Will McKinleyville Finally Get a Walkable Town Center Plan?

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

December 3, 2021

Committee to Consider McKinleyville Town Center Ordinance
The McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee will meet next Wednesday to consider the draft ordinance, which has been years in the making. A memo released by the Humboldt County Planning Department, summarizing public input, shows both strong support as well as some resistance to the idea of a dense, mixed-use, walkable town center – so if you want to see more alternatives to driving in our third-largest community, you’ll need to show up and voice support!

Join CRTP Today!
CRTP is in the middle of our annual membership drive right now. If you’re not already a CRTP member, what’s holding you back? Click on the link above and join today.

Arcata “Gateway Area Plan” Released
The City of Arcata released a draft plan this week to rezone a large chunk of the city – mostly in the Creamery District – for high-density, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development. You can attend a city meeting next Thursday at 5:30 pm to get more information and provide input, and stay tuned for more details from CRTP.

Coal and More on Eureka City Council Agenda
At its meeting next Tuesday, the Council will take a final vote to adopt its new anti-coal ordinance in response to the threat of coal trains to the North Coast. Also on the agenda: selecting a consultant to develop a plan for higher-density mixed-use development on the waterfront, approving a spending plan (including road spending) for COVID stimulus funds, and selling naming rights for a city park concession stand to Valley Pacific (a company that owns gas stations).

Provide Your Input on Eureka Parking Plan
Fill out the survey and let the city know that it should reduce the amount of parking and prioritize walkability, bikability, and transit.

Old Arcata Road Project Delayed
An error in the environmental review process meant that the City Council did not vote on the project as planned this week. CRTP strongly supports new bike and pedestrian infrastructure and traffic calming on Old Arcata Road. We have some reservations about the use of roundabouts, which although they force traffic to go slower (a very good thing!), also increase conflict points for people biking and are impossible to use for pedestrians with blindness and low vision.

McGuire Provides Great Redwood Trail Updates
State funding is starting to flow, and trail master planning will begin early next year.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have made 858 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Humboldt Sheriff’s Deputy Crashes in High-Speed Chases
High-speed police chases often stem from minor alleged violations – like this one did – and often result in injuries or fatalities. Why are they still a thing?

State Workshop Next Week on Building Sustainable and Equitable Communities
Want to learn about and provide input on the state’s efforts to create more equitable communities with less driving and more housing? Sign up for this workshop put on by the California Air Resources Board.

Walkable Communities Are Expensive Because There Aren’t Enough of Them
There’s nothing inherently expensive about walkability. In fact, it’s a lot cheaper to build walkable communities than suburban sprawl.

Advocates Ask for $2 Billion for Active Transportation
There is a $31 billion state budget surplus, after all. Meanwhile, in the absence of good walking and biking infrastructure in disadvantaged communities, police continue to show bias in traffic enforcement.

What If We Couldn’t Identify Disadvantaged Communities?
The Census Bureau is proposing to limit the availability of a lot of demographic and housing data to the county level, which would make it basically useless for differentiating local communities.

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.

CRTP Submits Petition for a Safer Broadway

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

November 19, 2021

Editor’s Note: We’ll be taking off next week, but look for The Collector to return in December!

CRTP Submits Petition for a Safer Broadway to Caltrans
535 of you signed the petition, showing the community’s broad support for immediate safety improvements for people walking and biking on Broadway. We’re waiting for an official response from Caltrans.

New Public Relations Campaign Launched for Traffic Safety
A countywide campaign will focus on encouraging drivers to slow down, advice CRTP fully supports. You can get a free “Go Slow, Watch the Road” yard sign anywhere in Humboldt County by reaching out to Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman. As part of the campaign, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors this week followed Eureka in adopting Vision Zero (a goal of reducing traffic fatalities to zero) by proclamation. We hope the county and cities follow up these proclamations and public relations efforts with strong actions to improve the design of streets for safe walking and biking.

