A Drive-Through Moratorium in Eureka?

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

March 11, 2022

Housing Is an Environmental Issue
If you’re wondering why, check out this piece in the latest EcoNews edition by EPIC Executive Director Tom Wheeler and CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske.

Eureka City Council to Talk Parking, Housing, and Land Use
Did you know that Eureka is supposed to have complete streets design guidelines, a pedestrian and bicycle master plan, and a plan for implementing car-free areas in the city? These are among the measures the city promised in its General Plan which the latest Annual Progress Report shows they have not yet accomplished. The report will be discussed at Tuesday’s Council meeting, along with the ongoing downtown parking study and another annual report on housing.

A Drive-Through Moratorium in Eureka?
The idea of stopping the endless parade of what we call car-culture restaurants – at least temporarily – may be gaining momentum. We fully support the proposal for a ban or moratorium on these emissions-producing, safety-threatening, socially isolating establishments that further local reliance on cars.

Harbor District Gets Port Development Money – for Wind, not Coal
At its meeting yesterday, the Board accepted a $10.5 million grant for preparing the port for offshore wind development. CRTP fully supports offshore wind and wants to make sure that further port development comes with needed active transportation and transit improvements on the peninsula. Also at its meeting last night, the Harbor District Board adopted an ordinance prohibiting coal handling and storage, becoming the latest local government to take a stand against the efforts by shadowy corporations to take over the right-of-way for the future Great Redwood Trail and use it to export coal by rail.

Arcata Committee to Discuss Safety Solutions
In the wake of recent tragedies and many complaints from residents, the Transportation Safety Committee will discuss how to make the city’s streets safer. Related items on Tuesday’s agenda include discussion of a recent state law that makes it easier to lower speed limits and the city’s draft complete streets policy.

People Want Walkable, Bikeable Infill Development on the Eureka Waterfront
That was the overwhelming message from those who attended last night’s public meeting on waterfront planning and voted in live polls about various types of potential development in the area. Also notable is that the majority of attendees opposed more parking in each of the three sub-areas, with 40% saying there should be no new parking at all.

Revised Draft Town Center Ordinance to Be Discussed Next Week
What will be in the new version? Will there be a road diet for Central Avenue? Attend Wednesday’s McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee meeting to find out. Also mark your calendars for April 1st and 2nd, when the county plans to hold pop-up demonstrations of streets safety improvements on Hiller and Pickett Roads.

Valley West Needs a Major Transportation Overhaul
Check out this article by CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske and Valley West advocate Lucy Salazar to learn more.

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 904 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Humboldt Residents Back in Their Cars – But Not Back on the Bus?
Cell phone data indicate that driving levels may be close to the pre-pandemic “normal.” On the other hand, local transit ridership is still way down, perhaps due to the number of college students who still aren’t attending in-person classes. But riding the bus isn’t just for students. Come on, Humboldt – get on the bus!

About Those Gas Prices…
High gas prices have historically been associated with less driving and more transit ridership, both things we desperately need. But high prices also affect low-income people disproportionately, highlighting the fact that leaving it up to global markets to determine transportation incentives will not result in fair and equitable solutions.

State Funding Still Prioritizes Cars and Trucks
A telling staff report for next week’s California Transportation Commission meeting reveals that two-thirds of the money from the state’s main capacity-funding program is still earmarked for streets and highways, while transit and active transportation have to split the rest. In fact, the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) still explicitly prioritizes projects that “meet highway needs” over those that address the climate crisis.

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.

Broadway Improvements Coming. Your Voice Was Heard!

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

March 4, 2022

Broadway Improvements Coming – Your Voice Was Heard!
If you signed our petition for a safer Broadway last fall and have been wondering what came of it, listen to the latest episode of the EcoNews Report for an update. The short version is that Caltrans received the petition and heard our requests, and now they are planning significant bike and pedestrian improvements throughout the Broadway corridor in the relatively near term. They are also for the first time including CRTP and other stakeholders in their internal project development meetings, giving us the opportunity to help shape the designs from the beginning. This is a major shift in the way Caltrans works, and it wouldn’t have happened without you!

