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! You can submit items for consideration, or just enjoy the news collection!
This Is Not Normal
The Collector
June 13, 2025
This Is Not Normal
At CRTP, we continue to do the important work of educating and advocating for safe, sustainable and equitable transportation on the North Coast. We keep sending out newsletters and emails and social media posts about local issues and events, and it might seem like everything is normal. But it isn’t.
In the long term, we can’t keeping doing this work without the rights and protections afforded to us by a democratic society, which appear to be increasingly under threat from a federal administration with authoritarian tendencies. We also can’t do this work if there’s no more objective research on how to improve safety, equity and sustainability, and if our communities and institutions are targeted by the federal government because they use words like “climate change” and “equity.” And our work to improve transportation doesn’t matter much if the members of our community are afraid to leave their homes.
We are a small organization focused on local and regional issues, but we can’t afford to pretend that the federal government’s actions don’t affect us. We must speak up for freedom of expression, for democracy, for equity, for safety. We support the right of everybody – including immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalized communities currently under attack – to use streets, bike lanes, sidewalks, public transit, and other public spaces without fear, to get where they need to go, to express themselves, and to participate as full members of society. We stand in solidarity with all members of our community.
Regional Vision Zero Planning Effort Kicks Off Next Week
Vision Zero is both an acknowledgement that traffic deaths and serious injuries are preventable, and a commitment to eliminate them in a specified time period. Some local Humboldt County governments have officially adopted Vision Zero policies, but most have not. Next week, however, the Humboldt County Association of Governments officially kicks off development of a Vision Zero Action Plan for the whole county with a public open house on Tuesday evening from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at Eureka’s Wharfinger Building. Drop in to learn more about the plan and provide your input.
Major Progress on Long-Time Priority Projects
Final construction on the Humboldt Bay Trail is very nearly complete, after decades of work from local nonprofits, advocates and agencies. In fact, we are just two weeks away from the official Grand Opening Celebration! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for June 28th.
Crews also recently broke ground on the long-awaited Linc Housing development of 90 new affordable, walkable housing units on three underused city-owned parking lots in Eureka, along with a long list of nearby bike, pedestrian, and transit improvements. Meanwhile, Arcata continues to build up its bike share system (and encourage Eureka to add some stations, too), and the Humboldt Transit Authority just marked a major milestone in its efforts to transition to zero-emission buses.
With many of our most important priorities – including climate action, safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure, walkable communities, and equity for all – under attack from the federal government, it’s an especially important time to acknowledge and celebrate our victories.
A Chance to Restore Critical Transit Funding in the State Budget
The California legislature’s latest budget proposal restores over $1 billion in transit funding that had been cut from Governor Newsom’s last proposal. This is nowhere near the amount of sustained funding needed for transit systems across the state, but it should prevent the kinds of drastic service cuts that might otherwise have been necessary. Click here to urge the governor to accept the transit funding proposal.
In related news, this week the Humboldt County Association of Governments’ Social Services Transportation Advisory Council heard the plan for how new Measure O revenues will be used to support transit over the next year. The proposal includes paying for more late-night Redwood Transit System service, supporting the new long-distance North State Express routes to Willits and Willow Creek, maintaining Eureka and Southern Humboldt Intercity service, and purchasing new vehicles to allow more frequent service. Measure O has already become a critical source of support for local transit, and it wouldn’t have happened without the sustained efforts of CRTP and our allies. Thank you!
News from Beyond the North Coast
State Bike and Pedestrian Funding Will Remain Extremely Low
While legislators restored some transit funding for the next fiscal year, they did not restore the draconian but supposedly “one-time” cuts to the Active Transportation Program from last year’s budget. That will leave the state able to fund only a handful of bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects in the next year, directly affecting the prospects of many local projects on the North Coast.
Other transportation reform legislation seems to be faring a little bit better in Sacramento this year, with bills to allow lower speed limits and quick-build safety projects on state highways, allow installation of speed limiting technology in the cars of dangerous drivers, and streamline sustainable transportation projects all progressing. Check out CalBike’s summary of legislation at the mid-point of the legislative session.
Your Chance to Weigh In on Good Bike Designs
A new study shows that building protected, safe, low-stress bike facilities results in a lot more people riding bikes. But details matter! Caltrans is currently updating its design policies for “Class IV” (protected) bikeways, and CalBike is offering an opportunity for you to provide your feedback directly. CRTP will also be providing feedback to Caltrans through our seat on the California Walk & Bike Technical Advisory Committee.
Time to Get Rid of the Highway Trust Fund?
The Highway Trust Fund would have run out of money long ago if not for continuous bailouts by Congress. Meanwhile, it has continued to pump money into destructive new highway projects while failing to deliver safety improvements, climate action, or congestion relief – or even a well-maintained highway system. Maybe it’s time we try something else.
