County Struggles to Promote Walkable Housing

Posted on July 17, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 17, 2026

A satellite image of the area south of Eureka highlights an irregularly shaped forested plot of land

County Struggles to Promote Walkable Housing

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisor this week approved a new ordinance meant to promote new housing in “Housing Opportunity Zones” located in parts of Redway, Garberville, Miranda, Weott, Scotia, McKinleyville, Pine Hill, Humboldt Hill, Cutten, Myrtletown, and Ridgewood Heights. CRTP urged the supervisors to treat the rural and urban zones differently, allowing higher density, more walkable development in more urbanized areas like Myrtletown and McKinleyville, in line with the recently adopted Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP). We hoped that the county would use this opportunity to build on the progress toward walkable development rules represented by its recent adoption of the McKinleyville Town Center ordinance.

Instead, the supervisors adopted an ordinance that treats all of the Housing Opportunity Zones the same regardless of their location, while imposing restrictions that will severely limit the potential for walkable development in any of the zones. While the ordinance does theoretically allow denser development, overall it is a missed opportunity to make significant progress on both housing and climate goals.

Troublingly, County Planning Director John Ford commented that the ordinance was “not intended to” implement the RCAP, suggesting that the county does not plan to use its climate goals as a guide for any future actions that are not explicitly listed in the plan. Furthering this impression was the supervisors’ decision at the very same meeting to rezone commercial timberland outside Eureka for single-family residential development. Supervisor Mike Wilson, who voted against the rezone, objected for the same reasons we do: it’s low-density sprawl where it will be expensive to provide public services and it’s impossible to get anywhere without a car.

We are glad to note that Eureka and Arcata have been doing much better than the county at promoting walkable, transit-friendly development, a fact on display this week at Eureka’s public workshop on housing. However, Arcata Community Development Director David Loya – one of the region’s big champions of infill development in recent years – is now leaving the city for a job in the private sector, creating a leadership void that will be difficult to fill.

More Traffic Safety Talk

This week, CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske joined EPIC Executive Director Tom Wheeler and Climate Attorney Matt Simmons on the EcoNews Report. Tune in to hear about traffic enforcement, safe street design, and much more.

Job Opening: Director of Engagement and Regional Climate Planning

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) is hiring a Director of Engagement and Regional Climate Planning. Among other duties, this new position will supervise the Regional Climate Action Plan Administrator, coordinating climate action throughout Humboldt County. RCEA will begin reviewing applications on August 3rd.

Community Raises More Concerns About Amazon

A computer generated rendering imposed on a satellite image of the McKinleyville airport business park shows two new developed areas, one with a large warehouse and parking lot, the other with a parking lot.

The grassroots effort to block the proposed Amazon distribution center in McKinleyville through a November ballot measure has come up short. Organizers collected more than 4,000 signatures in just 10 days, but couldn’t meet the tight deadlines to get on the ballot.

Opposition to the project is as strong as ever (including from CRTP). At a public meeting this week, community members highlighted numerous potential impacts, including air pollution, water pollution, climate impacts, and road safety. The county and Amazon will soon begin the environmental review process.

Project Updates: Eureka-Arcata Corridor

Take note: this weekend, Caltrans will begin the long-planned process of closing most of the remaining median openings in the US-101 corridor between Arcata and Eureka. Meanwhile, the agency is continuing emergency efforts to shore up part of the southbound Eureka Slough Bridge, which was recently discovered to have serious structural problems. The unplanned construction is raising concerns about impacts to harbor seals and other wildlife and has blocked the Eureka Waterfront Trail under the highway, requiring lengthy and hazardous detours for some bicyclists and pedestrians.

Eureka to CR Trail Agreement in the Works

Next week, the Great Redwood Trail Agency Board of Directors is slated to approve an agreement with Humboldt County to continue planning the section of trail between Eureka and College of the Redwoods. Development of this segment has been identified as a top priority for the Great Redwood Trail, as it will provide crucial access for walking and biking not only to the college but also the communities of Humboldt Hill, Fields Landing, and King Salmon.

News from Beyond the North Coast

E-Bikes Are Incredible

Climate activist Bill McKibben makes an inspiring case for e-bikes as a climate solution and challenges the backlash against them from certain politicians.

Trump Administration Hates Bike Lanes

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has labeled bike lanes “DEI” – that apparently definitionless term wielded against anything the administration doesn’t like – and threatened to cancel millions of dollars in grants for projects that include bike lanes.

What Does the New Federal Housing Law Mean?

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act – which just became law without President Trump’s signature – includes numerous measures to reduce the cost of housing construction, including streamlining environmental review for infill housing.

The Collector is CRTP’s weekly transportation news roundup, published every Friday. We focus on North Coast news, but we also include relevant state, national and international transportation news – plus other items that we just find kind of interesting! To submit items for consideration, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.

The Plan for Zero Traffic Deaths in Humboldt County

Posted on July 10, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 10, 2026

A yellow pedestrian warning sign with flashing lights at the corner of K and 8th Streets in Arcata

The Plan for Zero Traffic Deaths in Humboldt County

The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) has been developing a regional Vision Zero Action Plan for the last year or so. Vision Zero is the policy, increasingly adopted by governments around the world, that all traffic deaths and serious injuries are unacceptable and must be prevented.

The draft plan for eliminating traffic deaths and injuries in Humboldt is not yet available, but HCAOG has recently published some additional data they are using to inform their efforts and a proposed list of priority safety projects. Unsurprisingly, the data identify parts of Broadway, 4th, and 5th Streets as some of the most dangerous places in the county. CRTP is still reviewing the new information and will continue to advocate for effective and comprehensive safety reforms.

As part of the Vision Zero plan development, several local governments are currently implementing pop-up safety interventions. These include four speed humps on Arcata’s K and 11th Streets – corridors CRTP has long targeted for safety upgrades – along with two mini roundabouts in Eureka, speed humps and bike lanes in Ferndale, and radar speed feedback signs in Fortuna. Local government representatives will be visiting some of these sites to observe driver behavior and get feedback on July 20th and 21st. You can also provide feedback on these projects through an online survey.

These pop-up projects will only be in place for a couple of months. We think they should be permanent. But we know it will take more than a few small interventions – even permanent ones – to get to zero deaths. And every new death on our streets in the meantime is one that could have been avoided if Caltrans and local governments had acted sooner.

Thanks for Sharing Your Stories!

Many of you responded to our call last week for stories about the importance of the Amtrak connecting bus between Arcata and the San Francisco Bay Area. We sent those stories to the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority – the agency that runs the Amtrak bus – to show them how needed this service is on the North Coast. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months as we continue to advocate to protect this essential bus service.