A Better Way to Fund Transportation Improvements
Join David Cobb of Cooperation Humboldt and the California Public Banking Alliance to hear about the potential for public banks to fund needed infrastructure and other improvements without the need to pad the pockets of private banks with exorbitant interest rates and profit margins.

Council Confirms Support for Transit Center
In another unanimous vote this week, the Eureka City Council released two downtown parking lots for future development of the “EaRTH Center” transit and housing hub.

Eureka Waterfront Plan Meeting Next Week
Register for this public meeting next Thursday to provide your input and support for walkable, transit-oriented waterfront development!

Bike Ride Honors Those Killed on the Road in Arcata
The monthly Critical Mass bike ride stopped at the intersection of St. Louis Road and Janes Creek Drive to remember Jennifer Garcia, who was struck and killed by a driver there last month.

Gateway Plan Scoping Meeting Rescheduled for Next Week
A Zoom snafu forced the previously scheduled meeting to be scrapped. But next Thursday the City of Arcata will hold a new public meeting to receive input on what types of environmental impacts should be considered as the Gateway Area Plan and the rest of the General Plan update move forward.

Humboldt Supervisors Consider Increasing Transient Occupancy Tax
Transportation improvements are some of the potential uses listed for new tax revenues. Could this be an opportunity to better fund local public transit and active transportation infrastructure?

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 900 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Another Car Culture Restaurant in Eureka?
Don’t we have enough car-oriented infrastructure around here? We stand with those calling for a ban on new drive-through facilities in the city.

Humboldt Gas Prices Spiking
Just another reason to rely on active transportation and clean transit instead of notoriously unreliable fossil fuels. Nobody ever fought a war to control access to bicycles.

“But How Are We Going to Pay For It?”
That’s a common refrain from opponents to dense infill development. Here’s a primer on why this kind of development is the only kind that actually pays for itself.

Is California Finally Getting Serious About Funding Sustainable Transportation?
A new report from one of the state’s own agencies calls for an overhaul of the transportation funding system to get it in line with the state’s climate goals.

Big Trucks and SUVs Are Dangerous for Kids
Automakers have tried to convince parents that bigger cars will protect their kids. But what if your kid is on the outside of the car?

Eureka Council Returns to Downtown Parking Lot Discussion

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

February 25, 2022

Committee Nears Consensus on Central Ave Lane Reduction
At its meeting this week, McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee members acknowledged the overwhelming public support they’d heard from all of you for a “road diet” on Central Avenue. With that in mind, a consensus emerged for reducing the number of lanes on Central throughout the Town Center area. This wouldn’t have happened without you! There is still debate over whether the road diet will mean removing 2 lanes (leaving 1 in each direction and a two-way turn lane in the middle) or removing 3 lanes (leaving 1 in each direction with a landscaped median). CRTP supports the option with the landscaped median, which would calm traffic more effectively and reduce the number of vehicular conflicts encountered by people walking and biking.

Eureka Transit Center Parking Lots Back on Council Agenda
The Eureka City Council unanimously approved the proposed downtown transit and housing center two weeks ago, despite complaints from opponents about the loss of parking. Next Tuesday, they’ll have to revisit the subject in order to officially authorize the transformation of the existing parking lots for that purpose. (It’s a bureaucratic requirement dating back to the 1950s, when the city first built downtown parking lots.) We don’t expect any change in the Council’s decision. But we’re sure there will be more parking grievances aired at the meeting, so if you live or work in Eureka, you might want to remind the Council how much you support the transit center project.

Eureka’s Linc Housing Projects Delayed by Funding Issues
We’re disappointed to report that the first round of affordable housing slated to be built on downtown parking lots – along with bike, pedestrian and transit improvements – did not win the hoped-for state grant funding. The non-profit developer, Linc Housing, hasn’t given up, though! They’re looking at other funding sources or possibly re-applying for the same grant again next year.