Eureka Moves Forward Anti-Coal Ordinance
This is an important step toward stopping the threat of coal trains and preserving the vision of the Great Redwood Trail. It comes on the heels of a major legal settlement that will end coal exports through the city of Richmond in the Bay Area.

CRTP Submits Comments on Draft McKinleyville Town Center Ordinance
Check out what we think of the ordinance, and submit your own comments if you haven’t already!

HCAOG Board Directs Staff to Develop Project Assessment Tool
That headline might sound boring, but we promise it’s not. For the first time, Humboldt County’s regional transportation planning agency is taking a step toward applying its official safety, sustainability and equity goals to decisions about which projects get funded.

Limited New Amtrak Bus Service Approved for North Coast
The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Board (which despite its name oversees Amtrak connecting bus service on the North Coast) this morning approved bus-only ticketing for its route between the Bay Area and Arcata. Unfortunately, there are some exceptions – for example, people leaving from Arcata or Eureka won’t be able to buy Amtrak tickets to Santa Rosa, because Greyhound theoretically serves that need already. The agency promised to further study the issue over the coming year, however, and hopefully expand service in the future.

Arcata Committee Considers Complete Streets Policy, E-Scooters
The Transportation Safety Committee discussed a policy proposed by RCCER to require all feasible active transportation and transit improvements be made whenever a street project is undertaken. They also heard a presentation from Bird e-scooters with a proposal to deploy a dockless scooter system in town. CRTP supports e-scooters as long as there are adequate protections to ensure that they are not left in places that block sidewalks or bike lanes. No decisions were made at this particular meeting.

Fortuna Adopts New Traffic Safety Plan
Other local jurisdictions, take note.

Street Story Signs Go Up!
Thanks to a partnership between CRTP, Humboldt County Public Health, and the Humboldt Transit Authority, permanent signs reminding people to make Street Story reports have now been installed at busy bus stops from Fortuna to McKinleyville. As always, don’t forget to make your reports! La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Energy Authority to Weigh In on Eureka Area Subdivision
At its meeting yesterday, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Board directed staff to send comments to Humboldt County regarding the huge “North McKay Ranch” subdivision. The comments emphasize that as it is currently proposed, the project is completely inconsistent with the County’s and RCEA’s adopted plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – particularly from transportation.

Arcata Gets E-Bus Chargers
Even better, they’ll be installed at Humboldt Transit Authority headquarters and powered by HTA’s new solar array.

Local Travel Has Rebounded to Pre-Pandemic Levels
So much for a reduction in driving being a “silver lining” of the pandemic.

More Re-Paving in Arcata
With all the emphasis on fixing potholes, we want to know: what about fixing all those broken sidewalks?

Secretary Pete Touts Electric Vehicles
But the US didn’t join a pledge at COP-26 to phase out internal combustion engines by 2040.

Planning Begins for a Downtown Eureka Transit Hub

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

November 12, 2021

Planning Begins for a Downtown Eureka Transit Hub
At next Tuesday’s meeting, the Eureka City Council will consider approving an agreement with the Humboldt Transit Authority to jointly develop a multi-modal transit hub with affordable housing on top on one of the city’s downtown parking lots. The plan is contingent on HTA receiving a major grant to fund the project, but CRTP is very excited about the possibilities! Also on the Council’s agenda is an ordinance prohibiting handling and storage of coal on lands owned or held in trust by the City – the latest response to the threat of coal trains invading our region.

Eureka to Adopt Vision Zero Goal
Another notable item on Tuesday’s Eureka City Council agenda is a proclamation which, among other things, establishes the goal of reducing traffic fatalities to zero. This proclamation is one of the results of a countywide traffic safety task force established by Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman, and which CRTP was a member of. Look for other local jurisdictions to adopt similar proclamations in the weeks to come.

Vote for CRTP!
If you’re a North Coast Co-op member, vote now for CRTP to be a recipient of next year’s Seeds for Change fundraising program. We need your support!

McKinleyville Town Center Open House Saturday
Get your questions answered and provide your feedback on the draft Town Center ordinance tomorrow morning in McKinleyville.

