they give CRTP and local government agencies better information about the need for safety improvements. So don’t forget to make a report every time you experience a near-miss, a crash, or a hazardous location. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí.

News from Beyond the North Coast

File This Under “Unpopular But True”
Researchers have analyzed more data, and come to the same conclusion: You can’t get people to drive less just by making it nicer to walk, bike or ride the bus. You also have to make it less pleasant to drive.

Can A New Program Help Smaller Communities Get Federal Funds?
Unprecedented amounts of money are coming from the federal government to support bike and pedestrian infrastructure and public transit, thanks to the recent infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act. But small communities have historically struggled to access federal money, due in part to complex bureaucratic requirements.

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.

Arcata City Council Will Finally Review the Gateway Plan Next Week

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 18, 2023

Arcata City Council Will Finally Review the Gateway Plan Next Week
It’s been nearly 2 years since the draft Gateway Plan was first published, and next Tuesday night the City Council will finally get their chance to review it. The Council will sit down with the Planning Commission to discuss the Commission’s recommendations and will likely take “straw votes” to indicate their positions on the key issues. (To be specific, three of the Councilmembers will discuss and vote; the other two have had to recuse themselves from Gateway-related decisions because they own property near the area.)

This meeting is likely to have a big impact on the final fate of the Gateway Plan. Please show up and voice your support! After all, as we’ve said many times, this is the most bike and pedestrian-friendly land use plan yet proposed in our region. It includes great infrastructure upgrades and pedestrian-oriented building design standards, as well as encouraging higher densities that will increase walkability and bikeability and support better transit service.

One hot topic that will be discussed on Tuesday is the proposed K and L Street “couplet.” This is one of the central transportation features of the plan, so we want to make sure our members and supports know the basic facts. The city is proposing to make K and L Streets into single-lane, one-way streets, while preserving and enhancing the off-street trail that already runs along the L Street corridor. Because these streets would have only one lane, they would not be subject to the speeding problems found on multi-lane one-ways, and the design changes would make it much safer and more comfortable to walk and bike between downtown and the Gateway area. However, the proposal would also build out the currently incomplete (and therefore very low-traffic) L Street from Alliance Road to Samoa Boulevard, and divert southbound traffic from K Street to L Street, next to the trail. Many people are understandably upset about that.

CRTP wants to preserve and create as much car-free and low-car space as possible. We also feel the urgent need to prioritize fixing the biggest bike and pedestrian safety issues wherever they are found. Unfortunately, the over-heated and sometimes misleading rhetoric about the couplet has distracted from the biggest problems for people walking, biking and rolling in the neighborhood – notably the current designs of K and 11th Streets. In fact, with all the attention on K and L, virtually no attention has been devoted to fixing dangerous 11th Street. So in the end, if K and 11th Streets are overhauled for bike and pedestrian safety – and the off-street trail along L Street is preserved – we will consider it a big win.

We Should Build Housing on Unneeded Parking Lots – and Not Just in Eureka
Check out this op-ed from CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske about the need to put all of that paved land to better use. The spotlight in this piece is on a particularly egregious example of wasted space: the vast and mostly empty parking lot at the former Ray’s Food Place in McKinleyville. The owners of this lot could build enough housing for hundreds of families if they wanted to – and even better, it’s close to the future McKinleyville Town Center and right on the Redwood Transit Service bus route!

While we’re talking about parking lots and housing, don’t forget to tell everyone you know in Eureka not to sign that misleading Rob Arkley-backed petition! Despite the “Housing for All” name, it’s actually designed to block the planned transit center and walkable, affordable housing in the name of preserving every single public parking lot space in the already over-parked downtown.

How to Become a Great Bike City
In the latest EcoNews, we give some history about how cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen became great bike cities, and draw lessons for our local communities.

News from Beyond the North Coast

No, E-Bikes Are Not Causing the Bike Safety Crisis
Some Southern California cities are reacting to e-bike riders being hit by vehicles by blaming the e-bikes. Some media outlets are also promoting this narrative. But this is just another victim-blaming distraction from the real problems: inadequate infrastructure and ever-bigger cars and trucks.