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 Launches New Tool for Faster Safety Upgrades
The Collector
May 23, 2025
Editor’s Note: The Collector will be taking a break for the next couple of weeks. We’ll be back with more transportation information and analysis in June!
CRTP Launches New Tool for Faster Safety Upgrades
This week, CRTP published our new web-based Quick-Build Toolkit. Quick-build projects use paint and other low-cost materials to improve streets quickly, typically without expensive groundbreaking or paving work. Quick-builds can take months to go from concept to construction, instead of the years or decades that are often required for conventional street improvements.
The new toolkit is meant to support the implementation of urgently needed safe and sustainable transportation upgrades in North Coast communities. Check it out, and then encourage your local government to try out the quick-build approach!
While you’re at it, you can also support a state bill to create a pilot quick-build program for Caltrans, too. With thousands of people dying on state highways every year – including Caltrans’ own employees – there is a clear need for rapid safety improvements on state as well as local routes.
Don’t Let the State Undermine Our Transit Funding Victory
California Streetsblog, a statewide publication about all things transportation, just described the Humboldt County Measure O transit funding win as “one of the largest victories for transportation reform in the state in 2025.” But the promise of this new funding could be undermined immediately if state support for transit is slashed at the same time. Let’s not let that happen.
Email Senator McGuire and Assemblymember Rogers and ask them to preserve existing transit funding programs and include new emergency transit funding in this year’s budget.
Meanwhile, even as the governor proposes no funding for major transit grant programs and drastic underfunding for bike and pedestrian safety, millions continue to roll in for state highways.
One More Week of Bike Month!
The world-famous, pedal-powered Kinetic Grand Championship takes place this weekend, and Bike Month wraps up with the annual Bike Celebration next Saturday, May 31st, at the Jefferson Community Center in Eureka. And while you’re marking your calendar, don’t forget about the Humboldt Bay Trail Grand Opening Celebration taking place in June!
Seeking Bike Valet Volunteers!
CRTP is looking for volunteers to help out with bike valet at the Juneteenth Day Festival on Saturday, June 21st at Halvorsen Park in Eureka. If you’re available to help that day, please reply to this email and let us know. If you want to help with bike valet but aren’t available for the Juneteenth event, let us know that too – we have plenty of other bike valet volunteer opportunities coming up!
Humboldt Parking Lots Host Fish-Killing Tire Toxin
In recent years, scientists have identified a chemical contained in car and truck tires that is highly toxic to aquatic life, particularly coho salmon. With every vehicle emitting trillions of microscopic tire particles on every trip, chemicals like this inevitably end up in the environment. Now, a study by Humboldt Waterkeeper has identified high concentrations of the toxic “6PPD-quinone” in runoff from large parking lots in Arcata and Eureka. So you can add saving the coho to the long list of reasons that we need to start driving less.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Study: Kids’ Risk of Death Almost Doubles When Hit by SUV
A new study has found that the risk of a pedestrian or bicyclist being killed is 44% higher when hit by an SUV or pick-up truck than when hit by a sedan. For kids, the increased risk is 82%. This research adds to the growing evidence suggesting that car and truck bloat is one of the main causes of increasing pedestrian deaths in the United States.
Maybe “Toxic Masculinity” Is More Than a Metaphor
A study in France has concluded that men emit 26% more climate pollution than women on average. Most of that difference is caused by men eating more meat and driving more, suggesting that cultural norms encouraging environmentally destructive male behavior are playing a major role in exacerbating global climate chaos.
Washington Becomes First State to Permit Shared Streets
Shared streets, also called woonerfs, are common in Europe and becoming more popular in the United States. A new law in Washington state is the first in the US to allow speed limits as low as 10 mph and to formalize a hierarchy for shared streets, where bicyclists are required to yield to pedestrians and motorists are required to yield to bicyclists.
Congress Votes to Block California’s Electric Vehicle Mandate
Despite lawyers and Congress’ own parliamentary experts warning that the action is illegal, the US House and Senate have voted to repeal federal approval for California’s plan to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. While electric vehicles leave many car-related problems unsolved (see for example the article above about tire pollution), they are nevertheless a crucial part of any serious effort to address the climate crisis. California officials have announced they will challenge the action in court.
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 Fight for Transit Funding Continues
The Collector
May 16, 2025
Two More Weeks of Bike Month!
Thanks to everyone who joined us on Wednesday for CRTP’s bike safety audit on Eureka’s 4th & 5th Streets. We had a great turnout and heard from a lot of people who bike – and people who would like to bike more – about the hazards that currently exist and what might be done to address them. And don’t forget, if you missed the bike audit, you can always make reports about your experiences on Street Story!