Supes Discuss Denser Infill Housing
At its meeting this Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors talked about a plan to rezone some areas for multifamily housing and to implement the newly-passed SB 10, which allows local governments to enable development of up to 10 housing units per lot in infill areas. CRTP is heartened by the County’s new focus on putting much-needed affordable housing near existing jobs and services.

Truck Traffic Impacts Not Significant?
Nordic Aquafarms said at a public meeting this week that the 15 truck trips per day they anticipate to serve the new fish farm on the Samoa Peninsula will not cause a significant impact. We’re waiting to see the full Environmental Impact Report, which is scheduled for release in December.

Will Solutions Come Fast Enough for the Eureka-Arcata Corridor?
Alarms are ringing over the relative rates of sea level rise and Caltrans bureaucratic processes.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 843 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Federal Infrastructure Bill: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The infrastructure bill which finally passed Congress last week is heavily weighted toward building new car infrastructure – doubling down on a system that continues to kill thousands of people each year while destroying the global climate. Nevertheless, there are also a lot of other programs in the bill to help improve transit, active transportation, and high-speed rail.

Climate Conference Ignores Active Transportation and Transit
When will world leaders realize that we can’t drive our way out of the climate crisis?

Transit Ridership Down, Traffic Deaths Up
This year’s deadly trends are starting to become clear. Meanwhile, California’s transit agencies may be in even more trouble, as the federal government threatens to withhold funding over a 2013 pension reform law targeting transit workers.

CRTP to Local Officials: This Is a Crisis. Act Like It.

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

November 5, 2021

Vote for CRTP!
If you’re a North Coast Co-op member, vote now for CRTP to be a recipient of next year’s Seeds for Change fundraising program. We need your support!

This Is a Crisis. Act Like It.
At a committee meeting on Thursday, officials in charge of building and maintaining streets and roads in Humboldt County stridently attacked a proposal supported by CRTP to require their projects to align with targets for improving safety and reducing climate-harming emissions. Instead, they said, decisions about their projects should be left up to them, and they should focus on repairing existing roads for cars. CRTP pointed out that the unincorporated county alone has an insurmountable road maintenance backlog of half a billion dollars, and if they wait to invest in active transportation and transit until they’ve fixed all their roads, it’ll just never happen. We found the reactions of these officials extremely disturbing, especially coming at a time when the world’s governments are struggling to address the existential threat of climate change, and people are regularly being injured and killed simply for trying to walk or bike on our public thoroughfares. Most of our local leaders know that we are facing both a climate crisis and a safety crisis. It’s time they start acting like it.

McKinleyville Town Center Draft Regulations Published
At long last, there is an actual draft plan for future development in the Town Center. A public meeting to discuss the plan is scheduled for Saturday, November 13th. Stay tuned for CRTP’s hot takes on the draft plans, rules and regulations.

Driver Sentenced in McKinleyville Vehicular Attack Case
It was a rare case of a driver who endangered protesters actually being charged, and the judge gave the lightest possible sentence. Nationwide, vehicle attacks on protesters have become widespread, and justice is rarely served.

Caltrans Seeking Scoping Comments on Last Chance Grade
Is there something you think Caltrans needs to consider in its environmental assessment of the Last Chance Grade project? Like, for example, examining the impacts on bicyclists at this critical spot in the Pacific Coast Bike Route? Now’s the time to tell them.

Fish Farm Developers to Hold Public Meeting Next Week
Nordic Aquafarms will hold a virtual town hall next Wednesday at 6 pm. The project is expected to generate a lot of car and truck trips, and CRTP has been advocating for ways to reduce those impacts. For more information on the town hall, email Nordic’s community liaison Lynette Mullen.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 840 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Why Do We Accept the Carnage Caused by Cars as “Normal”?
It’s long past time that we change the way we think about traffic violence.

Big Oil Dodges Accountability for Decades of Climate Denial
Nothing to see here, folks, just keep pumping that gas.

