The Collector

February 14, 2025

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Climate Action Plan Environmental Impact Report Published

Last week, we reported that a new draft of the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan had been published, and the plan’s draft Environmental Impact Report was expected next month.

Apparently the environmental review was ahead of schedule, because the Environmental Impact Report was published this week! The document is available for public review and comment from now through April 5th.

With almost three-quarters of local climate pollution coming from transportation, you can be sure that CRTP will be reviewing the environmental documents and the revised plan itself very closely. Keep an eye out for more information after we’ve had a chance to analyze the 728-page document.

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Humboldt Supervisors Argue Over Transit and Road Funding

Regular readers of The Collector may recall that CRTP has been advocating for a long time for a substantial amount of the revenue from the new Measure O sales tax to go toward public transit. In fact, we pledged to oppose any new tax that didn’t include transit funding way back in April 2023, when Measure O was just a gleam in the county’s eye. That advocacy led to bus service being included in the Measure O ballot language, and to county supervisors promising when they put it on the ballot that some of the funding would support transit.

This week, the supervisors decided who would sit on the committee that recommends how much money will go to roads and how much to transit. A CRTP representative was appointed to that committee, along with two of the supervisors and several other stakeholders. During the discussion, several supervisors proposed hypothetical amounts that might go to transit, ranging from less than 2% all the way up to 30% of Measure O revenue.

Supervisor Rex Bohn unfortunately took up much of the time arguing that no money should go to transit and falsely claiming that transit funding wasn’t part of the public discussion that led to the development and passage of Measure O. Other supervisors appeared to have better memories and expressed more support for transit. The discussion was so lively that the Lost Coast Outpost set up a community poll asking how much of the funding should go to roads vs. transit. CRTP will keep working to ensure that our transit systems get enough funding to meet some of the longstanding local needs – like more frequent buses and transit service on Sundays – and that the money spent on roads includes safety upgrades for people walking, biking, and rolling.

In other local transit news, Joann Fabrics has announced the impending closure of its Eureka location. What does that have to do with transit? Every Eureka Transit route stops at the corner of F & Harris Streets, which also happens to be the Joann Fabrics location, making it one of two de facto transit hubs in the city. An empty building there would likely create challenges for maintaining a comfortable environment for riders – but a new tenant willing to cooperate with the Humboldt Transit Authority could generate opportunities for improvement.

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The Fight to Protect Richardson Grove Continues

Local environmental organizations are continuing the decades-long legal battle against the Richardson Grove highway expansion project, appealing a recent judge’s ruling that dismissed one of their lawsuits. CRTP has always opposed the Richardson Grove project. We believe that the state should be spending its limited transportation dollars on desperately needed safety upgrades and low-carbon transportation improvements, not widening highways in state parks to accommodate the biggest interstate trucks.

CRTP tracks many Caltrans projects and often advocates for changes or improvements. If you’re wondering what other projects Caltrans is planning in our region, most of them can be found on this interactive map produced by the agency, including projects planned 5 years or more in the future.

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Take Action to Save Federal Safety Funding

As we previously reported, the Trump administration has frozen many major transportation funding programs, including critical safety, equity, and climate programs. Local agencies on the North Coast are recipients of some of this funding – or were, before it was frozen. Now, the US Department of Transportation is threatening to end the programs altogether. Our friends at America Walks have a convenient tool for you to contact federal and state representatives and ask them to fight to restore these important programs.

The Founding Father of the Parking Reform Movement Dies at 86

UCLA professor and world-renowned parking expert Donald Shoup died last week. His 2005 book The High Cost of Free Parking sparked a movement to reform parking rules and practices across the globe, and his many other academic papers and public appearances described the financial and environmental costs of overabundant parking and promoted practical reforms. He will be greatly missed.

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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.

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The Collector

February 7, 2025

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Latest Draft of Regional Climate Action Plan Published

The Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan is currently undergoing environmental review. According to county staff, the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the plan is expected to be released for public comment next month.

Meanwhile, the county recently uploaded a new draft of the plan to its website. It’s unusual for a plan to be updated in the middle of its environmental review. We’re still reviewing the changes, but we expect that they will be relatively minor and focused on comments submitted last fall.

We are keeping our eye on the big picture: almost three-quarters of the climate pollution covered by the plan comes from on-road transportation, mostly private cars and trucks. Transitioning to electric vehicles will be necessary but not sufficient to meet climate goals, and local governments have limited influence over private vehicle purchases. Which means there is no way the plan can achieve significant emissions reductions without major infrastructure, land use, and transit improvements to support more walking, biking and bus riding.