Eureka Housing Workshop Next Tuesday

As progress continues on several planned and under-construction housing projects in the city, Eureka is updating its state-mandated Housing Element to demonstrate how and where the city plans to add more needed housing over the next eight years. Next Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Wharfinger Building, the city will be hosting a family-friendly workshop to gather input on the Housing Element. If you can’t make it to the workshop, you can also fill out an online survey. Encourage the city to continue its focus on walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented development, to ensure that new housing is affordable, equitable, and climate-friendly!

Arcata is also updating its Housing Element, and recently conducted its own online survey of residents. Most respondents thought that new housing should go in renovated buildings, near shopping or town centers, near bus routes, and near mixed-use or commercial areas. The results show that Arcata residents understand the connection between housing and transportation, and that they place a high value on walkability.

A bar chart shows the distribution of answers to a question about where new housing should be. Near shopping, near buses, and near transit are all popular responses, while new development of open land is not.

Also Next Tuesday: Amazon Distribution Center Meeting

If you’re not at the Eureka housing workshop next Tuesday evening, you may want to attend an online public meeting being held in preparation for the environmental review of the proposed Amazon distribution center in McKinleyville.

The purpose of the meeting is to get public input on what types of environmental impacts should be reviewed. If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can also submit comments by July 29th via mail or email (instructions here). CRTP will be urging the county to consider the safety impacts of the additional traffic on local streets with no sidewalks or bike lanes, as well as the impacts of new driving and pollution caused by all the additional quick-delivery online shopping the facility is intended to enable.

Solidarity Gathering Next Monday

Join CRTP’s friends and allies at 350 Humboldt and the Climate Action Campaign at Humbrews on Monday for Friends of the Eel River’s monthly Solidarity Gathering. The door will be open at 5:00, and presentations begin at 5:30. Each organization will take fifteen minutes to introduce themselves and give you something you can do right then and there to take action for the climate!

Mark Your Calendars for Transit Month and the Week Without Driving

CRTP and Tri-County Independent Living are hosting the annual Week Without Driving from October 1 through October 8, 2026. This year, leading up to the Week Without Driving, we’ll also be recognizing September as California’s Transit Month. Stay tuned for information about Transit Month events.

The Week Without Driving helps drivers understand the experiences of nondrivers, including many people with disabilities, seniors, kids, and folks who can’t afford a car. Anyone can sign up to participate, but we particularly encourage elected officials, public agency staff, business leaders, and editors and reporters at local media outlets to sign up, since these are all positions with a strong influence on our local transportation system.

A grassy area with bikes is enclosed by orange temporary fencing and a canopy that reads "Free Bike Valet," while a volunteer checks in a bike

Volunteer to Help Out with Bike Valet!

CRTP has expanded its bike valet service to many more local events this year, including the weekly Friday Night Markets in Eureka. We need volunteers to help us provide this free service! If you’re interested, email crtpbikevalet@gmail.com to find out more and volunteer.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Ode to the Humble Sidewalk

A new book discusses the central role of sidewalks in American life, along with all of the sidewalk controversies, policy challenges, and funding failures that are so common in our communities. Listen to an interview with the author here.

Walkable Development Is Sensible Fiscal Policy

Low-density, surburban-style development requires more local government spending than it produces in tax revenue. In contrast, higher density, walkable, downtown development generates significantly more revenue than it costs to serve with utilities and other infrastructure. The result is that downtowns subsidize sprawl, even when the suburbs are much wealthier. In the absence of dense, walkable development, local governments struggle to maintain needed infrastructure.

North Carolina Ends Parking Mandates

Under a new state law, local governments in North Carolina are prohibited from mandating that large amounts of parking be included in most new development. The law is meant to lower construction costs, which are driven up by the costs of parking lots and garages, and to reduce water pollution from overbuilt parking lots.

Eureka Can’t Enforce Its Way to Safer Streets

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

July 3, 2026

Three lanes of traffic with cars approaching the camera are framed by parked cars and one or two-story buildings

Eureka Can’t Enforce Its Way to Safer Streets

The Eureka Police Department has announced a new campaign to reduce crashes through a combination of traffic enforcement and trying to change “everyday driving behavior.” We applaud EPD’s focus on the traffic safety crisis, which is responsible for more deaths and injuries than violent crime. But we also know from a large body of research that enforcement and education are not going to make our streets safer in the long term. EPD’s own data show that, despite a dramatic increase in traffic stops in the last two years, crashes have actually increased.

A recent report from the national safety organization Vision Zero Network summarizes the reasons not to rely on enforcement. First, safety gains from enforcement are not sustainable. Second, enforcement results in inequitable impacts on marginalized communities. To the extent enforcement is used as a safety tool, it should focus exclusively on high-risk activities like speeding, aggressive driving, and DUI.

EPD is also asking residents to fill out a survey about what they think is causing crashes, and what they think should be done to make things safer. But there is no shortage of crowdsourced data on local street safety – see for example the hundreds of local reports on Street Story – and the solutions are not really a matter of opinion, but a matter of evidence. Our main message to Eureka is that the most effective and sustainable solution to the safety crisis is to redesign the city’s streets to calm traffic and provide protected bicycle and pedestrian facilities. We encourage CRTP’s supporters to fill out the survey and convey that message to EPD.

Do You Ride the Amtrak Bus? We Want to Hear from You!

We’ve received word that San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority – the agency that runs the Amtrak connecting bus between Arcata and the San Francisco Bay Area – is facing financial difficulties and considering cutting or scaling back the service. This is the last remaining long-distance bus serving Humboldt County, and we know a lot of people rely on it. If you use the Amtrak bus, email colin@transportationpriorities.org by next Wednesday with a few sentences about how important it is to you. We’ll collect the stories and pass them on to the folks at the SJJPA to encourage them to keep operating the service.

Give Eureka Your Opinions About Housing

A multistory wooden building under construction rises above a two-lane street. A large crane is visible.

Eureka is currently updating its state-mandated Housing Element, a document demonstrating how and where the city plans to add needed housing. We encourage people who live or work in Eureka to fill out the survey. We are asking the city to continue its focus on walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented development, to ensure that new housing is affordable, equitable, and climate-friendly.

Meanwhile, the county is in the process of updating the Humboldt Bay Area Plan, which will direct future housing and other development in areas around Humboldt Bay outside of city limits. CRTP recently submitted a comment letter with our allies at Humboldt Waterkeeper and EPIC. We are asking the county to ensure that new development is consistent with the targets and policies in the Regional Climate Action Plan and Regional Transportation Plan, that sensitive habitats are protected, and that sensible policies for port development are included. The Humboldt County Planning Commission will consider the plan on July 16th, and public comments can be made before or at the meeting.