Don’t miss out on other great Bike Month events coming up, including a Eureka Mural Ride on Saturday at 11 am. Click here for more information about other bike-related events and activities scheduled for May.
The Fight for Transit Funding Continues
This Tuesday, transit supporters in Arcata and eleven other cities across California dropped banners on highway overpasses demanding that Governor Gavin Newsom include $2 billion in emergency transit funding in his May budget revision. Without this funding, many transit agencies face a “death spiral” of service cuts and declining ridership.
Unfortunately, when the governor released his revised budget the next day, he not only failed to include the requested emergency transit funding, he also proposed eliminating funding for existing transit grant programs that many agencies – including the Humboldt Transit Authority, the Redwood Coast Transit Authority in Del Norte, and the Yurok Tribe – have been relying on in recent years to improve service and fill gaps in their budgets.
We are grateful at this moment that we were recently able to secure significant local funding for Humboldt County public transit from Measure O. But if the governor’s funding cuts are approved by the legislature, it’s a very real possibility that our new local funding will be needed just to keep our existing transit service from collapsing, instead of using it to implement much-needed service improvements.
Eureka’s C Street Bike Boulevard Set for Contruction
Next Tuesday, the Eureka City Council is set to approve a contract for construction of the long-awaited C Street Bike Boulevard. The project includes measures to reduce and slow down car traffic on C Street, improve bike crossings of high-traffic streets, and add signage, pavement marking and bike parking.
News from Beyond the North Coast
More on the Governor’s Revised Budget
In addition to slashing transit funding, the governor’s revised budget proposal also fails to include sufficient funding for bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Additionally, the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant program – which has funded local infill housing including the Linc Housing projects in Eureka and Sorrel Place and 30th Street Commons in Arcata, as well as bikeshare and carshare stations, sidewalk and bikeway improvements, free transit pass programs and new transit service – is also proposed for funding elimination.
The Federal Transportation Budget Proposal is Also Bad
President Trump’s budget proposal doesn’t change the overall dollar amount for transportation very much. But it’s pretty clear that he intends for a lot more of that money to go to highways, and a lot less to transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and street safety improvements.
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.
Truck Driver Hits and Kills Bicyclist in Eureka
The Collector
May 9, 2025
Bike Safety Audit Next Week
Next Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 pm, CRTP will be conducting a bike safety audit of Eureka’s 4th and 5th Streets. We’ll meet at the corner of 4th and C Streets in Eureka, and no bike is required to participate.
Bike audits are an opportunity to experience and take note of the conditions for bicyclists in a particular neighborhood or location. Unfortunately, due to the dangerous conditions on 4th and 5th Streets, we will not be riding bikes during the audit. But while we already know 4th and 5th Streets are not safe for bicyclists, the bike audit will help document the exact hazards, and suggest solutions to improve safety.
During the audit, we will walk or roll on the sidewalk while observing conditions for bicyclists, and will focus on observations of three intersections: 4th & C Streets, 4th & H Streets, and 5th & I Streets.
And don’t forget, May is Bike Month! The bike audit is just one of many local bike-related events and activities. Click here for more information about other bike-related events and activities scheduled for May.
Truck Driver Hits and Kills Bicyclist in Eureka
We join friends and neighbors in grieving the loss of a beloved community member who died this Tuesday, when a truck driver hit him while he was riding his bike on Harris Street in Eureka. While the details of this awful incident are still emerging, we know, as the Times-Standard noted in their coverage, that this is not the first serious crash in the area. Just last September, a pedestrian using a mobility scooter was hit and killed by drivers a few blocks away, and neighbors at the time reported that they were afraid to even cross the street.
We also know that a tractor-trailer was involved in Tuesday’s crash. Such vehicles are often designed in ways that prevent their drivers from clearly seeing bicyclists and pedestrians, but safer options are available.
We appreciate the bike and pedestrian improvements the city of Eureka has made on Harris Street recently, but clearly more is needed. We are currently supporting the city and Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation in an application for state funding for the Sunset Heights affordable housing project which includes bike and pedestrian improvements on Harris and other streets in the neighborhood. We are also heartened by the fact that construction has finally begun on the first of the Broadway safety projects nearby. As always, we encourage everyone to keep supporting this progress by making reports of known hazards, crashes and near-misses on Street Story.
Traffic deaths are preventable. Better street designs and better vehicle designs save lives. We know what to needs to be done, and CRTP is working hard to ensure that the local agencies that control our streets and highways (and many vehicle fleets) make the right decisions.
McKinleyville Town Center Environmental Impact Report
The draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the McKinleyville Town Center zoning ordinance is currently out for public review. CRTP has been involved in the development of the zoning rules for many years, and we are excited about the possibilities. As written, the rules will result in the most walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly development in unincorporated Humboldt County, with denser housing mixed in with commercial and civic uses, and major pedestrian and bike improvements on Central Avenue and Hiller Road.
