The Collector

June 7, 2019

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More Infill Housing for Downtown Arcata?
The city’s Planning Commission is set to consider the “Isackson’s Affordable Housing Project” next week, which would add 43 affordable apartments to the downtown area. It’s also tied to a number of improvements to the surrounding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, as well as a potential new bus route. CRTP weighs in on the project here.

Flights from Denver Start Arriving in McKinleyville
Don’t get us wrong, we understand the appeal of being more connected to the world beyond the redwood curtain through a quick plan ride. But it still strikes us as odd that local boosters are encouraging the public to fly as much as possible, when flying is one of the most climate-wrecking forms of transportation.

We’ve Run Out of Clever Headlines About The Village
But the Arcata City Council finally said they’re OK with it. Formal approvals to come… probably.

Eureka Gets Money to Study Balloon Track
As both a contaminated former rail yard and the desired location of a future extension of 4th Street being studied by the City and Caltrans, the Balloon Track is a significant site in local transportation lore. But contamination is only one of the challenges here – it’s also full of coastal wetlands, as a lawsuit from local environmental groups reminded developers the last time around.

Redwood Coast Energy Authority to Host Electric Vehicle Workshop
While we generally support driving less, if you have to drive, an EV is the way to go. If you want to get into the nitty gritty of how to buy an EV, this event is for you.

Cal State Students Pay More for Parking Than Faculty or Staff
Students and advocates are framing this as a case of poor students subsidizing wealthier staff. But reduced parking fees means that non-driving students (who incidentally are more likely to have lower incomes) will have to subsidize drivers. Our opinion: if the CSUs want to help struggling students, they should provide alternative transportation rather than reducing fees for private vehicles to park on campus.

Letter Laments Potholes
We lament the fact that our cities, counties, states and federal government built up an enormous system of streets and highways over the last half century with no feasible way to pay for maintaining it.

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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 Collector

May 31, 2019

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Cars and Trucks Are Among Leading Causes of Death in Humboldt County
A new report on local community health shows that traffic collisions are the most frequent cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24 locally, and one of the leading causes for people of all ages. Humboldt’s rates of traffic death are far higher than state or national rates – particularly when it comes to drivers hitting pedestrians. Significantly, many of the other leading causes of death are related to physical and social isolation and lack of access to transportation – in part a result of sprawling, unsustainable development patterns. This should be a wake-up call for everyone in this part of the state.

Meeting Planned on Proposed Cutten Subdivision
A major residential subdivision is being proposed on the outskirts of Eureka, and a public scoping workshop (held prior to developing environmental documents) is scheduled for June 13th. Will it be possible for future residents of this area to get around easily without driving? If not, projects like this just shouldn’t be built.

Road Planning Workshops Scheduled in Del Norte
The Del Norte Local Transportation Commission has scheduled a public workshop for June 26th as part of its ongoing efforts to redesign Elk Valley Cross Road. The City of Crescent City and Elk Valley Rancheria are also holding a public workshop on June 6th at noon at the Cultural Center (1001 Front St) for input on future Front Street improvements – which could include better bike/ped infrastructure!

Annual Celebration of Pedal Power
The Kinetic Grand Championship was a success again this year. Approaching the Arcata Plaza before the start of the race, bike racks and sign poles were packed with bicycles, and it was clear that spectators as well as participants were taking the opportunity to celebrate active transportation.

Diesel Emissions Reduction Bill Passes State Senate
Senate Bill 210, which would require the state to develop pilot programs and regulations to reduce emissions from diesel trucks, now moves on to the Assembly.

San Francisco Wants More Rental Bikes
Lyft wants to maintain its monopoly.

China Tariffs Hit Bike Shops
Trump’s trade war is hurting people who sell (and buy) bicycles.

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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 Collector

May 24, 2019

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Great Redwood Trail Efforts Move Forward in Sacramento
Senate Bill 356, which takes on some of the next steps in transitioning the North Coast Railroad Authority right-of-way into a world-class trail system, has passed the state Senate and moved on to the Assembly. Meanwhile, the Humboldt Trails Council has issued a call to action to support Senator McGuire’s request for $10.8 million in next year’s state budget to start implementing Great Redwood Trail plans.

Caltrans Complete Streets Bill Passes the Senate
The California Senate also passed SB 127 this week. Although heavily edited from its original version, the bill would still dramatically improve Caltrans’ approach to complete streets planning where state highways function as main streets – such as Highway 101 in Eureka.

The Village is Back… Again
The large housing project has been scheduled for another hearing before the Arcata City Council on June 5th. It now has room for only 530 residents – hundreds fewer than the original proposal, and well below the caps previously set by certain Council members. Will the Council finally give this project the stamp of approval?

Transit Authority Board Takes On Dial-a-Ride Renewal
Meanwhile, the Humboldt County Association Governments continues to study how mobility-on-demand concepts might apply to local transportation systems more broadly.