So Where Will We Get All the Batteries?
Electrification of cars and trucks is critical to fight climate change, but that strategy relies on massive amounts of lithium. And lithium mining often can extract a very high toll from local communities.

Do You Have Photos of Bad Spots for Walking, Biking, or Rolling in McKinleyville?

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 29, 2021

Humboldt’s Draft Regional Transportation Plan Now Open for Comment
You can still take the survey until Sunday, and comments on the draft plan itself will be accepted until November 21st. Stay tuned for more on this critical plan, which will shape future transportation investments in the county for years to come.

Vote for CRTP!
Members of the North Coast Co-op choose which non-profits get to participate in their Seeds for Change Round-Up program, and CRTP is in the running for next year. Please support us!

Do You Have Photos of Bad Spots for Walking, Biking, or Rolling in McKinleyville?
The County wants to see them! (Léelo en español aquí.)

Secure Bike Parking on HSU’s Campus?
There are two opportunities next week to hear about a student-led initiative to address bike storage issues on campus.

Committee Hears Update on McKinleyville Town Center
Will McKinleyville finally get a walkable, transit-friendly town center? Plans are beginning to take shape after decades of work.

Caltrans Considers Options for Protecting Highway 101 Corridor
Rising sea levels will regularly flood the highway (and the new Bay Trail) in the foreseeable future if nothing is done.

RCEA Gets Grant for Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Planning
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority Board accepted a state grant this week to develop a charging and fueling plan for medium- and heavy-duty zero emission vehicles in Humboldt County.

Eureka City Council to Tackle Vacancy Issues
Dense buildings don’t do much to increase walkability if they’re empty.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 839 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

How Should We Incorporate Climate, Safety & Equity Goals into Decision-Making?
Next Thursday, the Technical Advisory Committee of the Humboldt County Association of Governments will take on the topic of ensuring that the projects they plan, approve and fund are actually helping meet our most important goals.

Supervisors Talk Unmet Transit Needs
The discussion raised more questions than answers.

State Housing, Transportation and Pollution Agencies to Hold Joint Meeting
Discussion topics include coordination of efforts to reducing driving, increase housing, and address historic inequities in both housing and transportation.

Biking While Black: The Intersection of Infrastructure and Policing
Black and brown communities across the country typically have less bike infrastructure and much more aggressive law enforcement.

What Does Justice Look Like When a Driver Hits a Bicyclist?
A prominent case in Colorado demonstrates the personal stakes. We should note that it’s rare that a driver is held accountable at all for this kind of incident.

When People Live in Cars, Parking is Housing

Posted on October 22, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 22, 2021

You Can Still Sign the Broadway Petition for the Next Few Weeks
More than 470 of our friends and neighbors have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Read more about it in this recent Times-Standard article. We’ll be delivering the petition to Caltrans in a few weeks, but in the meantime you can still sign it. If you’ve already signed, thank you – and please share the link with your friends and family so they can sign too.

Caltrans Workshop Next Week on Sea Level Rise
The agency is considering how to adapt the Eureka-Arcata Highway 101 corridor to rising oceans over the coming decades. We want to see any new infrastructure prioritize walking, biking and transit over cars and trucks – after all, we don’t want to cause more climate chaos while we’re adapting to its effects. Register here to attend next Wednesday’s workshop and provide your input.

County Taking More Comments on Eureka Area Subdivision
Humboldt County planners had to re-do the “North McKay Ranch” subdivision Environmental Impact Report to update its transportation analysis to current standards. Unfortunately, the analysis is still pretty bad. As it stands, the project is a car-oriented suburban subdivision with no meaningful provisions for walking, biking or buses – but the county somehow concludes that it won’t result in more driving. You can weigh in on that conclusion by submitting comments to the County today.

When People Live in Cars, Parking is Housing
CRTP is generally not a fan of free parking, but we don’t think parking policy should be used to criminalize people who have nowhere else to go. Following its recent vote to target houseless people with new parking restrictions in an industrial area, the Eureka City Council got an earful this week from people upset about that decision. CRTP joined our friends and allies in calling for a safe parking program for houseless people. You can watch video of the meeting here.