Downtown Eureka Densification Continues
A new four-story mixed-use building with rooftop bar is in the works (replacing a one-story building). There is no opposition to this project, a notable fact given the fierce reaction to other proposed downtown projects. When considering why this might be, we think it is instructive to note this project’s most salient differences from those other projects: this one one won’t take away any parking spaces or serve lower-income residents.

Some People Have Airport Problems
Murray Field, a county-owned airport used only by private pilots, is pondering whether to increase rents and replace degraded fuel tanks. Some local pilots are upset by the changes, some of which are mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the county’s long-time airport operating subsidies. We question the idea of further subsidizing this most carbon-intensive of travel modes, especially given that Murray Field and its fuel tanks are directly in the path of rising seas.

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 898 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Changes at the Top
Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin has been a breath of fresh air since his appointment in 2019, leading the agency in a new direction more focused on safe and sustainable transportation. Governor Newsom recently promoted Omishakin to State Transportation Agency Secretary, leaving big shoes to fill at Caltrans. CRTP is joining with many other organizations across the state in urging Newsom to appoint current Caltrans Deputy Director and past bike and pedestrian advocate Jeanie Ward-Waller as the new Director.

Bombing, Shooting and…Gas Prices?
A startling amount of reporting about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this week – not to mention the international response – has focused not on the horrors of war or the threat to democracy but on the impact to gas prices. These distorted priorities a symptom of a broken and inhumane transportation system.

“The Absurd Primacy of the Automobile in American Life”
We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

Want to Understand How Parking Policy Actually Works?
Check out this webinar from Bay Area advocacy group TransForm.

Carmakers Making Sure Tailpipe Emissions Are the Only Problem EVs Will Solve
Even with the transition to electric power, companies are doubling-down on huge, dangerous, inefficient vehicles.

Focus on McKinleyville’s Central Avenue

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

February 18, 2022

Last Day to Comment on Fish Farm Environmental Documents
If you need inspiration about what to say, check out the detailed comments just submitted by CRTP and a long list of our environmental allies.

McKinleyville Meeting Will Focus on Central Avenue
Next Wednesday at 6 pm, the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee will continue its discussion of the draft Town Center Ordinance. The discussion is expected to focus on the proposal to narrow Central Avenue from 4 to 2 lanes in this area. Thanks to you, MMAC members have heard a lot of support for this idea since their last meeting. If you can, please show up on Wednesday and support it in person, too!

Arcata City Council Approves Long-Delayed Old Arcata Road Project
The project will bring much-needed bike and pedestrian improvements, along with a roundabout that sparked a lot of controversy. CRTP supports the project, but we do have serious concerns about the difficulty that roundabouts can present to bicyclists and pedestrians – especially those who are vision-impaired.

Arcata Residents Worried About Traffic Safety
For the normally sparsely-attended Transportation Safety Committee, this week’s meeting was unusual. A steady stream of residents spoke out about the urgency of addressing the lack of safety on our streets for people walking and biking, spurred on by the two recent tragic collisions in town as well as by regular close calls for kids and parents noted by staff at Pacific Union School on Janes Road. The Committee promised to agendize a full discussion of the issue at its next meeting, and also moved ahead with a conversation on the proposed Complete Streets Policy support by CRTP.

Driver Hits Skateboarder in Eureka
We are grateful that the victim in this collision appears to be OK. But this is an important reminder that people using skateboards are just as vulnerable as people walking and biking on our local streets. So if you see us use the term “rolling” – as in, “walking, biking and rolling” – we’re talking about skateboards, as well as scooters, wheelchairs, and other similar devices.

Bay Trail Inches Toward Completion, While New Obstacles Arise
Humboldt County acquired a key easement this week, but significant hurdles remain – including the possibility of a bureaucratic funding freeze related to the county’s accounting woes. Meanwhile, slow progress continues toward the Great Redwood Trail (of which the Bay Trail would eventually be a part), and people continue to drive dangerously in the Safety Corridor (which the Bay Trail will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to avoid).