Pedestrian Killed by Driver in McKinleyville Hit-and-Run
A woman has been charged and pleaded not guilty in the Central Avenue collision.

Opinions Differ on Safety Corridor Plans
CRTP has joined other local groups in calling for a local Coastal Commission hearing on the Caltrans project and pointing out some safety and long-term planning issues with the project. (For example: raising speed limits just won’t improve safety, no matter what Caltrans says.) Some folks, deeply upset about existing safety problems, object to these objections. Others think the whole project is a boondoggle.

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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 Collector

May 17, 2019

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Climate Action Plan Workshop on Monday
Arcata will host the next workshop in a series to gather public input for the Humboldt county-wide multi-jurisdictional Climate Action Plan which is under development. If you’re free, show up and remind them that driving less is the single most important thing we can do to lower greenhouse gas emissions!

Eureka Looks to Allow Pedi-Cabs…with Booze!
On next week’s City Council agenda are amendments to the municipal code to allow “pedal pubs” under certain conditions. This type of multi-person, pedal-powered, alcohol-serving vehicular business was legalized statewide in 2015. Also on the agenda: Awarding a contract for Waterfront Drive construction. Meanwhile, this week, the Council passed a major zoning code overhaul containing significant incentives for pedestrian-oriented infill development.

County Zoning Map Update Workshops Scheduled
The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department has scheduled a series of public workshops around the county to take comments and answer questions about proposed changes to the county zoning map, meant to implement the 2017 General Plan Update.

More Car-Culture Restaurants to Open on Broadway This Year
Fast food burger and pizza joints are moving through the development process.

Is Parking the Problem, or Is It Cars?
Another day, another complaint about supposedly inadequate parking for a business in Arcata. We say, as we always do: If you don’t think there’s enough parking, make sure people don’t have to drive cars.

Public Input
A cogent and compelling commentary from North Coast Journal editor Thaddeus Greenson about local squabbles over the location of Coastal Commission hearings on two major transportation-related projects.

Sidewalk Obstruction of the Week
The obstruction of the week feature is back today, thanks to this gem submitted by a loyal reader of The Collector. If you have a picture or other item you’d like featured in The Collector, email Colin at colin@transportationpriorities.org.

Infrastructure Week
It’s Infrastructure Week, according to people who want massive amounts of spending on infrastructure. There’s no question that much of our infrastructure needs to be seriously overhauled. But should we really still be handing out money for highway expansions – especially when we can’t afford to maintain what we already have?

Can Seniors Get Around Without Cars?
Many older Americans can’t or don’t want to drive. But the country’s few truly walkable communities are often too expensive for a senior on a fixed income. Isolation and declining health are common outcomes. Our aging population comes face to face with some of the problems of sprawling, car-oriented development.

Ford E-bikes Back in the Bay
Apparently the brake problems that caused them to be temporarily recalled have been addressed.

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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 Collector

May 10, 2019

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CRTP to Host Free Training on Bike/Ped Safety Tool
A representative of SafeTREC at UC Berkeley will be coming to Humboldt County on May 29th to do a training on one of their new tools. It’s called Street Story, and it’s designed to crowd-source data on where bicyclists and pedestrians feel safe or unsafe and why, and where they’ve had collisions or near-misses. If you’re a local transportation advocate or professional and want to learn how to use the tool, email colin@transportationpriorities.org to RSVP and for more information.

Richardson Grove Highway Expansion Project Dealt A Major Blow
A federal judge ruled that Caltrans had not met its obligations to thoroughly review the project’s environmental impacts. CRTP has opposed this project since our founding four years ago. We don’t think the state should spend be spending our tax dollars to redesign roads for the largest fossil-fuel powered vehicles, particularly at the risk of damaging ancient redwoods in a state park. This is the latest in a series of legal victories for project opponents. Could it be the final one?

Safety Corridor Hearing Might Be in Eureka in August…
Instead of San Diego in June, as Caltrans had requested. CRTP submitted a joint letter with Humboldt Baykeeper asking for the Coastal Commission hearing to be delayed to allow for local input. CRTP’s concerns include bike/pedestrian access at the Bayside cutoff and the plan’s (lack of) adaptation for sea level rise. Caltrans had insisted that the project would lose its funding if not heard in June. However, after the Commission unanimously requested that it be moved to the local August meeting, Caltrans changed its tune and said that would probably be fine. Meanwhile, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors failed to approve a request that the Commission also delay the scheduled June consideration of Trinidad Rancheria’s hotel proposal – which is tied to a controversial interchange project on Highway 101.

Caltrans 4th Street Project to Exercise Eminent Domain
Next week’s California Transportation Commission agenda includes a resolution to use eminent domain to take a small portion of the Red Lion Hotel property at 4th and V Streets in Eureka. Those of you following along at home will remember that this project includes bulb-outs and crosswalk upgrades, but also adds an additional lane of travel on 4th Street – negating the effect of the pedestrian improvements and causing CRTP to oppose it.