San Francisco Objects to Expansion of Driverless Taxis
The state voted last week to allow “robotaxis” to operate at all hours. The city says they’re already disrupting transit and creating safety hazards, and the expanded hours would only make things worse.

Eurekans: Please Don’t Sign That Petition!

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 11, 2023

Parking Lots Cover More Than One Third of Downtown Eureka
A new map made by CRTP shows that 34% of developable land in the downtown area is covered by parking lots. And that’s after removing the 35% of land covered by streets, most of which is also devoted to moving and parking cars! Click here to explore the map and read more about it.

Clearly, complaints about a parking shortage downtown are misinformed. If there’s a parking problem in Eureka, it’s a management problem, not a supply problem. The fact that almost all the parking is free (i.e., subsidized), and much of it is in private lots only available to land owners or business customers, makes it a very poorly managed resource. Implementing best practices for metering and sharing parking would do a lot to increase efficiency and ensure spaces are available when and where they’re actually needed – even after parking is removed to allow affordable housing construction. Speaking of which…

Don’t Sign That Petition; It’s Not Pro-Housing!
The Arkley-funded petition now being circulated is cynically titled “Eureka Housing for All,” but its true purpose is the opposite: to make it virtually impossible to build affordable housing by mandating that not a single parking spot can be removed from any public downtown lot. It would also prevent the Humboldt Transit Authority from building the much-needed (and already funded) Eureka Regional Transit and Housing Center (EaRTH Center). This initiative is anti-housing, anti-transit, anti-walkability, and – let’s face it – anti-poor people. The only thing it’s really for is free parking. CRTP strongly urges Eurekans not to sign it.

If you already mistakenly signed it because of the misleading marketing, you’re not alone! Click here for a form you can print and return to the Elections office to remove your signature.

Take the Eureka Bike Plan Survey
Let the city know where you bike, where you’d like to bike, and what kind of infrastructure would make you feel comfortable biking. Your answers will help inform the Eureka Bike Plan which is currently under development. And if you have specific input not captured by the survey, let CRTP know! We are representing our members and supporters as a stakeholder on the Bike Plan Project Task Force, and if you have ideas we’d love to hear from you.

Judge Rules Against Caltrans in Richardson Grove Case
The latest lawsuit against the highway expansion project through Richardson Grove State Park will continue thanks to a ruling by a local judge. After more than a decade of legal setbacks and a massive shift in state transportation plans, we have to ask: why is Caltrans still promoting this outdated and expensive project?

News from Beyond the North Coast

What Can Local Communities Do About the Increasing Size of Personal Vehicles?
New cars, trucks and SUVs just keep getting bigger, threatening not only the planet but also anyone who is walking, biking, or even riding in a smaller vehicle nearby. Addressing this problem will require federal or state government action, but local governments have some tools they could use as well, including designing streets that are safer for people outside a vehicle and less convenient to use in an enormous truck or SUV.

All New Cars Should Have Automatic Braking for Pedestrians
Automatic braking technology is far from perfect – for example, it rarely detects pedestrians at night, at high speeds, or when a car is turning – but it can still save lives in many situations. If you agree that it should be standard on all new vehicles, click the link above to let the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration know how you feel.

Arcata Council Approves H Street Bike Lane

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

August 4, 2023

Arcata Council Approves H Street Bike Lane
On Wednesday, the City Council modified plans for a paving project on H Street to include a long-missing stretch of bike lane between 17th and 18th Streets, making one of the city’s main thoroughfares significantly safer for people biking. They also voted to reaffirm their support for the Complete Streets Policy, which requires bike and pedestrian improvements like this to be included automatically in all future projects.

Make no mistake, this happened because of you! CRTP was the first to advocate for this bike lane, and our members and supporters sent in many comments in support of both the bike lane and the Complete Streets Policy. Mayor Sarah Schaefer even thanked us after the vote!

To learn about how other places have become great bike cities, and the importance of designing bike facilities for people of all ages and abilities, check out CRTP’s articles in the latest edition of the Eco News.

