The Collector
April 12, 2024
Eureka Council to Consider Adding a Bike Lane in Old Town
At their meeting next Tuesday, Councilmembers will consider a proposal to replace one of the car lanes on H Street between 1st and 2nd Streets with a buffered bike lane. While it’s only one block, the project will help fill in one of the Old Town bike lane gaps left by other projects. If you think it’s important for bicyclists to be able to access the Waterfront Trail on safe, comfortable facilities, without having to mix with car traffic, come out on Tuesday night and show your support!
And speaking of those other projects, keep an eye out for the lane re-painting that will remove a car lane and add a buffered bike lane to most of the rest of H and I Streets outside of Old Town. This is part of a larger project that also includes many recently constructed pedestrian crossing enhancements. The project has been in the works for many years, and the city says it’s about to finally complete it. It marks a major step forward for safer biking, walking and driving in Eureka.
Register for Our Webinar on Parking Reform
With parking reforms currently being developed and implemented in local communities including Eureka, Arcata and McKinleyville, it couldn’t be a better time to learn more about the ins and outs of good parking policy. That’s why we’re hosting a webinar on parking reform on Monday, May 6th, featuring Tony Jordan, President of the Parking Reform Network. Tony is one of the most prominent voices on parking policy nationwide, and we’re excited to have him give a talk for North Coast audiences! Click here to register.
Join Us for an Earth Day Bike Ride!
The next group bike ride in our ongoing series with the Northcoast Environmental Center and Moon Cycles will happen next Sunday, April 21. We’ll start in Arcata at noon and head north through the Arcata Bottoms, stopping at the Hammond Trail Bridge. Those who want can then continue on with us to the Earth Day Celebration at Pierson Park in McKinleyville. Click here to register.
Redwood Coast Transit Authority’s New Survey
Del Norte County’s transit agency is considering a fare increase, and they’ve put out a survey to get public feedback. We understand that transit agencies are stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to funding, but we’re not sure it’s fair to ask riders to choose between higher fares and less service without providing more information. One piece of information the survey leaves out, for example, is that local governments are allowed to replace fare revenue with other local funding sources. In other words, Del Norte County and/or Crescent City could choose to invest money from their own coffers into Redwood Coast Transit instead of increasing fares – or they could cover the cost of fares entirely and make transit free! It’s something to think about.
While you’re thinking about transit, you might be inspired to help encourage more people to ride buses. Good news – you’ll soon have that opportunity! The Humboldt Transit Authority is working on a new marketing campaign, and they’re looking for people of all kinds to appear in their photos and videos. A small stipend is even available! Fill out this form if you’re interested in participating.
Street Story: You Have Some Data; Now What?
Join the conversation at the next Street Story webinar on 4/17 from 1-2pm: “I have the data, now what? Part 2”! In this webinar, you’ll hear success stories from Street Story partners, gain knowledge about packaging data, and learn about helpful resources for collecting and analyzing transportation safety data. CRTP was a presenter in Part 1 of this webinar. We’re excited to be listeners and learners this time around! If you are interested in attending, you can register here. And as always, keep up the Street Story reporting in the meantime! La versión de Street Story en español está disponible aquí.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Gas Prices Are in the News Again
Gas prices are getting higher everywhere, and they’re particularly high here on the North Coast. But even at their highest levels, the prices do not reflect the damage to the climate, the environment and human health caused by burning that gas in our vehicles. As the Lost Coast Outpost said in its article: “Might be time to bust out your bicycles, Humboldt.”
Remote Work Affects Driving and Transit Riding
There has been a lot of speculation about how the increase in remote work resulting from the pandemic has affected transportation patterns. A new study finds that while increased remote work results in less driving, it has an even bigger impact on transit ridership. If remote work is here to stay, it will pose a big challenge to transit agencies trying to increase ridership.
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.