Changes Coming to the Arcata-Eureka Corridor

A bike trail with a yellow line down the middle parallels a shoreline, only a few feet away.

Caltrans is finally nearing completion of its safety project in the US-101 Arcata-Eureka corridor. While the Indianola interchange has been the most dramatic part of the project, equally important for safety (and much less expensive) are the changes coming in the next month, which include adding a traffic signal at Airport Road and closing all remaining median openings in the corridor.

At the same time, Caltrans crews are conducting emergency inspections of the southbound Eureka Slough bridge. The inspections have already caused the closure of the Waterfront Trail underneath the bridge and could determine a need for near-term construction of a new bridge. The Eureka Slough bridges were already slated for replacement, but not for several more years.

We also can’t forget the bigger picture: all of this is taking place in a corridor that is extremely vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise. Click here to read comments from CRTP, EPIC, and Humboldt Waterkeeper on Caltrans’ sea level rise adaptation plan for the corridor.

Help Plan for Safer Roads in Hiouchi

If you live in Del Norte County, take note: there will be a community meeting on July 15th at 6 pm at the Hiouchi Community Fellowship to gather public input on the development of a Hiouchi Community Transportation Plan. The plan is part of the broader Del Norte Local Transportation Commission Carbon Reduction Plan. Click here for more information and to provide input online.

Regional Roundup of Coming Bike and Pedestrian Improvements

The Great Redwood Trail Agency has allocated millions of dollars for planning and/or construction of trail segments in Fortuna, Loleta, Alderpoint, the Eel River Canyon, and from Eureka to College of the Redwoods. In Cutten, Humboldt County supervisors recently approved repaving plans for Cedar and Redwood Streets that include new bike lanes and speed humps. CRTP and our allies are also asking the county to narrow lanes and widen shoulders when they repave southern Central Avenue in McKinleyville, a dangerous stretch with fast-moving traffic and no sidewalks or bike lanes.

Got Opinions About Development and the Economy in McKinleyville?

A team at Cal Poly Humboldt, in collaboration with other local partners, has produced a draft McKinleyville Economic Strategic Study, and they are accepting public comment through July 15th. We hope the community builds on the principles of McKinleyville Town Center plans and develops into a more vibrant, walkable, transit-friendly place.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Bigger Trucks and SUVs Are Killing a Lot of People

The New York Times has published a striking analysis of the safety impacts of the increase in size of pick-ups and SUVs over the last 20 years. They found that bigger vehicles have resulted in at least 200-400 additional pedestrian deaths every year. Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that the same trend in Europe is projected to result in 400 additional deaths every year by 2040.

Aligning Speed Limits for Cars and E-Bikes

Responding to the rise in concern about e-bike safety, a new analysis compares the kinetic energy – the best predictor of the severity of a crash – of an e-bike to the energy of a full-size SUV. The result: an e-bike going 15 mph has the same kinetic energy of an SUV going 3.5 mph. For safety’s sake, perhaps we should set speed limits for cars and SUVs to match those of e-bikes.

Tell Congress to Oppose the New Transportation Bill

The “Build America 250 Act” reduces transit and safety funding and increases highway spending. It’s bad for communities, bad for the climate, and bad for the economy. Tell Congress not to approve it.

Local Residents Look to Stop Amazon at the Ballot Box

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

June 19, 2026

A strip of blue, yellow, and green painted mural stretches into the distance along a street. Several people are painting another strip of pavement alongside it.

More Street Art Is Coming to McKinleyville!

Following up on last fall’s quick-build safety project on McKinleyville’s Hiller Road, Humboldt County Public Works is working with the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee’s Subcommittee for Active Transportation and Seagoat Farm Stand & Folk School to bring more traffic-calming street art to the intersection of Hiller Road and McKinleyville Avenue. Murals will be painted at the corners of the very wide intersection, in order to slow drivers and make it easier for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the street. This is part of a project CRTP has been promoting and helping to organize for the last several years.

The painting will be done by local mural artists Ben Goulart and Sam Jones, but volunteers are needed to provide support from Friday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th. If you’re interested in volunteering, please email megan@seagoatfarmstand.org.

Local Residents Look to Stop Amazon at the Ballot Box

Residents throughout Northern Humboldt are organizing to stop the proposed Amazon distribution center in McKinleyville by taking the issue directly to voters this fall. The newly formed “Save Our Coast” campaign has drafted a ballot measure that would prohibit warehouses and distribution centers bigger than 20,000 square feet in the county’s coastal zone, effectively blocking the Amazon project. Marine-dependent facilities would be exempted from the ban. Anyone interested in volunteering to help gather signatures for the ballot should email Debbie.Harrison.Rumberger@gmail.com.

CRTP opposes the Amazon distribution center project and supports efforts to stop its construction. Faster delivery, one of the project’s main goals, is one of the main drivers of climate pollution from online shopping. Additionally, anything that encourages online ordering undermines the emissions reductions that otherwise come from building homes within walking and biking distance of local shops.

The distribution center is also projected to generate 542 (mostly truck) trips in an area where there are several schools and many of the main transportation routes lack bike lanes or sidewalks. Without safety upgrades to local streets and roads, this new traffic would add to the dangers already faced by people walking, biking, and rolling in McKinleyville and other communities in the region.

Community Meeting on Offshore Wind Terminal Project

A computer-generated site plan for an industrial port terminal is superimposed on a satellite image.

Next Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Arcata Community Center, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation & Conservation District’s Community Advisory Committee will be hosting a community meeting about the plans to build an “offshore wind heavy lift marine terminal.” Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine offshore wind projects, including revoking hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding to the Harbor District, the district and the state of California are continuing to pursue the project.

CRTP’s Executive Director Colin Fiske is a member of the Harbor District’s Green Terminal Advisory Committee. We advocate to ensure that the project produces as little pollution as possible, including from the heavy trucks accessing the terminal, and that any increase in car and truck traffic is mitigated by safety improvements on local streets and roads. The community meeting next week is a great time for CRTP supporters to bring up these issues to ensure they are considered as the project moves forward!

News from Beyond the North Coast

Sprawl Is Bad for Your Health & Your Wallet

A new report from Johns Hopkins University finds that residents of lower density, more sprawling communities have worse health outcomes and fewer social connections. In contrast, residents of denser, more walkable communities are not only healthier and have better social lives, they also pay substantially less in electricity and transportation costs, making their overall cost of living lower.

Trump Administration: Racist Transportation Projects Are OK

The US Department of Transportation has rescinded a long-standing civil rights rule that prohibited federally funded projects from having a disproportionate negative impact on communities of color.