A New Bus Route & A New Bus Adventure
A new bus route will start operating during morning and afternoon peak hours in Arcata soon, offering half-hourly service between Valley West and Cal Poly Humboldt. Combined with other existing routes, this will provide buses every 15 minutes between Valley West and central Arcata at some times of day – the first time this kind of frequency has ever been achieved in our region. Research shows that buses generally need to come at least every 15 minutes for people who own cars to choose to ride the bus instead.

If you want to learn more about riding the bus, you can join 350 Humboldt for one of their Bus Adventures! The next Adventure is happening next Thursday at 10 am at the Humboldt Transit Authority depot at 133 V Street in Eureka, where participants will learn how to load bikes onto the bus bike racks. Email cathyck@sbcglobal.net for more information and to RSVP.

Eureka City Council Approves A Few More Downtown Parking Changes
It will cost a little bit more to park in some of the downtown lots soon, although still not enough to cover the cost of maintaining those parking lots – let alone the costs we all bear from more parking and driving, which range from reduced space for downtown housing to deaths and injuries from car crashes to global climate chaos.

Another Gateway Plan Review Session
Concerned that you haven’t heard about the Gateway Plan enough lately? Never fear, even though the Arcata Planning Commission made its formal recommendation to City Council last month, they’ll still be talking more about it next week! CRTP continues to support this bike and pedestrian-friendly infill development plan while advocating for improvements every chance we get.

Street Story Reports Help Us Advocate for Safer Streets
When we are advocating to improve a plan or project, we frequently look at the Street Story map to see what people have reported. Your reports give us better information about the need for safety improvements! So don’t forget to make a report every time you experience a near-miss, a crash, or a hazardous location. La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí.

News from Beyond the North Coast

People Really Love E-Bike Incentives
In a new survey, most bicyclists said they’d actually pick up and move to a new city if it offered them an e-bike.

Taking Away Drivers Licenses Hasn’t Made Our Roads Safer
Although justified as a public safety measure, most license suspensions are really just punishments meted out to low-income people for not being able to pay their debts.

Learn About Edible Plants by Bike!

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 28, 2023

More on Parking and Housing in Eureka
The Eureka City Council will return to the topic of downtown parking at next week’s meeting and is set to finalize changes made last week to moderately expand and modernize the meter system. They will also discuss changing time limits on some blocks. Also on the agenda, continued from the previous meeting, is a report on the draft Waterfront Specific Plan.

Meanwhile, as Rob Arkley and cronies continue promoting their NIMBY Ballot Initiative to block affordable downtown housing, the California Highway Patrol is poised to purchase the old Jacobs school site – further undermining the initiative’s already silly argument that all the city’s new housing can go there instead of downtown. (Ironically, if the Jacobs campus were actually available for housing development, we would agree with Arkley that it’s a pretty good location – but that doesn’t negate the need for walkable housing downtown, too.)

Join Us to Learn About Edible Plants by Bike!
Next Thursday, join CRTP, the Northcoast Environmental Center, and Moon Cycles for a casual bike ride through the Arcata Bottoms to learn about local edible and medicinal plants. This is a great opportunity for people who want to get more comfortable on a bike, as well as folks interested in edible plants. Click the link above to register – we’ll even help you borrow a bike if you don’t have one!

Virtual Great Redwood Trail Workshop Next Week
Next Wednesday the Great Redwood Trail Agency is holding an online public workshop to get feedback on trail planning efforts. Meanwhile, progress has already begun on building one of the most exciting segments of the trail, which will finally connect Eureka and Arcata with a safe path for walking and biking!

This Person Gets It
After attending the annual AutoXpo, a Fortuna resident reflects: classic cars might be cool, but car culture is driving us toward planetary disaster.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Some Downtowns Are Finally Welcoming Bikes Lanes and Pedestrianization
Call it enlightened self-interest from the business community.

How to Respond When Someone Bashes Bicyclists
CalBike provides a handy guide for those situations when you hear familiar phrases like “If only those crazy bicyclists wouldn’t…”

Eureka Council Awards Affordable Housing Project to Wiyot Tribe

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 21, 2023

Walkability Expert Arrives in Humboldt Tomorrow
Dan Burden will be in Humboldt County tomorrow (7/22) through Tuesday (7/25) looking at walkability and bikeability in many local communities. Click here for an updated schedule, which includes new events in Eureka and Manila. This is a great opportunity to bring more attention to the critical local transportation issues CRTP works on every day. We hope to see you out there at some of the events!

