The Collector
April 24, 2020
May is Still Bike Month!
While most of the events traditionally associated with Bike Month have been canceled or delayed, the Humboldt Bike Month Coalition is still supporting a Bike Month Challenge during May. So get out there and ride (while taking the proper health and safety precautions, of course)!
Transit Authority Scales Back Bus Schedule
The Humboldt Transit Authority has moved to a Saturday schedule every day (except Sunday) and is mandating masks along with the rest of the county. Travel is still fare free, and staff are still taking extraordinary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Local E-Bike Rebate is Live!
E-bikes can help extend your biking range and flatten our steepest hills. Now, until funding runs out, if you buy an e-bike in Humboldt County, you can get a $500 rebate from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority. All the details are now posted on the RCEA site.
Want to Audit Your Neighborhood’s Walkability?
If you’ve been walking around your neighborhood more lately, and you’ve noticed some areas where the pedestrian infrastructure is lacking, you’re not alone. If you want to do a formal walk audit for your block or your neighborhood, CRTP has created a Google form that can help. Get in touch with us for more information on how to do a systematic assessment. And as always, don’t forget to report any hazards, near misses or collisions on Street Story.
Caltrans Regional Active Transportation Planning Under Way
The Del Norte Local Transportation Commission’s Technical Advisory Committee will hear a presentation next week on Caltrans District 1 efforts to develop an active transportation plan for the state highway system on the North Coast. Humboldt County has already convened an ad hoc committee (on which CRTP serves) to help develop the plan here.
Lessons from the Pandemic
Local climate activist Martha Walden ponders what we can learn from the pandemic and the world’s response to it.
Arcata Designates One-Way Trails at the Marsh
It’s a sensible way to encourage social distancing while walking on narrow trails. Of course, not everyone can walk at the Marsh. So another step would be temporarily widening narrow sidewalks around town, or closing low-volume residential streets to through-traffic and designating pedestrian priority.
Fortuna Interchange Redesign a Step Closer to Completion
The project will include some much-needed bike and pedestrian upgrades.
Traffic Violence Injuries Down 40% During Stay-at-Home Era
A new study suggests a 50% decline in traffic collisions and a 40% decline in traffic-related hospitalizations in California. If dollars are your thing, that’s a $40 million savings to the state’s economy every day.
Weekly Street Story Update: Stay Safe Out There
Another near miss for a bicyclist was reported this week in the Humboldt Bay area. If you see or experience something dangerous while traveling for essential reasons or for recreation, please make your Street Story report here.
Bailout Conditions Require Airline to Fly Empty Planes
“Ghost planes.” Just what we needed.
Don’t Be So Quick to Blame the Subway
Public transit, like any form of transportation, should only be used for essential travel right now, and social distancing has to be respected at all times. But it’s unlikely that New York’s subways were the central factor in spreading the coronavirus there, as many traditionally anti-transit voices are claiming.
Tactical Urbanism Is On the Rise
In cities around the world, residents frustrated with the inability to use sidewalks and bike lanes while maintaining proper social distance are taking matters into their own hands by reclaiming streets on an unofficial, ad hoc basis. New Zealand, meanwhile, has become the first country to officially sanction and fund these kinds of efforts on a nationwide basis.
No, Gas Taxes Don’t Pay for Your Roads
They haven’t produced enough revenue to cover construction, maintenance and repair costs for years. But we still act like they do.
“If Everyone Drives a Car, There is No Space for People”
Milan has an ambitious plan to re-prioritize street space when it opens up after the pandemic.
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.