Take a Stand for the Right to Sit Down

Fed up with the lack of places to sit while waiting for the bus, community groups and individuals from San Francisco to Chattanooga have taken the issue into their own hands. These grassroots activists are now inviting anyone and everyone to join them in making the bus riding experience just a little bit nicer by making and installing low-cost DIY benches at bus stops. Plans and instructions are freely available from several organizations online.

Threats to Transit Funding Keep Piling Up

Posted on June 12, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

June 12, 2026

A wide four-lane road with a middle two-way turn lane is filled with cards in both directions. — ***Cars and trucks are the source of most local climate pollution.***

Stepping Up for the Climate

CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske and EPIC Executive Director Tom Wheeler write in the Lost Coast Outpost today that implementing Humboldt County’s Regional Climate Action requires political courage – including the courage to make hard budget decisions. We recognize and thank Humboldt County, Arcata, Eureka, and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority for stepping up and committing to fund their parts of the cost of a Regional Climate Action Plan Administrator, despite facing cuts to many parts of their budgets. If you live in Fortuna, Rio Dell, Ferndale, Blue Lake, or Trinidad, contact your city councilmembers and make sure they are making their contributions toward the Plan Administrator position as well. The costs for these smaller cities will not be large, but the long-term benefits will be.

Threats to Transit Funding Keep Piling Up

A person in tan pants and a camouflage patterned sweater steps onto a bus from the sidewalk.

You might think that at a time when the Trump administration is withholding previously approved transit funding, and Congress is pushing a transportation bill that would put transit funding further at risk, California might step up to try to fill the gap. Instead, as we reported last week, the California Air Resources Board just approved a new policy that will likely eliminate funding for many key transit programs. Thankfully, members of the state Senate are fighting the Air Resources Board and the governor in an attempt to reverse the rule and restore funding. But members of the Assembly have mostly either supported the rule or remained quiet, and we don’t know what the final outcome of this funding battle will be.

Local transit agencies on the North Coast have relied on grant funding from these at-risk state programs to improve service, upgrade bus stops, transition to zero-emission buses, and build planned transit hubs in Eureka and Crescent City, among many other important investments. Local agencies have also relied in recent years on emergency pandemic-era transit funding that the state approved in order to prevent many transit systems from collapsing entirely. Now that funding is also running out.

The Humboldt Transit Authority is currently projecting a $4.5 million deficit in 2030 – an amount equal to 21% of its budget that year. And the situation would be much worse without the local Measure O transit funding that CRTP fought so hard to secure last year – but which the county has so far only committed to provide through 2030.

CRTP knows that there is no way to meet our climate commitments and provide needed services to nondrivers without greater transit investment. We continue to fight to increase transit funding at every level.

A person in a motorized wheelchair crosses a three-lane, one-way street in a marked crosswalk. A car is visible approaching in the far lane.

Caltrans Open House on the Future of US-101

Next Tuesday from 5:30-7pm, Caltrans is hosting an open house at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center in Eureka about the future of US-101 on the North Coast. This is a great opportunity to tell Caltrans we want major safety improvements on Eureka’s 4th Street, 5th Street, and Broadway, which are all part of US-101 and are some of the most dangerous streets in the whole region. If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can email 01-transportationfuture@publicinput.com with your input.

Also on the agenda for Tuesday’s open house is a discussion of the draft “Comprehensive Adaptation and Implementation Plan” for responding to the threat of sea level rise to the Eureka-Arcata corridor. The draft plan is open for public comment until June 30; click here to learn more and provide your input.

CRTP is advocating to ensure that safe and separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities are included in any sea level rise adaptation projects in the corridor. The Humboldt Bay Trail currently provides a safe and separated facility, but it is also at risk from sea level rise and can’t be taken for granted decades in the future.

Humboldt Bay Area Plan Update

For the first time since the 1980s, Humboldt County is preparing a comprehensive update of the Humboldt Bay Area Plan. The plan governs land use and coastal access policies for the unincorporated lands around Humboldt Bay, including Myrtletown, Fields Landing, Humboldt Hill, Manila and Samoa. In addition to the urgent need to address sea level rise and other important topics, this update provides an opportunity for the county to improve its infill policies to encourage more walkable development around Humboldt Bay and discourage sprawl.

A virtual public meeting on the plan update will be held next Tuesday at 6 pm (Zoom link here). Unfortunately, this is at the same time as the Caltrans open house about the future of US-101, so we encourage our supporters attending that event to email their comments about the Humboldt Bay Area Plan to LongRangePlanning@co.humboldt.ca.us.

Accessible Trails and Emergency Planning

Our friends at Tri-County Independent Living and the Humboldt Trails Council have a new survey about accessibility needs on local trails. If you or someone you know has a mobility limitation or other disability that affects trail usage, we encourage you to take the survey. We also encourage you to sign up for one of Tri-County Independent Living’s Emergency Plan Workshops, which offer education and support for people with disabilities to make an emergency evacuation plan.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Climate Advocates Worried About Becerra-Hilton Matchup

Tom Steyer was the only serious candidate for California governor who made the climate crisis a top-tier issue in his campaign. With his primary defeat, voters now face a choice between two candidates climate advocates have serious concerns about.

Dangerous by Design

The latest edition of Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design report shows just how much progress still needs to be made to make America’s streets safe for pedestrians. 7,080 people were killed while walking in 2024 – more than half of them on state-owned roads like Eureka’s 4th Street, 5th Street, and Broadway.

Transportation Advocates Urge Rejection of Federal Funding Bill

Advocates spent the last few weeks trying to get lawmakers to amend the so-called “BUILD America 250 Act,” which would govern federal transportation spending for the next five years. Despite those efforts, the bill passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee without any notable improvements in safety, active transportation, climate, or transit funding. So now many advocates are urging member of Congress to reject the bill entirely and start over.

Petition for Safer 4th & 5th Streets Delivered to Caltrans

Posted on June 5, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

June 5, 2026

Two people cross a wide three-lane, one-way street in a crosswalk in front of a row of cars, one on a bike and the other using a knee walker. Several buildings are visible in the background.

Petition for Safer 4th & 5th Streets Delivered to Caltrans

On Tuesday, CRTP delivered our petition signed by 738 concerned residents asking Caltrans to make immediate safety improvements for people walking, biking, rolling, riding the bus, and driving on 4^th and 5^th Streets (US-101) in Eureka, and to fund and build already planned safety improvements on Broadway.

In addition to CRTP, the petition is supported by the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), Tri-County Independent Living, Area 1 Agency on Aging, California Nurses Association, Caltrans District 1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Ink People Center for the Arts, as well as all current Eureka city councilmembers and Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo.