Eureka Council Awards Affordable Housing Project to Wiyot Tribe
Conservative billionaire Rob Arkley and his cronies, not content with suing the city to block walkable, affordable downtown housing, recently announced they’re also trying to stop the city’s plans with a ballot initiative. Don’t be fooled by the Orwellian “Housing for All” language – this is just another cynical ploy to preserve excessive parking at the expense of much-needed housing and transit improvements. In addition to blocking future projects, the initiative even attempts to wind back the clock and rescind approvals the city has already given to build affordable housing projects and the EaRTH Center.

We’re happy to report that this week the Eureka City Council ignored these bullying tactics and awarded the right to build housing on two more downtown lots to the Wiyot Tribe’s Dishgamu Community Land Trust. Thanks to all of CRTP’s members and supporters who spoke up in favor of this project and asked the city to choose Dishgamu! The Council’s decision moves forward affordable, walkable housing with many transportation amenities, and also acknowledges the critical role the Wiyot Tribe continues to play in stewarding the local land and community.

At the same meeting, the City Council also approved changes to downtown parking management, including increased meter rates and a moderate expansion of metered parking. This is a step toward better management, and marks a slight reduction in the public subsidy for driving downtown.

Harbor District Kicks Off Port Development Environmental Review
The prospect of producing a lot of renewable energy off our coast is exciting, but port development will come with significant impacts. CRTP is working with our allies to advocate for a zero-emission port, as well as for bike, pedestrian, and transit improvements to the surrounding roads and communities.

Roundabouts in Fortuna?
Conceptual designs for roundabouts at several major intersections and interchanges were recently published online. While roundabouts usually make intersections safer for drivers, they often present challenges for people walking, biking, and rolling, and particularly for sight-impaired pedestrians. CRTP only supports roundabouts if they come with effective design for safe navigation by all users. The current Fortuna roundabout concepts seem to have incomplete bike and pedestrian facilities and high exposure to moving vehicles, raising substantial concerns about safe and comfortable use by people walking, biking or rolling.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Access to Hiking Trails Without a Personal Vehicle
With good planning, parks and natural areas can be accessed by public transit and other modes of transportation.

30-Year Sentence in Deadly Distracted Driving Case
What does justice look like for distracted drivers who kill with their cars?

Eureka City Council to Vote on Downtown Housing & Parking Reforms

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 14, 2023

Arcata Planning Commission Recommends Gateway Plan Adoption!
The Gateway Area Plan, along with the Gateway Zoning Code and other General Plan updates, took a big step toward approval this Tuesday when Commissioners voted to recommend that the City Council move ahead with the current draft documents. We know Commissioners heard from a lot of CRTP’s members and supporters in support of this decision, so thank you for taking action! The process is far from over, and the Commission reserved the right to make additional recommendations in the future. But we are excited and encouraged by the support for these plans and regulations, which represent a major shift toward more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly land use planning.

Eureka City Council to Decide on Downtown Housing Projects & Parking Reforms
Next Tuesday, the Council will vote on two major downtown projects. First, they will decide which developer will build affordable housing on two downtown parking lots. CRTP is a big supporter of this project, but we are a little disappointed that city staff are recommending a national developer instead of the Wiyot Dishgamu Land Trust. The Dishgamu proposal includes more housing and more transportation amenities (like an EV car share system) than the competing proposal, and would offer meaningful support to the Wiyot Tribe and its members. We hope the Council opts to award the project to Dishgamu.

Second, the Council will vote on improving downtown parking management, including increasing the currently very low parking meter rates, installing new meters, and piloting an employee parking pass program. CRTP supports this project, which is a sensible step toward more effective management of the existing parking supply. However, we think that instead of rather arbitrarily deciding which days and times parking should be free, the city should follow well-established best practices and adjust parking meter rates according to demand over time.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the Council will hear public comment on the draft Waterfront Eureka Plan. Check out CRTP’s comment letter for more details on that.