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 895 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Car Hits Car Dealership
This is yet another reminder of the destructive power of the vehicles. We also note the interesting fact that media coverage completely failed to note the irony of the incident, perhaps another indicator of the way we accept these dangerous machines as normal features of our everyday lives. We suspect that the coverage might have had a different tone in an analogous situation involving a different industry – if, say, someone had broken the window of a skate shop by swinging a skateboard, or went after a sporting goods store with a baseball bat.

State Legislative Leaders Voice Concerns About Newsom’s Gas Tax Break
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins also addressed the need for more reforms to encourage infill housing.

Housing Costs Still Out of Reach for Most Local Residents
And we can expect climate change-driven wildfires to only increase the problem going forward. The urgency is growing to build more dense, infill housing in places not susceptible to wildfires and sea level rise – giving people cheaper homes where they can drive less and contribute less to climate chaos, and also be safer from its impacts.

Eureka Downtown Transit and Housing Center Approved!

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

February 11, 2022

Eureka Downtown Transit and Housing Center Approved!
Even better, the City Council committed to making a lot of the housing affordable and expressed support for adding even more residential units. Thanks to all of you who showed up at this week’s meeting or sent in your comments, the Council heard from more people in enthusiastic support of this project than they did from the opposition – whose only concern appeared to be the loss of some parking spots. The project still needs to secure funding and jump through some additional hoops, but this is a major step forward.

Arcata Committee to Consider Complete Streets Policy
Next Tuesday, the Transportation Safety Committee will give input on a proposed policy headed to the City Council. The policy is based on a model provided by RCCER. It requires the city to add new bike, pedestrian and transit features whenever they do a maintenance, repair or new construction project on city streets – or to publicly justify why they aren’t. CRTP fully supports the policy, but we are concerned that city staff have removed an equity provision from the model ordinance requiring the city to concentrate on historically disadvantaged neighborhoods. We’ll be providing our feedback at the meeting, and we encourage you to come too!

Driver Hits Person on Bike in Arcata, Resulting in Major Injury
Not much information is available yet, but our thoughts are with the victim and their family.

Nordic Aquafarms Comment Period Ends Next Friday
The massive project would create a lot of new truck trips and use as much electricity as a whole town. Check our yesterday’s action alert for information about weighing in on the environmental document.

Huffman Talks Infrastructure (and a Lot More)
Check out the latest EcoNews Report, in which North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman joined CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske and other local environmental leaders to talk about Build Back Better and a lot of other important topics.

Gateway Plan Edges Closer to City Council
The bike and pedestrian-friendly plan for dense, walkable, infill development continues to draw a lot of opposition, so it’s important to show up at every opportunity to support it!

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 892 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Fortuna Looks at Improving a Dangerous Intersection
The City Council also voted to continue its partnership with Bird scooters, which were first deployed in the city last year.

Full Cycle Compost Is Still Pedaling Strong
Everyone’s favorite local bicycle-powered composting service estimates that, since it started last May, it has diverted 5.4 tons of material from the landfill – and produced lots of great compost for the Jardín Santuario community garden and Caudal Fin Farm. And they’re accepting new subscribers! If this business can run on bicycles, imagine the possibilities for other local businesses.

Want to Develop Dense, Affordable Housing in Humboldt?
If you’re in a position to do it, be sure to register for next week’s workshop for developers to learn how.

Federal Money Coming for EV Chargers
As we’ve said many times before, rapid electrification of transportation is critical for fighting the climate crisis. But let’s not forget the other side of the equation – we also just have to drive a lot less.