We do have a few concerns about the Environmental Impact Report, which you can read about here. Most critically, we are worried that the county is planning to implement major intersection expansion projects in response to imagined future congestion. These projects would undermine the Town Center goal of a walkable and bikeable neighborhood and encourage even more driving, and their environmental impacts are not considered in the EIR. We are strongly urging the county to disavow the intersection expansion projects and stick with the bike and pedestrian safety improvements that are part of the Town Center plan itself.
We are also disappointed that some community members continue to oppose key elements of the Town Center plan, including denser development and a safer design for Central Avenue. We encourage CRTP members and supporters who live, work or play in McKinleyville to support the proposed Town Center zoning rules and street improvements, and to submit comments urging the county not to undermine this hard-won progress by expanding local intersections and encouraging more car and truck traffic.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Immigration Crackdown Threatens Freedom to Move
The federal government’s harsh immigration enforcement techniques are making many people terrified of being picked up by federal agents anywhere they go. As America Walks points out, living in a walkable neighborhood doesn’t mean much if you’re too scared to leave home. Speak up for the freedom to move safely regardless of immigration status.
Round 2 of State E-Bike Vouchers Rescheduled
Technical difficulties led to state officials scrapping their last attempt to distribute the second round of the wildly popular e-bike vouchers. They have rescheduled the voucher release for May 29th and promise things will go more smoothly this time.
More States Approve Speed Limiters for Reckless Drivers
State legislatures in Georgia and Washington state have joined Virginia in approving bills that allow judges to require speed-limiting devices in the cars of habitual reckless speeders. A similar bill has been introduced in California.
Dangerous Streets Make Parenting Harder
Kids need safer streets and other public places where they can roam free and just be kids. So do their parents.
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.
May Is Bike Month!
The Collector
May 2, 2025
May Is Bike Month!
May is Bike Month in Humboldt County, so prepare for lots of bike-related fun courtesy of the Bike Month Humboldt Coalition (of which CRTP is a member).
Events during Bike Month include Eureka and Manila Mural Rides, two pancake breakfast rides, Bike to Work and School days, and of course CRTP’s Eureka Bike Safety Audit.
A full schedule of Bike Month events can be found here.
Bike Month also comes with the Bike Month Challenge. New and experienced bicyclists of all ages and abilities are encouraged to sign up to track their rides, with the goal of biking at least five miles during the month of May. You can use a regular bike, an e-bike, a trike, an adaptive bike, or any other pedal-powered device that meets your needs!
Finally, don’t forget to visit some of our local bike-friendly businesses to get special deals when you ride your bike to shop or dine during Bike Month.
Take the Survey on Arcata Safety Improvements
The city of Arcata is considering plans to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and access across US-101 on Samoa Boulevard, as well as adjacent upgrades to Samoa Boulevard and South G Street. Initial concepts supported by CRTP include removing several highway ramps and providing separated bike and pedestrian facilities on the overpass, as well as adding separated bike lanes on Samoa Boulevard and traffic calming measures on South G Street. If you walk, bike or roll on any of these streets – or would if they were safe! – click here to provide your input to the city.
Eureka City Council to Vote on Waterfront Plan
Several years ago, the city of Eureka adopted new zoning rules encouraging more housing production and higher density development consistent with existing Downtown and Old Town patterns, building on the strengths of the region’s most walkable neighborhoods. But a lot of this area near the waterfront is in the coastal zone and therefore requires different land use regulations addressing the mandates of the state’s Coastal Act.
The Waterfront Eureka Plan, which the city began developing in 2023, is the city’s new plan for its core coastal area. It provides a high-level vision, along with some general development parameters. (Specific zoning rules are expected later.) Next Tuesday at 6 pm, the City Council will vote on whether to adopt the plan. CRTP generally supports the plan, which will build on the dense, mixed-use character of these neighborhoods and encourage more walkable, bikeable development – but of course there’s always room for improvement!
More About That Measure O Transit Funding
As we reported last week, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate 15% of Measure O sales tax revenues to public transit and 85% to roads for the next five years. That’s a meaningful amount, and will greatly benefit local transit, but of course we think it should have been more. And as the Lost Coast Outpost reports, it very well might have been more if the Board’s agenda for the day had accurately described the required vote. A majority of supervisors supported a higher amount for transit, but the supervisors in the minority used that inaccurate staff report to effectively reduce the final percentage. We find that very troubling.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Red States Are Banning Safe Street Designs
The culture war over transportation is heating up. Idaho recently passed a state law to prevent local governments from implementing widely used, evidence-based safe street designs like lane reductions (a.k.a. “road diets”) and the conversion of car lanes into bike lanes, and Texas is now debating a similar law. The Trump administration has expressed support for policies like this – Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, for example, has complained about bike lanes taking street space from cars – and many advocates fear that this anti-safety trend will spread.