Planning Commission to Consider Innovative Housing Project in McKinleyville
We Are Up is a nonprofit devoted to developing a multi-generational, mixed-ability community just off Central Avenue in McKinleyville. CRTP supports We Are Up, which chose its location with transit access and walkability in mind. We think this represents another step toward building a McKinleyville that works for everyone, including people who can’t drive. You can voice your support when the Humboldt County Planning Commission considers the project next Thursday.

Renowned Walkability Expert to Visit Humboldt
Dan Burden, an internationally recognized expert in walkability and bikeability, will be visiting Humboldt County next Saturday (7/22) through Tuesday (7/25). His visit will include walk audits in Arcata, McKinleyville and Eureka, as well as presentations on his findings, all of which are open to the public. Burden will be taking on many of CRTP’s top priority areas, including Central Avenue and the McKinleyville Town Center, Old Town Eureka, and K and 11th Streets in Arcata. Click here to see his schedule, and be sure to attend as many events as you can!

Committee Recommends Bike Lane Infill on Arcata’s H Street
This week, Arcata’s Transportation Safety Committee discussed whether the city should fill in the bike lane gap on H Street between 17th and 18th when it repaves this fall, or leave it out in favor of a car parking lane. Committee members unanimously agreed with CRTP that completing the bike lane is not only needed for safety reasons, but is also required by the city’s Complete Streets Policy.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Responsible Transportation Bills Move Forward – Or Not
Bills passed out of committee this week include one that would require “daylighting” of crosswalks for safety (prohibiting parking within a certain distance), another that would require transportation projects to align with the state’s climate goals, and another that would create a pilot free transit pass program for youth. One bill which – once again – was withdrawn from consideration was the bike “safety stop” bill, which would have legalized the common-sense and safe practice of treating a stop sign as a yield sign when riding a bike.

Car Ownership Is a Burden on Low-Income People – But Many Have No Other Choice
We have built a landscape in most parts of the United States that forces people to own and operate vehicles they can’t afford in order to meet basic needs and access economic opportunities.

Pedestrian Fatalities Continue to Rise
Preliminary data indicate that the number of people in the US killed while walking increased yet again last year. The causes of this disturbing trend are well known: streets designed for speed rather than safety, and bloated vehicles that just keep getting bigger and more dangerous. CRTP is focused on street design, but we have to admit that the streets will never be truly safe until federal regulators and automakers take responsibility for the design of vehicles and start producing smaller cars again.

Arcata Planning Commission to Vote on Gateway Recommendations

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 7, 2023

Arcata Planning Commission to Vote on Gateway Recommendations
Next Tuesday, after more than 18 months of review, the Commission is slated to make its preliminary recommendations to the City Council on the Gateway Plan, Gateway zoning code, and other General Plan updates. This has been a long and sometimes confusing process, and it’s not over yet. Still, next week’s vote by the Planning Commission represents one of the key decision points for shaping future land use and transportation in the Gateway Area and the rest of Arcata.

CRTP has been a strong supporter of the Gateway Plan since the beginning. It provides for denser, walkable development focused on allowing car-free and car-light living. The Gateway zoning code implements this vision for the Gateway Area, and the updated General Plan extends many important elements to the city as a whole. And in recent months, at CRTP’s urging, the Planning Commission has made even more improvements to the plans and codes. For example, the Commission has voted to completely eliminate costly parking mandates in the Gateway Area and consider eliminating them citywide, to deprioritize congestion management in favor of slower and safer streets, and to increase long-term bike parking facilities. Taken as a whole, this package of plan and code reforms represents a huge step forward for Arcata, and we’re excited to see it move toward implementation.

Have Your Say on Eureka’s Coastal Land Use & Bike Plans
As we mentioned last week, Eureka’s draft Coastal Land Use Plan covers the city’s entire coastal zone, while the Waterfront Specific Plan focuses on Old Town, the Library district and surrounding areas. Not only are both plans now available for review, the Eureka Planning Commission will be taking public comment on the Waterfront Plan on Monday. If you’re wondering what to say, check out CRTP’s recent comment letter for inspiration.