County Planning Commission Ignores the Big Issues (Again)

Posted on February 4, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

February 4, 2022

Downtown Eureka Transit Center Meeting Next Week
An exciting plan to build a long-needed downtown transit center in Eureka will be the subject of a special City Council meeting next Wednesday at 6 pm. The plan includes not just a hub for existing bus routes but also new dedicates routes to Cal Poly Humboldt; carshare and bikeshare hubs; new zero emission buses; a childcare center and pharmacy; and 2-3 stories of housing on top. CRTP is in full support of the plan, although we do think there should be even more housing included. Show up on Wednesday to voice your support!

Grieving Jennifer Garcia
The beloved community member died from her injuries a week after a driver hit her in a crosswalk on St. Louis Road in Arcata. She reportedly spent the last moment prior to the collision pushing the stroller containing her young child out of the path of the oncoming vehicle. We not only mourn her loss, but demand that our streets be redesigned to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again and again.

Planning Commission Again Ignores Concerns Over McKay Development
The Humboldt County Planning Commission considered one last piece of the massive McKay Tract suburban subdivision project last night: a formal Development Agreement with the County. Commissioners again ignored public and agency input, along with official county plans for reducing driving and greenhouse gas emissions, and recommended that Supervisors approve the project with no modifications. Clearly the Commissioners need to be educated about the real and urgent issues facing our region – if only they would listen.

Cal Poly Humboldt Declare Focus on Climate, Proposes Parking Garages
No, that’s not a mistake or a joke. The newly renamed Cal Poly Humboldt has declared its intention to educate the next generation of climate leaders, and at the same time is proposing to build the region’s first two parking garages to continue catering to our nation’s biggest climate killer – the automobile.

Want to Make Eureka More Walkable, Bikeable, and Transit-Friendly?
Join the City’s Transportation Safety Commission! There are currently two open seats, and the Commission needs members who understand transportation issues. If you’re reading this, that’s probably you!

Board of Supervisors Moves Forward With Anti-Coal Ordinance
On Tuesday, Humboldt County became the latest local government to propose an ordinance aimed at preventing transportation and export of coal from Humboldt Bay, and protecting the future Great Redwood Trail. Supervisors voted unanimously to move the ordinance forward. Final adoption will come at a future meeting.

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 886 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Arcata City Council Tours New Sorrel Place
The new four-story affordable apartment building a block off of the Plaza includes lots of transportation amenities, such as free bus passes for all residents over the age of two and dedicated indoor bike storage rooms. The project also came with funding for sidewalk and transit improvements, which the City is in the process of implementing. It’s a preview of what could come with redevelopment of the Gateway Area.

Vast Majority of Pedestrians Killed Recently in Portland Were Houseless
A new assessment found that 70% of people killed while walking in the city in 2021 had no permanent shelter. This kind of data is rarely available, but anecdotal evidence suggests that the trend is likely similar in other places as well, including on the North Coast. We strongly suspect that one of the reasons pedestrian deaths do not generally get much public attention is the indefensible but common dehumanization of houseless people who are often the victims.

Higher Gas Prices Mean Less Sprawl
A new study adds to the evidence that getting people to drive less – and build less car-oriented neighborhoods – requires not only incentives to walk, bike and take the bus, but also disincentives for driving.

Cal Poly Humboldt: New Name, New Climate Action Plan

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

January 28, 2022

New Cal Poly Humboldt Climate Action Plan Out for Review
Because a lot of the emissions come from student and employee commutes, addressing the newly renamed university’s climate impacts will require a lot of actions that will impact the broader community as well. Proposed measures include discouraging car use by disallowing parking passes for most first-year students and those who live near campus. The university is accepting comments until February 10th.

A Road Diet for Central Avenue?
This week the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee (MMAC) continued reviewing the county’s draft town center ordinance. Much of the discussion focused on redesigning Central Avenue. To accomplish some of the safety goals and design elements proposed by the MMAC, the Humboldt County Public Works department has suggested reducing the number of travel lanes in the Town Center from 4 down to 2. We strongly support this idea, as do some members of the MMAC. But several other members thought that would take too much space away from cars. If you haven’t yet, email the MMAC today with your support of reducing the lanes on Central Avenue.

