The Collector
March 6, 2020
Arcata City Council Indicates Support for Trial Closures of 8th Street
On Wednesday, three of the five Councilmembers supported weekend closures of 8th Street on the Plaza during the summer months, as a pilot for potential permanent pedestrianization. The Council then created a subcommittee made up of members Susan Ornelas and Michael Winkler to meet with affected businesses and gather input on how to implement the trial with minimal negative impacts on business. Unfortunately, no other stakeholder or interest group was singled out for outreach on how to allocate space in our public right-of-way. But if you have input, you can always call or email Ornelas and Winkler to let them know!
County to Consider Climate Bonds
At its Tuesday meeting, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to direct staff to move forward with investigating the issuance of municipal bonds to fund projects related to mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis. If this goes forward, transportation projects are sure to be in the mix!
County Holding ADU Ordinance Hearings
Humboldt County is holding hearings on its proposed ordinances to implement the new state mandate allowing accessory dwelling units (also known as “granny flats” and many other names) by right in residential areas. A single family neighborhood can effectively double its density without changing its character if every home adds an ADU. Is this the path forward for infill development in many of our historically low-density residential areas?
Want to Help CRTP Provide Bike Valet for Local Events?
We’re looking for a Bike Valet Coordinator for the 2020 event season! The Coordinator will work with event organizers and volunteers and generally make sure bike valet goes smoothly. There is a stipend for this position. To find out more and to apply, email colin@transportationpriorities.org.
Next McKinleyville Town Center Meeting Coming Up
The parade of meetings continues next Wednesday. The topic: land use. Of course, that’s kind of been the topic all along. But the discussion is sure to be interesting!
Trinidad Hotel Project Gets Another Approval
The hotel is closely tied to a proposed new interchange on Highway 101, although that part is often left out of discussions.
Weekly Street Story Update: Bike vs. Railroad
More than one report on Street Story highlights the hazard that Eureka’s waterfront railroad tracks present to bicyclists. With the city and county encouraging people to use the new waterfront trail, this is an important issue to note. Here’s an example from M St: “I broke my wrist here because the railroad track ate my bicycle wheel and flipped me over.” You can make your own Street Story report here.
“The Congestion Con”
A new report from Transportation for America lays out clearly what researchers have been saying for years: no matter how much money you spend building new lanes and new highways, you can’t build your way out of congestion. Maybe transportation planners and politicians will finally take note?
State Senate Committees Address Rising Transportation Emissions
The urgency is clear. The solutions are clear. But the difficulty is perhaps what’s most clear to elected officials.
Oakland Getting Ready to Unveil New Pedestrian Commons
Just sayin’, Arcata. It’s super cool, and hardly revolutionary.
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.