Provide Your Input on Unmet Transit Needs
Every year, the Humboldt County Association of Governments asks the public to identify transit needs that aren’t currently being met. That process is happening now. You can attend one of the many meetings, or provide your input online.

Don’t Forget to Make Your Reports on Street Story
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on local streets, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 833 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Eureka City Council Discusses How to Take on the Coal Train Threat
CRTP is committed to working with our allies to end the threat of coal export from Humboldt Bay and preserve the future of the Great Redwood Trail. Unfortunately, federal railroad law won’t make that easy, and we need to learn from the experiences of other communities that have faced the same threat.

Read the Latest from the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
One important issue highlighted in their most recent newsletter is the need to design new “bulbouts” and other pedestrian safety features in a way that safely accommodates bicycles, too.

Huffman Supports Climate Infrastructure
The North Coast Congressman has made it pretty clear where he stands on climate programs in the budget reconciliation bill. We’ll take this opportunity to remind everyone that transportation is the country’s biggest source of climate-harming emissions, and the kind of infrastructure we build has a big effect on those emissions.

How Seriously Does the State Transportation Commission Take the Climate Crisis?
Not very seriously, apparently, despite recently adopted plans and public statements to the contrary.

Yes, We Can Make Our Streets Safer
The City of Fremont is showing that when officials take safety seriously, they really can reduce serious collisions and fatalities.

Eureka City Council to Discuss Anti-Coal Ordinance

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 15, 2021

Eureka City Council to Discuss Anti-Coal Ordinance
On Tuesday, the Council will provide direction to staff who are developing an ordinance in response to the threat of coal trains on the North Coast. We applaud the city for joining Humboldt County and other local governments in taking strong steps to stop this disaster from happening.

Our Statement on Last Friday’s Tragedies on Broadway
We mourn the loss of Michael Wray Robinson, and redouble our efforts to get Caltrans to make immediate safety improvements to Broadway. Listen to the latest EcoNews Report about Broadway (recorded before the latest tragedies), check out North Coast News coverage, and please join more than 400 of your friends and neighbors and sign our petition here.

HCAOG Board to Consider Draft Regional Transportation Plan
Next Thursday, the Humboldt County Association of Governments will review the draft Regional Transportation Plan and consider releasing it for public comment. If you go, tell the Board that you support the new Safe and Sustainable Transportation Targets and the focus on transportation equity, and that they need to make sure the projects included in the Plan are actually aligned with these new goals.

Huffman Joins with AOC for Infrastructure Town Hall Tonight
Come out and support better active transportation and transit infrastructure. And can we stop building new stuff for cars already? We can’t even afford to maintain what we’ve got.

Richardson Grove Project Opponents Call on State & Federal Officials
Join our allies in asking the Biden and Newsom administrations to finally intervene and end this unnecessary and outdated highway expansion project. That money should be spent on bike and pedestrian safety projects instead!

Tour the “Gateway Area” with Arcata City Officials
Today and tomorrow, city staff will lead walking tours of the area intended for high-density, walkable infill development.

McGuire to Host “Community Roundtable on Homelessness”
Houseless people comprise a disproportionate number of people killed while walking and biking, and in many areas transportation costs add substantially to the high cost of housing.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 829 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Local Schoolkids Take Buses!
And not just school buses, as this letter to the editor of the Times-Standard reminds us.

Governor Vetoes Jaywalking Decriminalization, Bike Safety Stops
With frustratingly misguided justifications, Newsom nixed two top transportation priorities from this year’s legislative session. He signed another priority bill, AB 43, which will make it slightly easier to lower speed limits in some circumstances (and no, it won’t result in “speed traps“).

Freight Supply Chain Issues Are Harming Public Health in Southern California
Idling container ships are adding to the already hazardous air quality around ports and freight corridors.

Berkeley Leading the Way with Non-Police Traffic Enforcement
Traffic enforcement doesn’t require an officer with a gun.