Caltrans has already responded to the petition by announcing a “feasibility study” of safety improvements for all users of the 4^th and 5^th Street corridor. “This announcement amounts to an acknowledgement of the need for more safety improvements, which we appreciate,” said CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske. “However, this ‘feasibility study’ must not result in just more study and delay. We already know that major safety upgrades are feasible. And every year we put off making those improvements, more people are injured and killed. We need change now.”

It’s Free Transit Summer!

Two people sit and talk to each other on a bench in a bus shelter on a sunny day, one wearing a pink jacket and hat, the other a sun hat.

Kids under 18 and adults over 61 ride transit free in Humboldt County all summer long, from June 1st to August 31st.

The Humboldt Transit Authority also recently announced that they have extended hours for the new Flex service until 10 pm on weekdays. If you live in the Humboldt Bay area but you’re too far from a regular bus stop, or your bus isn’t running at the right time, you can hail a Flex vehicle to pick you up and bring you across town, or to a bus stop to connect for a longer trip. And if it’s your first time trying Flex, you can use the code FLEXUP for 2 free rides!

With gas prices soaring and taxi companies closing, there were already a lot of good reasons to try riding transit this summer. Free trips and extended hours make it even easier. See you on the bus!

Arcata Council, Planning Commission to Discuss Zoning Reforms

A roofed structure with metal grate walls is seen from the outside. Bicycles can be seen stores inside.

Next Monday, the Arcata City Council and Planning Commission will meet in a special study session to discuss zoning code changes to implement the new General Plan adopted in 2024. These changes include important land use and transportation reforms to encourage walkable, safe, climate-friendly development, including vehicle and bike parking reforms, increases in allowable density, and more. Unfortunately, some of these improvements – including more robust long-term bike parking requirements – are now being questioned before they’ve even been implemented.

A new Reconnect Arcata survey shows that Arcatans want more protected bike lanes, paths, and connections across our highways. But to take advantage of safe places to ride, they’ve got to have safe places to store those bikes! CRTP will be working to ensure that bike parking requirements and other hard-won General Plan reforms are fully implemented in the zoning code. We encourage our supporters in Arcata to join us at Monday’s meeting.

Eureka Approves Funding for Climate Action Staff

The Eureka City Council on Tuesday approved the city’s contribution toward funding a Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) Administrator. We have also heard from Arcata and Humboldt County that they will be budgeting for their own contributions toward the staff position, despite earlier indications that they might be getting cold feet. And the Redwood Coast Energy Authority re-committed last week to create and staff a new department that includes the Administrator position.

The Eureka City Council’s approval of funding follows advocacy by CRTP and our allies to ensure that local governments fulfill their promises to fund the position. Eureka city staff had opposed the funding, but Councilmembers agreed with us that it was a necessary commitment to meaningful, coordinated climate action. The implementation of the plan relies on an Administrator to coordinate among agencies, seek resources to support climate action, and hold the region accountable to its climate goals.

Myrtle Avenue to Get Wider Bike Lanes

Construction starts soon on a paving project that will also bring improved bike lanes to Myrtle Avenue between Hall Avenue and Freshwater Road. The new bike lanes will still leave a lot to be desired. As we pointed out to the county, lanes in this kind of high-speed environment should have some kind of physical protection. Nevertheless, the new bike lanes will be substantially wider than the current lanes, which is an important improvement for this well-used but high-stress bike route.

Final Environmental Impact for Last Chance Grade Tunnel Project

The tunnel, which will surely be one of the most expensive infrastructure projects ever built on the North Coast, is mean to secure a reliable route for US-101 through the unstable coastal terrain south of Crescent City. It is scheduled for construction in the 2030s.

News from Beyond the North Coast

State Air Board Undermines Climate, Transit, and Housing Progress

Last week, the California Air Resources Board approved a new policy that will allow oil companies to pollute more, and likely eliminate funding for transit, housing, and clean air and water programs that rely on revenue from the state’s “Cap and Invest” climate program. This terrible policy undercuts a deal made just last fall by the governor and the legislature to reauthorize the “Cap and Invest” program, and advocates including CRTP are asking the legislature to intervene and overturn the rule. If you’d like to contact the legislature yourself, click here for more information.

Denser Development Is a Key Safety Strategy

Two new studies analyze data on traffic safety and find that land use development patterns are a key factor influencing injuries and fatalities. A study in Florida found that the placement of “household-supporting businesses” along major urban arterials (think Eureka’s Broadway or McKinleyville’s Central Avenue) instead of traditional main streets is significantly associated with higher rates of serious pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. And a study of communities across the country found that car-dominated development patterns are associated with increased traffic deaths (including for drivers) compared to more walkable communities, likely because the risk of a crash is directly correlated with the amount of time cars spend on the road.

“Right-Sizing Traffic Enforcement”

The Vision Zero Network, a national traffic safety organization, has a new report about the role of police enforcement in traffic safety. The report cautions against an over-reliance on enforcement, especially for “non-safety stops” (e.g., for minor violations like broken taillights), due to inequitable outcomes for low-income people and people of color and the potential for traffic stops to lead to violence.

A Moment of Truth for Local Climate Action

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

May 29, 2026

VOTE!

Next Tuesday is Election Day. If you’re an eligible voter and you haven’t voted already, don’t wait any longer! You can mail in your ballot, drop it at a drop box, or vote in person. More information about voting in Humboldt County can be found here. Del Norte election information is here.

In addition to the high-profile state and federal elections, there are also local races on the ballot. Our elected officials make decisions every day about whether or not our streets get safer, our buses get more funding, our communities get more walkable, and our climate crisis gets addressed. Your vote matters!

The Final Days of Bike Month Are Packed with Activities

This weekend includes an Arcata Kids Bike Rodeo, a McKinleyville ride, and a Bay Trail Ride & Dine. We also encourage you to come see us at the 2026 Humboldt Trails Summit on Saturday, where CRTP will be tabling and providing free bike valet. If you want to help us provide bike valet at this and many other local events, email crtpbikevalet@gmail.com to find out more and volunteer.

As always, wherever you ride, report any biking hazards, near-misses or even (we hope not) crashes on Street Story. Finally, don’t forget that the Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s e-bike voucher program has funding available! You can apply now for vouchers of $400 or more toward the purchase of an e-bike!

A Moment of Truth for Local Climate Action

CRTP has been advocating for nearly a decade to get a meaningful Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP) adopted and implemented. Now that Humboldt County, Eureka, Arcata, and other local agencies have finally adopted the RCAP, it’s time to get down to work and start reducing carbon pollution.

The first step, according to the plan itself, is to form a Regional Climate Committee and hire an RCAP Administrator. After long negotiations, the county and cities agreed to each provide a share of the funding for the Administrator’s salary, and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) agreed to actually hire the Administrator and form the committee. But this week, we found out all of that could be in jeopardy.