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Federal Funding Uncertainty Hangs Over Local Plans

Some important local transportation planning efforts may be directly affected by the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to freeze previously approved federal funding – including from two of the biggest transportation programs – and dismantle programs that don’t meet right-wing ideological purity tests. The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) has received federal funding from at least two programs that appear to be targeted by Trump. One is a grant from the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to develop a regional Vision Zero plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The other is an allocation from the Carbon Reduction Program, which local agencies intend to use to develop a plan for transitioning local fleets to zero-emission vehicles. Funds from both programs were awarded during the Biden administration, but the projects have not yet started.

Both of these federal funding programs are part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (a.k.a. the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), one of the programs specifically frozen by a Trump executive order. Furthermore, the new administration’s hostility toward climate action and electric vehicle infrastructure is well established, and even seemingly uncontroversial transportation safety programs are now being targeted by the administration. Given this political environment and the unprecedented attempts to interfere with federal funding that’s already been already allocated, local officials and advocates are extremely concerned that crucial safety, environmental and equity programs like those pursued by HCAOG will be de-funded or otherwise undermined.

Adding to the anxiety are concerns about what restrictions may be placed on future federal funding – especially with the new federal leadership making odd and unprecedented announcements about things like tying transportation funding amounts to local birth and marriage rates.

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News from Beyond the North Coast

Right Turns on Red Are Dangerous

Right-turn-on-red laws were introduced during the oil crisis of the 1970s under the somewhat absurd premise that the US would save a significant amount fuel by allowing drivers to spend less time idling at intersections. A new study adds to years of evidence that drivers rarely come to a complete stop when making a right on red, and pedestrians and bicyclists are paying the price for this behavior.

Driving an Enormous Vehicles Won’t Make You Safer

It is well established that bigger and taller SUVs and pickup trucks are much more dangerous for people outside the vehicle, especially pedestrians and bicyclists. But Americans keep buying bigger and bigger vehicles anyway, in part because of concerns for their own safety in the escalating “arms race” on our streets. New research challenges the assumption that bigger is safer for vehicle occupants, finding that drivers and passengers in today’s enormous vehicles are no safer than they would be in a smaller car.

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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.

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The Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities (CRTP) has named the Humboldt Transit Authority’s drivers, vehicle service workers, mechanics and equipment technicians as the 2023 North Coast Responsible Transportation Champions. The annual award is given to locals who further CRTP’s mission of “promoting transportation solutions that protect and support a healthy environment, healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy economy on the North Coast.”

The Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) workers are being recognized for their consistent, hard work providing crucial public transit services to our region under sometimes challenging conditions. This marks the first time that the award has been given to a group of people, rather than to specific individuals.

“HTA’s drivers, vehicle service workers, mechanics and equipment technicians are the people who literally keep the buses running every day,” said CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske. “Our public transit system helps meet the mobility needs of the many local residents who can’t drive, including kids, seniors, people with disabilities, and people who can’t afford a car. And because private vehicles are the biggest source of local climate pollution, public transit is also a critical climate solution, providing low-carbon mobility throughout the region. None of this would be possible without the daily efforts of transit workers. HTA’s bus drivers, vehicle service workers, mechanics and equipment technicians are truly Responsible Transportation Champions.”

“All of us at HTA are committed to providing safe and effective service to our community, and we are honored to receive this recognition,” said Cody Ferreira, an HTA equipment technician and AFSCME union steward. “Our union drivers, mechanics, equipment technicians, and vehicle service workers take pride in offering an ever-expanding array of safe and environmentally-friendly transportation options across the region, and we hope to see everyone out on the route soon.”

Past recipients of the Responsible Transportation Champion award include: State Senator Mike McGuire, former McKinleyville Community Services District Director Mary Burke, former Humboldt County Association of Governments Executive Director Marcella May, Humboldt Transit Authority General Manager Greg Pratt and Transit Planner Jerome Qiriazi, and Caltrans District 1 Complete Streets team members Alexis Kelso and Joseph Caminiti.

HTA General Manager Greg Pratt receives the “golden bus” 2021 Responsible Transportation Champion award from CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske.

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The Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities (CRTP) has named Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) General Manager Greg Pratt the 2021 North Coast Responsible Transportation Champion. Pratt is being recognized for his remarkable efforts to keep public transportation running in Humboldt County throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time preparing for a rapid transition to zero-emission buses and initiating work on a much-needed downtown Eureka transit hub.