McKay Subdivision Back on the Agenda
Although the agenda had not been published at the time of writing, the Humboldt County Planning Commission is expected to consider a Development Agreement for the sprawling subdivision at its Thursday meeting next week. We hope that the agreement, which has not yet been published, will contain at least a few requirements for better bike, pedestrian and transit amenities.

Help Decide How Budget Will Be Spent in Valley West
Communidad Unida del Norte de Arcata (CUNA) is holding the area’s first participatory budgeting process to decide how to spend money on improving the Valley West neighborhood. If you live in Valley West, show up and have your say. Improved sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops are all possibilities!

Now for Some Positive Developments
In the latest edition of the EcoNews, CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske talks about being an environmentalist advocating for development.

Another Opportunity to Engage with the Gateway Plan
On Saturday (tomorrow), there will be another walking tour of the Gateway Area. Come out and show your support for the most bike- and pedestrian-friendly plan we’ve seen in our region yet!

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 881 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Don’t Forget: Workshop Next Week on Adding More Housing to Your Property
If you own property in any of the denser communities of unincorporated Humboldt County, you can do your part to address the housing crisis and improve walkability!

SB 307 Easily Passes State Senate
There was broad bipartisan support for Senator McGuire’s bill to prevent any state funding from supporting coal transportation or export through Humboldt Bay. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is expected to take up an ordinance against coal export and transportation next Tuesday, but as of this writing the agenda had not yet been published.

Buttigieg Proposes a New Federal Approach to Road Safety
Some of the changes may seem kind of wonky, but the results of implementing this new strategy would be enormous. It would bring the USDOT into the twenty-first century with a focus on complete streets and reducing road fatalities to zero.

Is Online Shopping Good or Bad for the Climate?
It turns out that depends largely how you shop when you buy in person. If you walk, bike or take transit and/or make fewer shopping trips, it’s much better to shop at a brick-and-mortar store. If you drive to the store 10 times a week, you would probably produce fewer emissions by ordering online. So let’s support local businesses and the environment by shopping locally on foot, bike, or bus!

That Battery Problem
We need to electrify transportation where we can’t walk, bike, or take transit. But electric vehicles are no panacea.

Regional Transportation Plan Approved!

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

January 21, 2022

Regional Transportation Plan Approved!
Yesterday afternoon, the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) gave final approval to the county’s updated Regional Transportation Plan. CRTP worked hard to ensure that the plan has ambitious and necessary goals to increase bike and pedestrian safety and decrease climate-harming emissions, and we were successful at that. We also argued for ranking projects based on their alignment with those goals. While HCAOG did not agree to that last demand for this version of the Plan, they did commit to doing it in the future. So now comes the hard part: ensuring that the County and the cities actually meet the targets they’ve adopted for themselves.

More Opportunities to Engage with the Gateway Plan
Today and Saturday, the City is holding an open house at the Arcata Community Center. Next Saturay (1/29), there will be another walking tour of the Gateway Area. Come out and show your support for the most bike- and pedestrian-friendly plan we’ve seen in our region yet! And while you’re at it, check out the op-ed supporting the plan by CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske and several other local environmental leaders in the Lost Coast Outpost.

Correction
Last week, we wrote that the Humboldt County Planning Commission “approved” the McKay Ranch subdivision. In fact, the Planning Commission recommended approval to the Board of Supervisors, who will have the final say in the matter. We regret the error, but look forward to another opportunity to argue against more car-oriented sprawl and in favor of walkable, bikeable and transit-oriented development.

Arcata Safe Parking Program Moves Forward
We’re not normally fans of new parking lots. But as long as people are living in their vehicles because they can’t afford to live anywhere else, there will be a need for safe parking.