Lines of cars fill all 4 lanes of Eureka's Broadway at the intersection with 6th Street — *Cars and trucks are the source of most local climate pollution.*

RCEA and all local governments in our region are facing major financial pressures as they approach the new fiscal year, which starts July 1st. The RCEA Board of Directors met this week, and with a big budget deficit projected for next year, their agenda included a discussion of potentially cutting a new staff Director position meant to oversee the RCAP Administrator, as well as key climate programs like e-bike vouchers. In addition, a staff report indicated that local cities have been privately backing away from their promises to contribute to funding the Administrator position, casting doubt on the region’s commitment to any kind of coordinated climate action.

After learning of these threats, CRTP and our allies sprang into action. We are happy to report that, thanks to our advocacy, the RCEA Board directed their staff to develop a budget that includes the new Regional Climate Director position and makes only minimal changes to e-bike vouchers and other climate programs.

We have also received assurances from the City of Arcata that they plan to contribute their fair share of funding toward the RCAP Administrator position, as previously promised. However, as of this writing, it is still unclear whether Eureka and other local governments will step up as well. The Eureka City Council will be discussing their budget next Tuesday, and we’ll be advocating to make sure it includes the promised support.

It is often said that a budget is a statement of values. Local governments provide lots of important services, and there are always hard choices to make at budget time. But if local leaders are serious about their commitments to urgent climate action, they will have to make the climate a budget priority. In a very real sense, our future depends on it.

Indianola Undercrossing Project (Mostly) Done

After many years of planning and construction costing $46 million, Caltrans this week celebrated the completion of the Indianola undercrossing on the US-101 corridor between Arcata and Eureka. We’re glad to see what used to be a very dangerous intersection made safer. And we hope that Caltrans’ willingness to spend so much on one safety project is a sign that they’ll also be willing to spend what it takes to address the equally dangerous 4th Street, 5th Street, and Broadway, just a few miles down the road.

We also feel obliged to note that the Indianola project is not actually fully complete, because the connection to the Bay Trail isn’t done – although it looks like it’ll be finished soon. Speaking of the Bay Trail, if you’re planning on using it next week, take note that it will be closed on Thursday and Friday for some minor construction.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Bike & Pedestrian Project Streamlining Bill Passes Assembly

As we previously reported, AB 1976 would dramatically change how new bike and pedestrian safety projects are approved in California. The initial version of the bill would have prohibited local governments from holding separate community meetings on each project, as long as that project was already included in other adopted plans. The intent is to prevent the endless local fights that often delay or stop important safety projects.

However, advocates worried that the bill could also reduce opportunities to provide input that actually improves project design. In response, the bill was amended to allow community meetings to be held, so long as they are not for the purpose of delaying or stopping a project. It has now passed the Assembly and moves on for consideration in the Senate.

Walkable, Transit-Friendly Homes Save Local Governments Money

A new report adds to the evidence that infill development is much more cost-effective for communities to build than suburban sprawl, in part due to the lower costs of building and maintaining infrastructure. Infill development also results in higher property values, which increase local government revenues and allow them to provide important services.

Drivers Are More Likely to Speed & Use Their Phones at the Same Time

Speeding and distracted driving are two of the most dangerous driving behaviors. A new study has found that drivers are actually more likely to use their phones while speeding, making both behaviors even riskier.

How Can We Reconnect Arcata?

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

May 22, 2026

How Can We Reconnect Arcata?

Cars line up entering a roundabout. A highway sign indicates the crossing of US 101.

Reconnect Arcata is the city’s attempt to address the way Highways 101, 299, and 255 divide the community and create barriers to safe and convenient transportation. The project made headlines when it was introduced a couple of years ago with big dreams of a highway cap over US 101. But in reality there are many ways Arcata could be at least partially reconnected, from pedestrian bridges to land use changes to upgrades to existing overpasses and interchanges. In fact, planning for some of these projects is already underway.

Next week, the city and its consultants will be hosting public events to get input on how the decades-old damage done by these highways could be mitigated in the future. There are several opportunities to get involved:

A walking tour of Valley West on Thursday (5/28) from 4-6 pm. Meet at Valley West Park, 1243 Hallen Court.
A walking tour of Central Arcata on Friday (5/29) from 3-4 pm. Meet at the D Street Neighborhood Center.
A public open house on Friday (5/29) from 4-6 pm at the D Street Neighborhood Center.
A chance to chat with city officials and consultants at the Arcata Farmers Market on Saturday (5/30) from 10 am to 12 pm.

While the idea of a highway cap is exciting, it’s hard to imagine the city could securing enough funding for such a massive project. So CRTP is advocating to ensure that this planning process also includes smaller, near-term fixes to improve bike and pedestrian safety and connectivity.

Bike Month Continues with Bike Valet & More!

Bike Month continues this week with the famous pedal-powered Kinetic Grand Championship, more commuter rides, and the monthly Arcata Critical Mass ride next Friday. Check out the full event calendar here. And as always, wherever you ride, report any biking hazards, near-misses or even (we hope not) crashes on Street Story.

Of course, there are many other non-bike-themed events that you can pedal to as well. To give you a little extra encouragement, CRTP is providing free bike valet at Eureka’s Friday Night Markets and many other upcoming events. If you want to help us provide this great service, email crtpbikevalet@gmail.com to volunteer.

Finally, don’t forget that the Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s e-bike voucher program has funding available! You can apply now for vouchers of $400 or more toward the purchase of an e-bike!

Planning for Sea Level Rise

Humboldt Bay is experiencing the fastest sea level rise in California, and Caltrans has just released a draft plan for adapting the Arcata-Eureka US-101 corridor to the rising water levels. In short, the plan calls for “raised embankment with nature-based elements” along most of the corridor, with viaducts (i.e., raised bridges or causeways) in some places. Of course, this corridor also includes the beloved and regionally important Humboldt Bay Trail, which must also be protected. CRTP and our allies are currently reviewing the document, which is open for public comment until June 30th.

Incidentally, today marks 55 years since the Samoa Bridge was built connecting Eureka with the North Spit. Apparently that bridge was open only to pedestrians and bicyclists on its very first day – but ever since, it has been a terrifying, death-defying challenge to navigate the bridge without a vehicle. CRTP continues to advocate for low-cost bike and pedestrian accommodations on that bridge, but the situation is a reminder that future structures – such as those proposed for the Arcata-Eureka corridor – must be designed for people walking and biking from the start.

Assembly Bill Would Gut Local Transportation Protections

A bill which recently passed the California Assembly, AB 2059, would declare that any transportation project in a “nonmetropolitan” county can be assumed to have no impact on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) under the California Environmental Quality Act, more commonly known as CEQA. This might sound like a technical detail, but the impacts would be enormous for our local region. Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, and Lake are all considered “nonmetropolitan” counties.