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.
Measure O Transit Funding Secured
The Collector
April 25, 2025
Measure O Transit Funding Secured
On Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate 15% of Measure O revenue to transit and 85% to roads. They also removed some of the more onerous restrictions on transit that had been proposed. For example, after the county road fund balance is paid off, the supervisors specified that any excess revenues above projections will be split between transit and roads, instead of all going to roads as had been proposed. And they allowed the Humboldt Transit Authority to schedule their spending as needed over the next 5 years, instead of having to give money back each year if they don’t spend it on a certain schedule. Supervisor Wilson also inserted a 5% target for spending on complete streets features, which will help ensure that at least some of the Measure O “road” money is spent on things like bike lanes and sidewalks.
The supervisors did not give transit as much funding as we asked for, and we continue to believe it’s not enough. But this is still a win for local transit. All in all, the Humboldt Transit Authority will likely receive close to $4 million each year for the next 5 years from Measure O. For an agency that has been operating with an annual budget of about $10 million, that’s a lot, and we’re confident that they will be able to use that funding to implement meaningful service improvements.
The supervisors mentioned during Tuesday’s meeting how many calls and emails they’d been getting in support of transit funding, so it’s clear our message got through. In fact, we are confident that without the advocacy of CRTP and our allies, members and supporters – starting all the way back in early 2023 when Measure O was just a twinkle in the supervisors’ eyes, and continuing through this Tuesday – there would have been no funding for transit at all. CRTP extends our deepest appreciation to everyone who helped make this happen.
Save the Date: Eureka Bike Safety Audit
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 5:30-6:30 pm, CRTP will be conducting a bike safety audit of Eureka’s 4th and 5th Streets. We’ll meet at the corner of 4th and C Streets in Eureka, and no bike is required to participate.
Bike audits are an opportunity to experience and take note of the conditions for bicyclists in a particular neighborhood or location. Unfortunately, due to the dangerous conditions on 4th and 5th Streets, we will not be riding bikes during the audit. But while we already know 4th and 5th Streets are not safe for bicyclists, the bike audit will help document the exact hazards, and suggest solutions to improve safety.
During the audit, we will walk or roll on the sidewalk while observing conditions for bicyclists, and will focus on observations of three intersections: 4th & C Streets, 4th & H Streets, and 5th & I Streets.
And don’t forget, May is Bike Month! The bike audit is just one of many local bike-related events and activities scheduled for Bike Month. Click here for more information about other bike-related events and activities scheduled for May.
Hiller Road Quick-Build Safety Project Moves Forward
This week the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee gave some direction to Humboldt County Public Works staff about what they’d like to see in a new quick-build safety project on Hiller Road between Central Avenue and McKinleyville Avenue. The committee voted for buffered bike lanes along the entire stretch, narrowed traffic lanes and other traffic calming features, and a new design prioritizing safety for people (especially kids) walking and biking at the intersection of Hiller and McKinleyville.
A quick-build project uses paint and other low-cost materials to rapidly transform existing paved surfaces. These projects are generally intended to stay in place until more permanent improvements can be made – often several years – but can be easily modified based on public feedback and experience. County staff have said they plan to build the Hiller Road project this summer, which will make it the first quick-build project in the region.
CRTP is represented on the committee’s active transportation subcommittee. We suggested a quick-build at this location, and we’ve been advocating to ensure that the project prioritizes evidence-based bike and pedestrian safety measures. We’re pleased with the direction the project is going and excited to see it implemented.
Fortuna Council Approves Roundabout & Bike/Pedestrian Bridge
Last week, the Fortuna City Council approved designs for a major project including a complex, five-leg roundabout at 12th Street and Newburg Road and an adjoining bike and pedestrian bridge over US 101. The future Great Redwood Trail will also pass directly through this area, which will mean many more people walking and biking. At CRTP, we appreciate the important new bike and pedestrian infrastructure in this project, but we have concerns about the roundabout. It can be challenging to design a roundabout – especially one as big as this – in a way that is actually safe and comfortable for people walking and biking, especially kids, seniors and people with disabilities, and we’re not convinced the city has achieved that.
News from Beyond the North Coast
US DOT Threatens to Pull Huge Amounts of Federal Funding
A new memo from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatens to withhold all federal transportation funding for projects deemed to be promoting “DEI.” By the Trump administration’s vague, broad definition, that would seem to include almost all federal funding given out in recent years, since the Biden administration used equity-related metrics to prioritize funding based on legal mandates.