Local Safety Projects Up for a Vote
At its meeting next week, the California Transportation Commission will vote to allocate funding for two important local projects: bike, pedestrian and traffic-calming improvements in Blue Lake, and shoulder-widening at a dangerous spot on Central Avenue near Bella Vista in McKinleyville. Sadly, also on the CTC’s agenda is approval of “emergency” funding to remove and permanently exclude houseless people from several underpasses in Arcata. We understand the need to repair and maintain these underpasses, but it’s inhumane to remove people with no clear plan of where they will now live.

McKinleyville Town Center Plan Slowly Moving Toward Walkability
At a special meeting this week, the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee continued reviewing the county’s draft town center ordinance. Most notably, there appeared to be growing support for the idea of applying the same form-based, walkable development standards to the entire town center area, something CRTP has been pushing for. The MMAC will meet again next Wednesday to continue the discussion.

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 881 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Own Property? What to Put More Housing On It?
If you live in the unincorporated part of Humboldt County, attend a workshop to find out how easy it is to increase your density.

Committee Unanimously Passes Anti-Coal Train Bill
The California Senate Transportation Committee voted 11-0 to support a bill sponsored by North Coast Senator Mike McGuire to prohibit any state funds from supporting the nefarious plan to rehabilitate the North Coast’s rail line for the purpose of exporting coal from Humboldt Bay.

Transportation and the Budget
Governor Newsom’s budget proposal has more money – though not enough – for active transportation and transit. It also has a proposal to lower the gas tax, which would just encourage more driving. Learn more from CalBike.

More on Caltrans’ New Complete Streets Policy
A new direction, or more of the same?

Eureka Caves to Pressure Over Parking Lots

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

January 14, 2022

Eureka City Council Approves Land Swap, Caving to Pressure Over Parking
The city is selling this deal as a way to develop more housing, but don’t be fooled: both the downtown parking lots and the lots near Winco can and should be developed with dense, walkable housing, producing far more homes than either one by itself. The land swap is really just the city’s way to appease downtown business owners who decided to prioritize the preservation of private vehicle storage (a.k.a. parking lots) over the need for affordable housing. CRTP is partnering with Legal Services of Northern California to review options for reversing this terrible decision.

Humboldt County Planning Commission Approves McKay Ranch Subdivision
Comments from the public, environmental advocates including CRTP, as well as government agencies like the Redwood Coast Energy Authority and the Humboldt County Association of Governments all highlighted that the massive suburban-style subdivision needs major changes to make it consistent with our urgent needs (and official plans) to reduce driving, reduce carbon emissions, and improve street safety. Disappointingly, Commissioners completely ignored all of these comments in the process of unanimously and unconditionally approving the project. In so doing, they demonstrated how out of touch they are with public sentiment, official policy and environmental reality. Check out George Clark’s letter to the Times-Standard here for another take on the approval.

CRTP Member Meeting Next Week
If you’re not a member yet, there’s still time to join so you can attend next Thursday’s meeting, where we’ll hear from City of Arcata staff about the Gateway Area Plan and talk about CRTP’s plans and recent accomplishments. (For more on the Gateway Plan, or to prepare for the Member Meeting, check out this recent EcoNews Report.)

Speaking of the Gateway Plan…
The Arcata Transportation Safety Committee will be considering the transportation elements of the plan at its meeting next Tuesday at 4:30 pm. As we’ve said before, this is the most bike- and pedestrian-friendly plan we’ve seen in our region yet, so come out and show your support! Another opportunity to learn more will come next Friday and Saturday, when the City plans to hold an open house at the Arcata Community Center.

RCCER Circulates Petition to Build Housing and Save the Planet
The new North Coast environmental political action group is calling for building more housing close to jobs, services, and retail, to address the housing crisis while reducing climate-harming emissions.

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 879 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Nordic Aquafarms Environmental Documents Out for Comment
We know that transportation isn’t the first thing you think of when you think about a fish farm. But the facility would have 150 employees and generate 95 truck trips a week, so the transportation issues are significant. That’s why we’re partnering with other local environmental groups to submit comprehensive comments on the project. And you can submit your own, too!