Manila Trail Plans Cut in Half

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 8, 2021

Humboldt Supervisors Approve Anti-Coal Resolution
Humboldt County joins a growing number of North Coast cities and counties opposing the re-opening of the regional train line to ship coal out of Humboldt Bay. Thanks to all who sent comments to the Supervisors in support of the resolution! The Supervisors also discussed what we hope is a minor snag in the development of the Bay Trail South having to do with the Murray Field airport land use plan. We’ll keep you updated if this becomes an obstacle to completing the trail between Arcata and Eureka.

Huffman & Thompson Send Letter to Secretary Buttigieg
The two North Coast Congressmen asked that the US Department of Transportation refuse to fund any coal train project in our region.

It’s Not Too Late to Sign
More than 280 people have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Help us spread the word and get more signers by sharing this video.

A New Opportunity to Comment on Richardson Grove Project
A state court required Caltrans to accept more public comment on changes to environmental documents for the highway expansion project.

Humboldt County Planning Commission Approves Scaled-Back Manila Trail
The long-planned multi-use trail along Highway 255 will unfortunately only be about half as long as was originally planned, due to concerns from some neighbors. Ironically, the concerns were mostly about exposure to more highway noise from tree removal, not about the trail itself (which will generate little if any noise).

Arcata Amends Legislative Platform
At the urging of local advocacy group RCCER, the City Council added policies to support low-carbon transportation and infill development, and removed policies opposing any state land-use mandates. RCCER pointed out that state mandates are often necessary to ensure equitable transportation and housing outcomes. At the same meeting, the Council approved a resolution opposing coal trains.

Westhaven Residents Oppose Road Widening
Widening of Westhaven Drive is proposed as part of the larger interchange project being pursued by the Trinidad Rancheria. CRTP recognizes the legitimate interest of the Rancheria in connecting their lands on either side of Highway 101, but we have significant concerns about many aspects of the proposed interchange.

Arcata Planning Commission to Discuss Old Arcata Road Project
The long-planned project will add much-needed bike and pedestrian infrastructure. It will also add a roundabout at Jacoby Creek Road, which CRTP is concerned will not encourage walking and biking in the area.

Fortuna Gets E-Scooters
The Friendly City is the first in our region to host an e-scooter sharing system.

Charlie Moon Way
Grappling with a racist past, the Eureka Planning Commission will consider next week whether to rename an alley in honor of Charlie Moon. Moon was one of the few people of Chinese descent who remained in Humboldt County after a white mob largely drove out the community and destroyed Eureka’s Chinatown in the 1880s.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 809 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Bikeshare Programs Help Reduce Emissions
Like all transportation modes, they require some government subsidy – but substantially less subsidy than, say, driving.

Low-Density Zoning Hurts Public Health
Disadvantaged communities are most heavily impacted.

Diesel Truck Pollution Disproportionately Impacts Communities of Color
A new study confirms previous findings for a range of cities across the US.

Berlin May Ban Cars Downtown
It’s part of a growing worldwide movement for car-free city centers.

Three Local Climate Crisis Events Next Week

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

October 1, 2021

More Revelations About Coal Train Threat
A leaked memo seems to confirm the involvement of both the coal industry and the Wiyot Tribe in the attempt to take over the North Coast Railroad Authority rail line, but we’re glad to hear that the Wiyot say they do not support coal trains. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom just signed SB 69, the bill which mandates the final transition from the NCRA to the Great Redwood Trail Agency, and Representative Huffman sent a letter to US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg asking him not to allow any federal funding to support the coal train effort. CRTP continues to work with our allies to stop the coal train threat and save the vision of the Great Redwood Trail.

The More People, the Better
More than 270 people have signed the petition for a safer Broadway. Help us spread the word and get more signers by sharing our new video.

Humboldt Bay Area Housing Workshop Next Tuesday
The County wants to know what you think about housing. Let them know it should be built in walkable, transit-accessible areas, and should be affordable to local residents.