The new memo also threatens to immediately cut all funding to sanctuary cities and states. That designation applies to California, Humboldt County, Eureka, Arcata, and many other jurisdictions in the region. If Duffy follows through on this threat, a huge number of transportation projects locally and throughout the state will be defunded. It’s not clear if the threat also includes federal transit funding.
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.
Earth Day Rally & Safe Routes to School
The Collector
April 18, 2025
Transit Funding Decision Expected Next Week
At the time of this writing, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has not yet published their agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting. But we are expecting that the meeting will include a vote on how much of the new Measure O sales tax revenue should go to support public transit. If you need some background on this issue, give a listen to the latest EcoNews Report.
As you can see from the chart, the amount we’re asking for represents a big boost for transit, but it’s only a tiny fraction of what the county spends on roads. Unfortunately, some people are still saying that transit shouldn’t get anything at all. If you haven’t called or emailed the supervisors yet to show your support for Measure O transit funding, please do it today. You can find their contact information by clicking here. And if you’re free on Tuesday, come on out to the meeting and speak up in person!
Earth Day Rally & Safe Routes to School
Next Tuesday is not just the anticipated Measure O transit funding decision day – it’s also Earth Day! Now more than ever, we need to show our support for strong environmental action, locally and globally. Join 350 Humboldt, the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Climate Action Campaign, and CRTP for an Earth Day rally on the Arcata Plaza at 4:45 pm. Speakers will include Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo and EPIC Climate Attorney Matt Simmons.
After the rally, you can head over to Fuente Nueva Charter School to hear some updates and provide input on local plans to improve safety for kids walking and biking to school. The community workshop, sponsored by the City of Arcata and the Humboldt County Association of Governments, starts at 5:30 pm and includes light dinner and childcare.
Public Meeting on State Route 255 Corridor Management Plan
Caltrans has developed a draft corridor management plan for State Route 255, which connects Eureka and Arcata via the Samoa Bridges and the Samoa Peninsula. The plan includes a refreshing new focus on bike and pedestrian safety, but still leaves a lot to be desired. Most notably, it does not include a clear vision for adding safe bike and pedestrian facilities to the Samoa Bridges. Check out CRTP’s full comments on the plan here.
You can weigh in on the future of State Route 255 at a public meeting hosted by Caltrans at the Manila Community Center, next Thursday at 5:30 pm. You can also provide feedback via a form at the end of the online plan.
Discussion of Hiller Road Quick-Build Safety Project
We expect next week’s meeting of the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee to include a discussion of plans for the new quick-build bike and pedestrian safety project on Hiller Road, which the committee has been working on with Humboldt County Public Works staff since last year. To see what the county is proposing, you can join the meeting next Wednesday. Information about the meeting will be posted here.
We also expect the meeting to include a discussion of the draft Environmental Impact Report for the McKinleyville Town Center zoning ordinance. That report was published last week, and CRTP is currently reviewing it.
Public Hearing on Waterfront Eureka Plan
The Waterfront Eureka Plan, which the city began developing in 2023, will help govern future development in Old Town, the Library District, and along the adjacent waterfront. The Eureka Planning Commission will consider a new draft of the plan at a special meeting next Wednesday at 5:30 pm. CRTP generally supports the plan, which will build on the dense, mixed-use character of these neighborhoods and encourage more walkable, bikeable development. If you want to dive into the details, you can read the comments we submitted this week with the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) and Humboldt Waterkeeper.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Dangerous Drivers Keep Their Licenses, with Tragic Results
A disturbing new investigation from CalMatters reveals that state courts and the Department of Motor Vehicles often allow dangerous drivers to keep their licenses, even after they have killed someone. Research shows that a small number of drivers is often responsible for a disproportionate number of serious crashes, and we think it’s clear those people should not have licenses.
For dangerous drivers who are allowed to keep their licenses – or who drive without one – AB 981, currently being debated in the California legislature, would allow judges to order the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices to prevent their vehicles from speeding. While this wouldn’t fix all dangerous driving, it would certainly help make the streets safer.
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.
Arcata Trail & Student Housing Make Progress
The Collector
April 11, 2025
Arcata Trail & Student Housing Make Progress
The Lost Coast Outpost reports that housing for more than 600 students will be completed in time for the Fall 2025 semester as part of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Hinarr Hu Moulik housing project. Contrary to the Outpost’s reporting, the new housing is only about half a mile from campus by the shortest route – easy walking, rolling or biking distance for most students. It will also be served by nearby bus stops and a new university shuttle to campus. (We hope the university will re-think its plans to put a massive remote parking lot at the end of Foster Avenue, but if it goes through with those plans, the shuttle will go there too.)