In other Eureka planning news, the city has now kicked off development of its official Bike Plan. A public survey to inform the plan will be available soon, and you can sign up here to receive the survey by email when it’s ready.

First Official Chance to Comment on Port Development Plans
The Humboldt Bay Harbor District is preparing to develop an Environmental Impact Report for its port development plans (meant to serve offshore wind and other industries). You can comment now by email, or attend the public scoping meeting next Wednesday at 5:30 pm at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka.

As CRTP and allies have already said many times, it’s critical that the port be developed with zero-emission technologies in order not to exacerbate climate chaos and to avoid imposing the heavy pollution burden suffered by other port communities. In anticipation of a significant increase in heavy truck and car traffic, we also think it’s important to provide safer bike and pedestrian infrastructure on the Samoa peninsula (and along other associated truck routes), and to implement programs that encourage port business employees not to drive alone to work.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Responsible Transportation Bills Coming Up for Senate Committee Vote
Next week in Sacramento, the Senate Transportation Committee will vote on a number of important bills, including the long-awaited measure legalizing the bike “safety stop,” a proposal to ban parking near most crosswalks to improve safety and visibility, and a pilot program to provide free transit passes for kids.

One key bill that advanced in the Senate this week was AB-1317, which would require most rental properties to “unbundle” parking and residential rents – that is, to charge separately for homes and parking spots. Unbundling is an important equity measure, because it allows lower income people who don’t own cars to pay lower rents (and not subsidize parking for people who do drive). CRTP has been advocating for unbundling in local projects for many years, and we’re excited that it may soon become the rule statewide.

Active Transportation Funding Saved
After a lot of budget negotiation drama, funding for California’s primary bike and pedestrian infrastructure program has been restored to previous levels. We’re grateful, but we also note that even when “fully funded,” the need has always been much greater than the funding.

Draft Plans for Eureka’s Coastal Areas Now Available

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

June 30, 2023

Draft Plans for Eureka’s Coastal Areas Now Available
The Coastal Land Use Plan covers the city’s entire coastal zone, while the Waterfront Specific Plan focuses on Old Town, the Library district and surrounding areas. Both draft plans are now available for review, and the city is accepting public comment.

CRTP is excited that the city is finally modernizing coastal zoning rules, many of which have remained basically unchanged since the 1960s. The new rules go a long way toward encouraging denser, more walkable development and planning better bike and pedestrian infrastructure. However, we think some improvements could still be made, like eliminating counterproductive and costly parking mandates, providing more protected bike lanes, and acknowledging the importance of public transit service in the area. Check out the links above to read the draft plans and provide your own comments today!

Commission Recommends Improvements to Gateway Zoning Code
This week, the Arcata Planning Commission weighed in on aspects of the proposed zoning code for the Gateway Area and recommended improvements. Several of the proposed changes come in response to education and advocacy from CRTP and our members and supporters.

Recommendations from the Commission included the removal of remaining car parking mandates, higher standards for long-term bike parking, and an increase in minimum building height to three stories (more density supports walkability and transit). These are big improvements to what was already a very strong code, and we’re excited about the progress! The Commission will forward their entire package of recommendations, developed over the last year and a half, to the City Council on July 11, but will likely continue discussing the Gateway plan and zoning code long after that.

Unmet Transit Needs in Del Norte County
This week, the Del Norte Local Transportation Commission concluded that there are real unmet transit needs in the county, including non-emergency medical transportation and significant bus stop upgrades, but there’s no money to meet those needs. This annual, state-mandated assessment process consistently highlights the need for greater investment in transit, both to better serve people who currently rely on it and to attract new riders. Increased transit ridership is a key strategy for fighting climate change, supporting economic development and increasing equity.

Caltrans Finally Agrees to Street Trees in Eureka
The volunteer group Keep Eureka Beautiful has long wanted to plant street trees on 4th and 5th Streets – part of Highway 101 – but had been stymied for years by bureaucratic wrangling with Caltrans and the city. Now the trees are finally being planted! When well selected and well placed, street trees can help create a more welcoming pedestrian environment and slow down traffic, increasing safety and comfort for everyone.