“HTA oversees almost all of the public transit in Humboldt County, and Greg has done an incredible job at the helm for many years,” said CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske. “Even with all of his accomplishments and many years of service, though, nothing could have prepared him for the last couple of years. Running an effective public transit system during a global pandemic is a near-impossible task, but Greg has somehow managed it. Not only that, but at the same time he has been working behind the scenes to plan for long-term transit improvements, like a major hub in downtown Eureka, and to ensure that our local bus fleet hits zero-emission targets ahead of schedule.”

“HTA is in the process of applying to the state for a grant that will replace 10 diesel buses with 10 zero-emission buses,” Pratt said, “effectively removing 600,000 miles per year of greenhouse gas emissions in Humboldt County. And that’s only the beginning.”

The North Coast Responsible Transportation Champion award is given each year to a leader who furthers CRTP’s mission of “promoting transportation solutions that protect and support a healthy environment, healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy economy on the North Coast.” Past recipients include State Senator Mike McGuire, former McKinleyville Community Services District Director Mary Burke, and former Humboldt County Association of Governments Executive Director Marcella May.

Fiske added: “We sorely need more investment in our transit system from federal, state and local governments. But Greg’s ability to guide HTA in providing service to our huge county with the few resources currently available is truly remarkable. He richly deserves recognition as the 2021 Responsible Transportation Champion.”

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

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

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

We cannot fail again.

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

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

Contact: Colin Fiske,  colin@transportationpriorities.org

HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif.—The Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities and allies will be holding a memorial for people killed by cars in Humboldt County at 5:30 pm on Friday, August 27^th, 2021, at the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka.

In the last decade, at least 80 people in Humboldt County have been killed by drivers while walking, biking, skateboarding, or rolling in a wheelchair. The county is consistently ranked among the most dangerous in the state for people walking and biking. Too often, the lives of these people killed on our streets are minimized or ignored, or the victims blamed for their own deaths. That is unacceptable.

This event will be a gathering for friends and families to remember those who have been killed, and for community members to acknowledge and honor the losses. At the event, the names of those killed will be read aloud, friends and family members may speak about their lost loved ones if they wish, and actions to prevent future tragedies will be discussed. There will also be a short, silent walk of commemoration in downtown Eureka, where participants will contemplate the vulnerability of pedestrians in the current streetscape.

The event will be led by Rev. Molly Cate, and social workers will be present to provide support for those grieving. This is a public, outdoor event, and all are encouraged to attend and pay their respects. Attendees are requested to wear masks, keep 6 feet apart from people not in their households, and follow all other public health guidelines and traffic laws during the event.

The Collector

May 28, 2021

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E-Scooters, Transit, Millions of Dollars, and More
“Technical Advisory Committee” might sound boring, but next week’s agenda for this quiet but influential Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) committee is anything but. The committee will get a presentation from the e-scooter company Bird about its interest in operating in Humboldt, hear the annual Unmet Transit Needs report and a presentation about the McKinleyville Transit Study (see below), make recommendations about newly available Coronavirus relief funding, and consider a draft of the first-ever Regional Transportation Plan “land use-transportation element.” And that’s not even all of it!

McKinleyville Transit Study Draft Report Available for Review
The report calls for piloting an on-demand micro-transit system as a first step toward improving public transportation in McKinleyville. Take the survey (en español aquí) or provide any other comments by June 25th. There will also be public presentations at next week’s Humboldt County Association of Governments Technical Advisory Committee and Social Services Transportation Advisory Council meetings.

CRTP & Allies Comment on Nordic AquaFarms Environmental Documents
We asked for a full Environmental Impact Report, and we got it. We’re happy about that, and ready for the next phase of analysis.

Eureka City Council to Vote on How to Spend SB1 Money
SB1 created, among other things, the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account, from which the city expects to receive about half a million dollars next year. They plan to spend it on repaving parts of Washington and E Streets. But this money could be spent instead on critical safety projects, including bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Maybe it’s just us, but we think that’s a little more important than repaving, given Eureka’s traffic safety crisis.

Humboldt County Wants to Hear from You About Sea Level Rise
Critical transportation infrastructure is at risk, especially around Humboldt Bay.

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Make your Street Story reports!
Local residents have reported 763 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

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Bike Supply Chains Still Struggling to Meet Demand
It’s a good sign that demand is still high this far into the pandemic.

Will That Electric F-150 Save Us?
Despite some fawning press coverage, let’s not forget that it’s still an oversized pedestrian-killing machine.

The “CalBike Insider”
Ever wonder what’s really going on in Sacramento? This new feature from CalBike provides some behind-the-scenes insights into transportation politicking in the state capital.

The New York Times Talks Urban Highway Removal
Planners are beginning to realize that it’s better to build cities that are nice to live in than ones that are convenient for suburban commuters to get in and out of.