The City of Arcata’s Annie & Mary Trail Connectivity project will go right by the Hinarr Hu Moulik housing, providing a direct path south toward campus – and connecting north all the way to Valley West and the first Mad River pump station. The new trail will be part of the much larger Great Redwood Trail, and next Wednesday the City Council is slated to approve an agreement with the Great Redwood Trail Agency to build and maintain it. The city is expected to begin construction on the trail this summer.
Unmet Transit Needs and Measure O
Next week, the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) Board of Directors will vote to adopt the official annual report of unmet transit needs. The report is marked by a long list of unmet needs which the agency acknowledges are “reasonable to meet” but are unfunded, including: more frequent service, express service, Sunday service, and later night Saturday service on the Redwood Transit System; more frequent service and South Arcata and Bayside service in Arcata; expanded service in Myrtletown and Blue Lake; and later Southern Humboldt service.
Coincidentally, the very next item on the Board of Directors agenda is a discussion of how new transit funding from Measure O will be spent. The Board is likely to adopt eligibility rules that will result in Measure O transit funding being directed toward that official list of unmet needs. CRTP supports meeting all of those needs; but there are lots of other transit needs as well, and we don’t think it’s necessary to put new restrictions on this funding.
The bigger question, though, is how much money there will be to spend. Don’t forget to email the Supervisors and ask for at least 20% of Measure O revenues to go to transit!
News from Beyond the North Coast
Climate Funds Threatened by Both Trump and Newsom
President Trump has issued an executive order demanding that the US Attorney General investigate state and local climate programs across the country, with the goal of dismantling them. California’s climate cap-and-trade program is specifically called out and attacked in Trump’s order. The cap-and-trade program, while controversial for many reasons, brings in a lot of funding for climate action programs. Unfortunately, even while Trump is attacking the program, Governor Newsom is proposing to raid the very same climate funds to fund the state’s “Motor Vehicle Account.” The irony of using money meant to reduce climate pollution to instead support cars and drivers should not be lost on readers of The Collector.
New Round of E-Bike Vouchers Scheduled for Release
The first time around, the state ran out of e-bike vouchers – each worth up to $2,000 – almost immediately in the face of extremely high demand. This time is expected to be no different, but a new process will randomize recipients rather than relying on a first-come, first-served system. But you still have to be waiting online at 5 pm on April 29th for a chance to get one!
Trump Administration Changes Safety Funding Priorities
We’re glad the administration is releasing a new round of Safe Streets and Roads for All funding. (The first round, released under the Biden administration, is paying for a regional transportation safety plan in Humboldt County.) But we’re not so pleased with some of the changes which were made to the program, including penalizing projects that reduce vehicular capacity. Apparently safety is only a priority if it doesn’t inconvenience any drivers.
“Tesla Takedown” Protests Take Off
It has not escaped the notice of many Americans that the unelected billionaire systematically dismantling the federal government is also a car salesman.
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.
Progress on Anti-Speeding Technology…But Not Here?
The Collector
April 4, 2025
Progress on Anti-Speeding Technology…But Not Here?
As we reported last week, the City of Eureka is installing “telematics systems” on city-owned vehicles. CRTP sees this as a great opportunity to also invest in Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology, which detects the local speed limit and prevents a vehicle from speeding.
Higher speeds make crashes more likely, and also make tragic outcomes more likely when a crash occurs. Speed limits are often set too high, so ensuring vehicles go the speed limit wouldn’t solve all safety problems. But it would be a huge step in the right direction.
Thankfully, there has been significant progress toward ISA adoption across the country lately. The District of Columbia, for example, recently added ISA to school vans, and Virginia became the first state to allow judges to require ISA devices be installed in the vehicles of the most extreme speeders. A similar bill has been introduced in the California legislature as well. Unfortunately, neither Eureka nor any other local government in our region has taken up CRTP’s suggestion to add ISA to their own public fleet vehicles – at least not yet.
Comments on Climate Action Plan EIR Due Tomorrow
There’s still time to submit your comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan! Comments will be accepted until tomorrow (April 5th).
This will be an important guiding document for local communities for years to come, so CRTP and our allies are working hard to ensure that it is as rigorous, clear and accurate as possible, and that it will facilitate real and meaningful climate action (and can’t be misused for anything else).
You can find the comment letter submitted by CRTP and our allies here. Check it out if you want to dive into the nitty gritty details and get some inspiration for your own comments.