Caltrans Announces New Complete Streets Policy
The policy sounds good. But Caltrans has already had a complete streets policy in place for years, and has often failed to live up to it. The proof will be in the, um, asphalt?

US Climate-Harming Emissions Jumped in 2021
Transportation – especially freight from all that online ordering – was one of the main sources of the disturbing increase.

French Car Ads Will Have to Discourage Driving
OK, we know this won’t be enough to put much of a dent in car sales. But we still think it’s a great idea.

Proposed Land Swap Would Scrap Eureka Housing on Parking Lots

Posted on December 17, 2021 by Colin Fiske

The Collector

December 17, 2021

Editor’s Note: We’ll be taking the next few weeks off to spend time with family. But never fear, The Collector will return in 2022!

Arcata Gateway Area Plan Discussions Begin in Earnest
As we reported last week, the new draft plan is the most bike and pedestrian friendly land use plan we’ve ever seen in our region. At Planning Commission and City Council meetings this week, opinion was split about the plan itself, but almost everybody agreed on the need for infill housing and prioritization of bikes, pedestrians and transit. Those skeptical of the plan just seemed to think there’s some other, dramatically different way to get there. Spoiler alert: there’s really not. Don’t forget, if you’re a CRTP member or join in the next month, you can hear directly from Community Development Director David Loya about the plan at our January Member Meeting. You can find our initial comments here.

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.

Proposed Land Swap Would Scrap Eureka Housing on Parking Lots
This spring, as the City of Eureka prepared to implement plans to build affordable housing on three more city-owned downtown parking lots, certain business owners revolted and declared that private car storage was more important than affordable housing. Now, the City appears to have given into that pressure. On next Tuesday’s City Council agenda is a proposed land swap with Pierson Property and Development, in which the city would trade the three downtown parking lots for some land Pierson owns on Broadway. City staff claim that the Pierson property – which is already approved for a 43-unit apartment complex – could produce more housing than the three parking lots they’re trading. CRTP says they should do both: stick to the original plan and let Pierson build its housing, too, rather than set the disturbing precedent of officially (and wrongly) declaring that building affordable housing on downtown parking lots “will have a detrimental effect on the local economy.”

Anti-Coal Ordinance Back on Eureka City Council Agenda
Also on Tuesday’s agenda is the latest iteration of the city’s ordinance responding to the threat of coal trains taking over the old North Coast Railroad Authority line. CRTP strongly supports this ordinance and other efforts to stop the coal train nightmare and save the Great Redwood Trail.

Arcata Committee to Continue Discussion of Complete Streets Policy
Next Tuesday, the Transportation Safety Committee will again consider a policy requiring the city to implement bike, pedestrian, and transit facilities whenever they do a street project. The policy is based on a model produced by RCCER (see below).

Bay Trail South One Step Closer to Construction
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors this week approved purchase of some land and easements for the long-awaited trail.

CRTP Joins Local Environmental Groups in Support of Safe Parking
“We support parking management as a strategy to discourage unnecessary car use and thus
reduce the environmental impacts of transportation, but not as a strategy for removing unhoused people from our communities.”

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 871 reports (and counting) on Street Story. La versión en español está disponible aquí.

Meet RCCER
Check out the new North Coast environmental political action group. Full disclosure: although CRTP has no relationship with RCCER, our Executive Director Colin Fiske is one of the founding members.

In New Densification Strategy, County Looks to Standardize Duplexes
Humboldt County has put out a call for architects and designers to submit duplex plans for pre-approval, hoping to ease the way for providing slightly more housing in residential areas.

Last Chance Grade Update
Environmental documents are expected to be ready for public review in 2023.

Big Utility Companies Join Forces to Build EV Chargers
We’re all for building electric vehicle infrastructure as fast as possible, but we think it’s funny how an industry that stridently resists the switch to clean energy suddenly becomes concerned about the climate crisis when it realizes it can make a buck.