News from Beyond the North Coast

State Budget Avoids Fiscal Cliff for Transit Agencies
A $5.1 billion package should prevent immediate service cuts, but more sustainable investments will eventually be needed. Meanwhile, the budget negotiations also produced a package of bills aimed at streamlining approval of big infrastructure projects, including transportation infrastructure. While we applaud efforts to prevent bogus lawsuits of the type that have often been filed against projects like bike lanes and public transit improvements, we are concerned that the new laws could also help expedite old-fashioned, destructive highway projects.

Let’s Build Some More Housing on Strip Malls and Parking Lots
Tomorrow (July 1), new state laws will take effect to allow new housing to be built on commercially zoned land. In our region, CRTP has its eye on a number of huge, underutilized, commercially zoned parking lots in prime, walkable locations. We hope the owners of these properties see this as the opportunity it is and start preparing their plans!

Most People Know Wider Roads Don’t Actually Relieve Congestion
A new study shows that most of the public understands and accepts the well-documented phenomenon of “induced demand” – i.e., the idea that building more roads and more lanes just causes people to drive more. So why do transportation officials keep widening highways and promising congestion relief?

Arcata’s Commitment to Complete Streets is Tested

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

June 23, 2023

Richardson Grove Project Back In Court…And You’re Invited!
Our friends at EPIC are back in court next week, still working to stop a highway expansion through Richardson Grove State Park more than 15 years after Caltrans first proposed it. CRTP has opposed this project since our founding in 2015. It’s a prime example of what we should not be doing: spending millions to design roads for the biggest fossil fuel-burning trucks rather than prioritizing projects that improve safety and access for people walking, biking, rolling and riding the bus. If you agree, you can go to the Humboldt County Courthouse at 10:15 am on Monday and show your support!

Arcata’s Commitment to Complete Streets is Tested
Last year, the Council adopted a Complete Streets Policy that requires all city street projects to include safe facilities for users of all ages and abilities, including people walking and biking. On Wednesday, the city’s commitment to this policy was tested.

On the Council’s agenda was the annual paving project, which includes repaving parts of H Street – including the block of this heavily trafficked thoroughfare (between 17th and 18th Streets) where the bike lane just disappears into a parking lane. Instead of fixing this longstanding issue as the Complete Streets Policy requires, however, the proposal was to leave the situation basically unchanged. The reason: city staff decided that maintaining 8 parking spaces was more important than ensuring a safe and uninterrupted bike network.

CRTP objected strenuously to this plan, calling for the city’s policy to be followed and the bike lane completed. After all, this is a street with four lanes for cars – two for driving and two for parking – and, on this particular block, no space at all for bikes. There is no world where that’s a “complete street.”

After some discussion, the City Council decided to put off a decision to a future meeting. We’re very glad they didn’t rubber-stamp the proposed design with no bike lane, and we’re hopeful that they’ll eventually make the right decision. But we’re also disappointed that this is even an issue. The point of the Complete Streets Policy is to take opportunities like this repaving project to improve facilities automatically and inexpensively, rather than waiting for future funding to do stand-alone projects. If implementing the policy requires a debate every time, it’s not much of a policy.

Gateway Zoning Code at the Planning Commission Again
At their last meeting, the Arcata Planning Commission heard introductory presentations about the draft code. Next Tuesday, we expect them to actually weigh in on the substance. If you want to have your voice heard, you can email the Commissioners or attend the meeting. For ideas about what to say, check out CRTP’s detailed comment letter.

State Transportation Commission to Allocate Funds for Crescent City Project
The Front Street pedestrian improvement project has been planned for a long time, and we’re excited to see that it will finally get some state funding. The Commission will also allocate funds for a number of other North Coast projects next week, including extra money to add lighting and landscaping elements to the South Broadway Complete Streets Project in Eureka.

News from Beyond the North Coast

More Money Needed for E-Bike Incentives
If the state doesn’t put more money in the budget, funds for the e-bike program will run out very quickly. Another priority for California bike advocates this week: rallying support for a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of crosswalks to improve visibility and save lives.

“How Parking Explains the World”
Check out the latest interview with Henry Grabar, who has been getting a lot of well-deserved attention lately for his new book about the insidious impacts of parking policy on almost every aspect of our lives.