Community Benefits of Future Development in Arcata
At its meeting next Tuesday, the Arcata Planning Commission will be discussing the Community Benefits Program the city is developing as a complement to the new General Plan and Gateway Area Plan adopted last year. The program is basically a list of services and amenities a developer could provide in exchange for the city allowing denser development and a streamlined review process. CRTP’s top priorities for transportation-related benefits include car-share systems, bike-share systems, and bus passes for residents of new development. There is also the intriguing possibility of entirely car-free development – a strategy pioneered by a developer in Tempe, Arizona.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Ask Your State Representatives to Support $2 Billion for Transit
Transit advocates are keeping up the pressure for a $2 billion allocation for struggling public transit systems in the next two state budgets, and you can help! Without this extra money, many of the state’s biggest transit agencies will likely have to start cutting service. And as any transit rider anywhere in the state can tell you, there are plenty of important unfunded transit needs even in the best of times. Click here to find out more and take action.
When It Comes to Building Bike Lanes, Caltrans Has a Long Way to Go
New data released by Caltrans and analyzed by the California Bicycle Coalition show that since 2018, Caltrans has built 554 new miles of highway and only 160 miles of bikeways. Even worse, most of those “bikeways” are actually just useless sharrows, and many of the actual bike lanes counted are not new but rather repainted lanes that already existed. The safest and most useful bike infrastructure – protected bikeways and separated bike trails – together accounted for only about 15 miles of new facilities.
It’s Time to Start Removing Lanes…and Even Entire Highways
Research has demonstrated that not only do new roads and new highway lanes fill up with traffic almost as fast as they’re built, the inverse is also true. Removing lanes, and even whole interstate highways, results in all the traffic they used to carry mostly disappearing. In other words, people make logical transportation choices based on the infrastructure that’s available. If we want people to drive less, we need to provide fewer places to do it.
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 Safety and Efficiency of Eureka’s City Vehicles
The Collector
March 28, 2025
The Safety and Efficiency of Eureka’s City Vehicles
At next Tuesday’s Eureka City Council meeting, the agenda includes a new “Telematics Policy” for city-owned vehicles. The proposal involves installing systems that collect data on how those vehicles are being operated. According to city staff: “This policy aims to enhance operational efficiency, promote safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect the privacy of employees and the public.”
These new telematics systems will be collecting many of the kinds of data needed for Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), which is a technology used to detect the local speed limit and prevent a vehicle from speeding. ISA is a cheap and effective way to improve safety on our streets (a version is already required on new vehicles sold in Europe). So while they’re investing in new technology for city vehicles, we’re encouraging the city to install systems capable of Intelligent Speed Assistance. Ensuring that city vehicles follow the speed limit will save lives and save dollars – and it will show that the city is willing to lead by example when it comes to street safety.
Also on Tuesday’s agenda, the Council will vote on whether to endorse the international Fossil Fuel Nonproliferation Treaty Initiative. Needless to say, fossil fuels are wreaking havoc on the global climate, and the bulk of local fossil fuel is burned in the engines of cars and trucks.
One Week Left to Comment on Climate Action Plan EIR
Nearly three quarters of local climate pollution comes from cars and trucks. The Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan, in development since 2018, seeks to address this and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Its adoption would be a significant milestone in the region’s efforts to fight climate change, although there are a lot of improvements we’d like to see to the draft plan before it’s finalized.
Before the Climate Action Plan can be adopted, it also has to undergo the same environmental review as any other state or local public project. The draft Environmental Impact Report for the plan is still available for public review and comment – but the deadline is April 5th, so don’t delay! Rest assured that CRTP and our allies have reviewed the report and will be submitting our comments as well.
Update on Wiyot Housing Projects on Parking Lots
At a community meeting this week, the Wiyot Tribe’s Dishgamu Humboldt Community Land Trust presented updates on its plans to develop affordable senior and family housing on two downtown Eureka city-owned parking lots. Like similar projects on other city-owned parking lots, these developments will provide much-needed housing in a walkable area with the region’s highest concentration of jobs and government services, as well as the best transit service in the region.
CRTP supports these projects and has intervened in litigation to ensure they move forward. Put simply, we believe the need for permanent housing for people outweighs the need for temporary storage for cars. We also support plans to strengthen parking management and increase transit service to improve access to downtown. And we think these housing projects add even greater urgency to the need to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in the notorious downtown 4th and 5th Street corridor.
News from Beyond the North Coast
Car-Free Community Thrives in the Middle of Arizona Sprawl
Culdesac Tempe is a development in the famously sprawling Phoenix area that provides residents with bus passes and has on-site restaurants, stores and e-bike services – but nowhere to park a car. We’ve been following this project for several years, and we’re excited to see that it seems to be thriving, with residents reporting many health, community and quality of life benefits from living in a car-free community. If car-free living is possible in car-dominated Phoenix, it’s possible almost anywhere!
Paris Will Pedestrianize 500 Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has moved quickly in recent years to dramatically improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure in a city that has historically been very car-centric (at least by European standards). Paris voters recently gave their approval for the next phase of this effort, which involves pedestrianizing 500 streets in neighborhoods throughout the city.
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