VMT has been the main metric for assessing transportation impacts for several years. It was chosen because reducing VMT is critical to meeting the state’s climate targets, and because VMT is a good proxy for other transportation impacts to human health and the environment. That means that projects that result in significantly more VMT – i.e., cause people to drive more – are required under state law to reduce or mitigate that impact.

In other words, projects are often redesigned to avoid inducing more driving, or are forced to fund better bike and pedestrian infrastructure. By exempting all future transportation projects in our region from this important process, AB 2059 would have the predictable effect of increasing climate emissions and health harming pollution, spurring the destruction of natural and working lands, and increasing deaths and injuries on our streets and roads. CRTP is advocating to keep it from passing the state Senate.

No LAFing Matter

The Humboldt County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) is an obscure but important agency that is required to approve changes in local government boundaries, among other duties. If McKinleyville decides to incorporate as its own city, for example, LAFCo will play a major role in determining how and if that happens. These changes can have long-term implications for transportation infrastructure and development patterns. If this sounds interesting to you, good news: there’s an opening on the Commission! Any member of the public can now apply to fill the vacant “Alternate Public Member” position.

Eureka’s Anti-Bike Crowd Is Making Some Noise

A view of a one-way street approaching an intersection. A single car lane has arrows pointed in both directions, indicating that drivers must turn. To the right is a green-painted bike lane. To the left is another bike lane going the opposite direction.

Eureka recently released the results of an online survey about the future G Street Bike Boulevard. A lot of people apparently took this as an opportunity to voice their discontent with bike infrastructure generally, and the recently opened C Street Bike Boulevard in particular. We have our own quibbles with the design of some of the city’s bike lanes, trails, and boulevards. But overall, recent changes represent major improvements in both safety and comfort for city residents and visitor.

We’ve got news for the anti-bike folks: lots of people bike in Eureka, and lots more people want to bike but don’t feel safe doing so. Bike improvements are crucial for community safety and well-being – and if we have anything to say about it, more of them are coming!

News from Beyond the North Coast

Bad Bipartisan Transportation Bill

The US House of Representatives unveiled a new multi-year transportation funding bill this week, and it’s not good news for safety, equity, or the environment – or even for people concerned about potholes. The bill includes massive cuts to transit and active transportation infrastructure funding and fails to provide any funding at all for transit operations, all while increasing highway spending. In addition, it fails to introduce any meaningful reforms to a decades-old funding system that has led to the steady deterioration of the country’s existing infrastructure, and even removes some of the few accountability mechanisms that currently exist. It’s also worth remembering that this bill is being introduced at a time when the Trump administration is blatantly ignoring spending directions from Congress in the existing, Biden-era transportation law.

More About That Proposed Amazon Distribution Center

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

May 15, 2026

Bike Celebration Tomorrow!

We’re halfway through Bike Month, and there are still lots of fun things to do. You can join CRTP and other bike enthusiasts on Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm for the annual Bike Celebration Fair at Jefferson Community Center in Eureka, and there are several other commuter and recreational rides throughout the week. Check out the full event calendar here.

You can also get special deals this month at local bike-friendly businesses! And as always, wherever you ride, report any biking hazards, near-misses or even (we hope not) crashes on Street Story.

Finally, don’t forget that the Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s e-bike voucher program has funding available! You can apply now for vouchers of $400 or more toward the purchase of an e-bike!

Two Deadlines Next Week

The deadline to sign our petition for safer 4th and 5th Streets is next Monday. The petition is already making an impact, before we’ve even submitted it: we recently found out that Caltrans is now planning a “feasibility study” for safety improvements on 4th and 5th Street. Let’s keep the pressure on! Make sure your name is on the petition before we deliver it to Caltrans.

The deadline for applications for our Outreach Specialist position is also next week. If you are passionate about transportation safety, equity, and sustainability, apply by next Tuesday to join our small but mighty team! Click here for the full job description and application instructions.

Arcata Zoning Code Updates on the Horizon

This week the Arcata Planning Commission held its first meeting on zoning code updates to implement new policies in the city’s General Plan, which was adopted in 2024. These updates include critical parking reform measures, walkable development standards, and new bike parking requirements, all of which CRTP and our members and supporters advocated for during the General Plan process. We hope to see them adopted into the zoning code soon!

In other Arcata news, the start of construction of the Sunset Avenue and US 101 interchange improvements has been delayed until next year. The plan to build new roundabouts will undoubtedly make these dangerous intersections much safer for motorists. CRTP continues to advocate to ensure that the design is safe and comfortable for people walking, biking, and rolling too.

More About That Proposed Amazon Distribution Center

Humboldt County has posted video of the contentious community meeting about the proposed Amazon distribution center in McKinleyville on its website, along with other materials presented at the meeting. If you couldn’t make it to the meeting, these materials will help catch you up.

McKinleyville residents, take note: the New York Times this week published a sobering report on the enormous toll that a boom in distribution centers in the Chicago suburbs has taken on transportation safety and infrastructure. Truck traffic deaths in that region have risen dramatically, and road conditions are deteriorating due to the heavy vehicles. While the proposed distribution center in McKinleyville is much more modest in scale, and therefore presumably more modest in impact, CRTP remains very concerned about the potential impact on street safety and infrastructure.

A presentation slide shows a graphic cross-section of Hiller Road with two vehicle lanes, a bike path, and wide sidewalks, all separated by tree-planted strips. Red text divides the street into areas of responsibility for development.

In other McKinleyville news, the Board of Supervisors this week rejected an appeal by Humboldt Commons, effectively requiring the nonprofit senior community developer to add an extra lane’s worth of asphalt to part of Hiller Road. While the Town Center plan calls for this new pavement to eventually by the travel lane, and the current lane to be a median, in the near term the paving will just result in a wider, more dangerous street. We are calling on the county to seek funding to build out the whole Hiller Road safety upgrade as soon as possible, rather than leaving an extra-wide expanse of pavement in front of Humboldt Commons and hoping that future developers will do the rest someday.

Infrastructure and development are also, of course, major issues in the District 5 supervisor race. Current Supervisor Steve Madrone has stated his opposition to the distribution center and has supported infrastructure improvements like the Town Center safety overhaul of Central Avenue. But he is not running for reelection. We will be watching closely to see what his successor – either local ecologist and McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee chair Mary Burke or local businessman Evan Schwartz – will do. Either way, if you live in McKinleyville or anywhere else in District 5, don’t forget to vote!