Environmentalists Ask for Habitat Connectivity Money in Transportation Budget
Streets and highways have a huge impact on wildlife populations.

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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 Collector

May 21, 2021

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Humboldt Supervisors Support a “Qualified” Climate Action Plan
“Qualified,” in this case, is a good thing. It means that the Plan will meet state greenhouse gas reduction targets and require monitoring and updates to ensure the targets are met. Since transportation is the county’s biggest source of emissions, this would mean major changes for our local transportation system.

New, More Political Environmental Group Debuts on the North Coast
The Redwood Coalition for Climate and Environmental Responsibility (RCCER, or “rocker”) is not a non-profit, so it can do political work that other groups (including CRTP) can’t. Its mission is “to ensure that local elected officials and government agencies on California’s North Coast take robust, just, and equitable actions to address the climate crisis and other key environmental issues.”

Deadline Approaching for Comment on Fish Farm Environmental Documents
When does a fish farm relate to transportation? When it generates 95 trucks trips per week and has 150 commuting employees. CRTP has teamed up with other local environmental groups to provide detailed comments on the project’s impacts. You should have your say too! You can find out more on last week’s EcoNews Report.

Arcata to Get More Public Input on Old Arcata Road Project
It appears the project is headed for a full Environmental Impact Report.

McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee to Hear Transit Study Update
The draft transit study report is expected to be released before the meeting next Wednesday.

Arcata Transportation & Energy Committee to Hold Annual Joint Meeting
The meeting will focus on the current Regional Transportation Plan update process, presumably with discussion focusing on proposed greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled reduction targets.

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Make your Street Story reports!
Local residents have reported 761 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

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A Busy Week Killing Bills in the Legislature
This week was when we found out which bills were sent to the notorious “suspense file” – where bills go to die. Bills that received that fate include the decriminalize-jaywalking Freedom to Walk Act, the e-bike subsidy bill, the session’s main pro-housing density bill, and a bill that would pilot programs to make it easier to lower speed limits. Fortunately, SB 69, the bill to create the Great Redwood Trail Agency, survived the bloodbath.

This is Global Road Safety Week
Among other things, the United Nations is circulating an open letter calling for speed limits of 30 km/hr (20 mph) “on streets where people walk, live and play.”

Air Resources Board Set to Mandate Electric Uber & Lyft Vehicles
But who will pay for it – the companies or their “independent” drivers?

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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 Collector

May 14, 2021

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A Contested Vote to Support Railbanking
Despite the fact that by all indications the Great Redwood Trail is a wildly popular idea, and it relies on railbanking of the North Coast Railroad Authority right-of-way, the vote to express support for railbanking was closely contested and barely passed. It appears that a new wave of property-rights activism in rural parts of the county may be the reason this routine letter of support suddenly became controversial. Several other local agencies are considering letters of support next week.

Update on 101 Safety Corridor Project
Caltrans will provide a report on the project at Thursday’s Humboldt County Association of Governments meeting. CRTP has learned that the project is currently “out to bid” – meaning construction can be expected before long.

New Report on Adapting Humboldt’s Trail System to Sea Level Rise
The report was produced by Humboldt State students for CRTP and Humboldt Baykeeper. It calls for long-term planning and collaboration to ensure a resilient trail system and encourage more active transportation.

Even More Bike Month!
This Sunday is the Eureka Bike Scavenger Hunt. Then on Monday is a Virtual Bike Skills Workshop, and Thursday is officially Bike to Wherever Day. And don’t forget about Bike Bingo!

EPIC & Tribes Call on Caltrans to Cancel Richardson Grove Project
The new statement on an old project brings tribal concerns to the forefront.

Arcata Council to Consider Old Arcata Road Project
Next week, the City Council will consider the long-planned project’s environmental documents and hear public input. The project includes much-needed bike and pedestrian improvements which CRTP fully supports, as well as a roundabout – which is car-oriented design that we’re not so excited about.

Register for the 2021 Humboldt Trails Summit
It’s just a few weeks away!

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Make your Street Story reports!
Local residents have reported 761 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

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Last Chance to Tell Pete Buttigieg to Reform the Federal Traffic Manual
It’s quick and easy using the template provided by America Walks. And the deadline is midnight tonight!

How Should Local Bike Safety Be Measured?
Traditionally, collisions are compared to local population. A new report instead compares them to local bike miles traveled (BMT), with some surprising results.

COVID “Slow Streets” Were Great for Business
Many towns and cities are now making these vehicle-restricted streets a permanent fixture. Unfortunately, none of our local communities took this step over the last year.

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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.