Three Climate Crisis Events Next Week
Local climate advocate and retired physician Wendy Ring will give a talk co-sponsored by CRTP on climate and public health on Monday at 7 pm (link above). North Coast State Senator Mike McGuire will hold a Climate Crisis Town Hall on Wednesday at 6:30 pm. And national climate leader Bill McKibben will give a talk on Thursday sponsored by the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State. (In case you need a reminder, transportation is by far the biggest source of climate-harming emissions on the North Coast, and in the country as a whole.)

Parking Restrictions Shouldn’t Be Used to Persecute Houseless People
That’s what two members of the Eureka Transportation Safety Commission told city staff (and we agree). As a result, the Commission failed to recommend approval of proposed parking restrictions in an industrial area off Broadway. But despite that controversy, the proposed restrictions ended up as Item B.4 on next week’s City Council Consent Calendar, which is meant to allow quick approval of uncontroversial items with no discussion. We think that’s unacceptable. The Council should remove the item from the Consent Calendar, discuss it, and vote against it.

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 809 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

New Bike Map & App, Full Regional Transportation Plan Coming Soon
Those and other exciting topics are on next week’s agenda for the Humboldt County Association of Governments Technical Advisory Committee. Stay tuned for more details from CRTP.

Major Climate Initiative from Humboldt Area Foundation
So far, though, the project doesn’t seem to be focused on transportation issues.

Conservatives of Both Parties Continue to Undermine Infrastructure Package
Because, you know, why would we spend money to address the climate crisis when we can all agree that cars and fossil fuels are the future?

Preparing for Automated Vehicles
These strategies recommended by academic experts sound a lot like what CRTP recommended in our landmark report last year.

We Need More Housing. Where We Build It Matters.

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

September 24, 2021

Humboldt County to Hold Housing “Listening Sessions”
We need more housing. And it needs to be built in existing communities near jobs and services, where people don’t have to get in an expensive, dangerous, climate-destroying vehicle to get anywhere.

Tell Your Friends About the Petition for a Safer Broadway
Decisions are being made about the future of Broadway right now. Tell everyone you know to join the nearly 200 people who have already signed the petition asking for immediate safety improvements for people walking, biking and rolling there.

McGuire Introduces Bill to Fight Coal Trains
The bill, which would be taken up next year, would prohibit the use of state funds to revive the rail line in the Eel River Canyon or to build a coal terminal in Humboldt County. North Coast League of Women Voters chapters also came out against the coal train plan this week, as did the Ukiah City Council.

EV Charger Rebates Now Available in Humboldt
The Redwood Coast Energy Authority has added a rebate for home charging stations to its existing rebate for electric vehicles. If you have to drive a car, make it electric!

More People Are Flying In and Out of Humboldt
And even more air travel is in the works. At some point we are going to have to grapple as a community with the idea of promoting the most carbon-intensive way to travel during a global climate crisis.

Arcata Transportation Safety Committee Struggles with Vacancies
This week, the committee was scheduled to discuss the city’s longstanding plans to redesign Old Arcata Road, but couldn’t because it lost a quorum after members had to recuse themselves. There are now 2 new vacancies on this committee. If you live or work in Arcata, you can help keep things running smoothly by applying now to join the committee!

You Know the Local Streets in Your Area
Report the hazards, collisions and near-misses you’ve experienced on them, so we can use the data to make things safer in the future. Local residents have reported 792 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

How to Win Road Safety Improvements
Even when a bunch of loud people are against them.

More Roads, Trails and Buildings Will Flood as the Climate Heats Up
Existing flood maps don’t capture the risks, and fortifications often won’t work – so we’d better start planning for the long term now.

New Pandemic Work Arrangements Aren’t Destroying Cities After All
But they probably are moving people around within large metro areas.

Form-Based Codes to the Rescue
Zoning codes which emphasize mixed uses and walkability result in more development and lower rents than traditional codes, according to a new analysis.

Will E-Bike Incentives Make It Into Federal Legislation?
The negotiations are intense and largely out of the public eye.