Eureka to Oppose Offshore Oil Drilling

The Eureka City Council recently discussed how the city could help stop oil drilling off Humboldt’s coastline by banning onshore support facilities. While officially banning these facilities will take a while, the city will take a first step at next week’s council meeting by passing a resolution opposing drilling. As CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske told the council, while our usual focus is on the other end of the oil supply chain and the need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel transportation, prohibiting offshore drilling is an important issue to us because the entire fossil fuel supply chain is dirty and harmful to health and the climate.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Stop the State from Giving Transit Money to Big Oil!

California’s “cap and invest” (formerly called cap and trade) program brings in state revenue that has been critical for local projects like the new EaRTH Center transit hub, the local transition to zero-emission buses, the Linc Housing and Sunset Heights affordable housing projects in Eureka, and many other transit, bike, and pedestrian investments.

Now the California Air Resources Board is proposing to divert billions of dollars from the program to subsidize oil and gas companies. Click here to send a message opposing this terrible idea.

Trump Administration’s Assault on Transit Continues

The Trump administration is withholding more funding from transit projects around the country, while proposing to eliminate the main source of transit funding entirely from next year’s budget. Some Democrats are pushing back, but the outcome is uncertain. A new report finds that if Trump’s transit funding proposals are enacted, massive reductions in service and layoffs of transit workers will result. Rural areas like Humboldt and Del Norte will be hit especially hard.

Car Ads Promote Unsafe Driving

A new analysis finds that the number of car ads that promote speeding and reckless driving is increasing, while the number emphasizing safety has plummeted.

The Economic Impact of Transit in Humboldt County

Posted on May 8, 2026 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

May 8, 2026

Exciting E-Bike News & More Bike Month Fun!

We kicked off bike month last week by picking the winner of our e-bike raffle. Congratulations to Katie Koscielak, who is now the owner of a Blix cargo e-bike, and thanks to everyone who bought a ticket to support CRTP!

If you didn’t win our raffle, but you still want an e-bike, you should check out the Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s e-bike voucher program. There is funding available right now for vouchers of $400 or more toward the purchase of an e-bike!

Whatever kind of bike you ride, there are lots of ways to celebrate Bike Month over the next week, including mural rides in Eureka and Manila, and National Bike to Work/Anywhere Week all week long. And you can get special deals at local bike-friendly businesses! Check out the full event calendar here. And as always, wherever you ride, don’t forget to report any biking hazards, near-misses or even (we hope not) crashes on Street Story.

The Economic Impact of Transit in Humboldt County

Last fiscal year, nearly 140,000 work shifts, 151,000 student class days, and 37,000 medical appointments were accessed by transit in Humboldt County. Transit riders spent more than $5 million at local businesses. And people who relied on transit instead of owning a car saved an average of $10,472 over the course of the year. These facts and more can be found in CRTP’s new 2025 Economic Fact Sheet, which demonstrates clearly that our local transit system supports thousands of jobs, along with access to education, medical care, groceries, government services, family, friends, and more.

Get Involved with CRTP!

A young woman in a gray CRTP t-shirt, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses stands behind a table covered with piles of paper. Green grass and market stalls can be seen in the background, and the front of the table has a CRTP banner on it.

If you’re passionate about safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation, and you’re ready for a new chapter in your life, you’re invited to apply to be CRTP’s next Outreach Specialist. Click here for the full job description and application instructions.

If you want to be more involved with CRTP’s work, but you’re not looking for a new job, here are some other opportunities:

Share your transit story. Send us a paragraph or two about why you ride transit, how transit makes your life better, what you couldn’t do without it, how it could be better with more public support, and any other thoughts you want to share. Your story could help build support for more transit investment in our region!
Sign the petition for safer 4th & 5th Streets in Eureka. If you’ve already signed, share it with a friend! We’re also looking for endorsements from organizations, businesses, and elected officials.
Become a member of CRTP. Without our members, CRTP wouldn’t exist!

Arcata Adopts Regional Climate Action Plan

The Arcata City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Regional Climate Action Plan at its regular meeting on Wednesday. The plan had already been adopted by the county, Eureka, and Rio Dell, which means the vast majority of the county is now covered by the plan.

Transportation is by far the biggest source of climate pollution covered by the plan. In order to meet its targets, the plan requires both a transition to electric vehicles and a shift to more walking, biking, and transit. We are hopeful that adoption of a coordinated regional plan will spur local agencies to act more quickly toward these goals, which we’ve been advocating for since CRTP’s founding in 2015!

Infrastructure Updates from Around the Region

A computer-generated graphic overlaid on a satellite image shows a roundabout at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue, McFarlane Street, and a paved trail.

The City of Eureka has requested a delay in state-awarded construction funding for the planned Bay to Zoo Trail, extending the start of construction from 2026 to 2028 due partly to negotiations with property owners over trail right-of-way. CRTP continues to work to ensure that the trail design is safe and comfortable for everybody. One of our concerns is the design of the Myrtle Avenue roundabout. Plans currently call for people biking on the trail to either merge with traffic in the roundabout or ride on the sidewalk and in the crosswalk. Neither option works well for kids and less confident bicyclists.

The city’s request for delayed construction funding is on the agenda for a California Transportation Commission meeting next week. Also on the commission’s agenda are funding allocations for pedestrian improvements in Rio Dell, purchase of a small electric bus for Del Norte’s Redwood Coast Transit Authority, and planning for Crescent City’s future transit center.

CRTP is also tracking other projects on the commission’s agenda. One is a planned project to repave Highway 299 and improve some bike and pedestrian infrastructure near Willow Creek. The other is a previously planned small project to improve bike and pedestrian facilities at the US 101 & School Road interchange in McKinleyville, which Caltrans is now scrapping. We’ll keep readers of The Collector informed as we learn more.

Distracted Driving in Eureka

California law prohibits drivers from holding a phone or other electronic device while driving, but this kind of behavior remains common. The Eureka Police Department recently reported that it cited ten drivers for cell phone violations in the month of April alone. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous, and even legal, “hand free” device use distracts drivers, reduces attention to road conditions, and slows reaction time.

News from Beyond the North Coast

Transportation Update from Sacramento

E-bikes are a hot topic for California lawmakers this year, and unfortunately some of their bad ideas – like requiring special license plates for e-bikes – are moving through the legislature. Other bills addressing everything from bike infrastructure to speeders and driving under the influence, are also moving. Click here for a full update from Streetsblog. And while you’re there, check out their primer on California gas prices, which provides some helpful context for current gubernatorial politics.

Trump Is Still Refusing To Release Funds for Walking, Biking & Transit

Advocates across the country, including CRTP, are asking why Congress should negotiate with the White House over a massive new transportation funding bill, when the Trump administration has already demonstrated that they will simply refuse to disburse money allocated by Congress for projects and programs they don’t like.