Funding for Blue Lake Bike/Ped Upgrades on the Agenda
Also on the CTC’s agenda is a proposal to fund new bike lanes, sidewalks, ADA improvements, and traffic-calming features on Greenwood, Railroad, and Hatchery Roads in Blue Lake. And deadline extensions to the City of Eureka for awarding a construction contract for the “Waterfront Drive Connection” project, to Crescent City for the Sunset Circle Multi-Use Trail project, and to the Hoopa Valley Tribe for its Safe Routes to School project.

Eureka City Council to Consider New Zoning Code
On Monday, the Council will hold a hearing on the proposed new code, which happens to contain lots of interesting incentives for pedestrian-oriented infill development and reduced parking requirements.

Planning Commission to Discuss New Housing Element
Humboldt County continues its Housing Element update process.

Trails Summit a Success
Rees Hughes has a great summary in the Times-Standard. Bike Month continues this week with Eureka Bike-to-Work Day and Bike-Friendly Business Happy Hour/Shopping Spree, an Arcata Family Bike Rodeo, a Historic Blue Lake Ride, and more!

Bike/Ped Safety Operation Planned for Eureka
We’re all about improving bike and pedestrian safety in Eureka. But there’s a definite under-current of blaming the victim here.

Uber’s IPO Reveals Competition with Transit
Paperwork filed by the massive company called out a goal to “replace” both private car trips and public transit. New research suggests that it’s already doing that. Meanwhile, miraculously, bus ridership is growing in San Francisco!

What’s Next for Trump’s Fuel Efficiency Roll-Back?
An insightful analysis from Streetsblog on the many implications for the state of California.

Co-working on the Street
Real estate is expensive. Parking is cheap. But wait: parking is real estate!

What City Has the Best New Complete Streets Policy in the Nation?
According to Smart Growth America, it’s Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

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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 Collector

May 3, 2019

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Arcata City Council Rejects Partial Plaza Pedestrianization for Farmers Markets
Apparently, even a partial closure of two Plaza streets for a few hours each week was too much. Instead of approving the farmers market’s request, the Council voted (3-2) to send them to mediation with Arcata Main Street, because some of the Plaza businesses objected to the loss of free store-front public parking on Saturday mornings. We love local businesses and local farmers, but it’s beyond us why two private groups in a private mediation should get to decide the future of a public space.

Bike Month Continues in Humboldt!
Events in the coming week include tomorrow’s Trails Summit at HSU, the annual Bike Shorts film showing, Arcata Bike to Work Day, the Arcata Bike-Friendly Business Happy Hour/Shopping Spree, and much more. Meanwhile, check out CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske’s Bike Month article in the Times-Standard!

Join CRTP for the Bike Month Challenge
Get out there and ride!

Long-Running Litigation on the Agenda in Del Norte
One of the discussion items on next week’s Del Norte Local Transportation Commission agenda is an update on the long-running litigation against the highway-expansion project to allow extra-large trucks through the Smith River Canyon on Highway 199. Is the county still committed to highway boondoggles like this? Time will tell.

A Big, Juicy Agenda
The Humboldt County Association of Government’s Technical Advisory Committee (known to the acronym-friendly as the HCAOG TAC) had a lot to talk about this week. Caltrans wants suggestions on future active transportation projects, local jurisdictions have requested funding for some of their own, plus there’s highway funding, mobility-on-demand, safe routes to school, and more to consider.

E-Bike Voucher Bill Has Bipartisan Support
The California Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approved a bill to add e-bikes to the list of transportation options the state will help fund when low-income folks trade in an old car.

Bike-Share Going Bust in China?
Leave it to tech investors to make bicycle sharing a bubble industry.

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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 Collector

April 26, 2019

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May is Bike Month!
Check out the extensive schedule of local events. And don’t forget to sign up for the Bike Month Challenge.

New Eureka Zoning Code Moves to Council
The first major code overhaul in half a century would create a lot of new opportunities for less car-oriented infill development.

Neighbors Complain of Flooding on Proposed Bike Routes
No, the neighbors didn’t mention that they’re proposed bike routes. Neither did the City. But read the latest Regional Bicycle Plan, and you’ll see that both Wabash and G Street are designated as future Class III bike routes – adding a twist to this citizens-vs-city-hall story.

Local Trails Summit Next Saturday
Mark your calendar.

Bike Rider Hit by SUV on Highway 101
Fortunately, she is reported to have received only minor injuries.

Full Speed Ahead for Car-Culture Restaurant in Eureka
Oops, we meant “fast food.”

Caltrans Complete Streets Bill Gutted, then Passed
After removing the requirement that Caltrans update streets with bike and pedestrian infrastructure whenever it does major rehabilitation or repair work, as well as most of the other more innovative provisions, the Senate Transportation Committee passed SB 127. Still, there may be some elements left worth fighting for. This article includes commentary from CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske about the bill’s local applicability. Meanwhile, the Committee also passed SB 44, the bill intended to drastically reduce pollution from diesel trucks, after removing its most ambitious targets.

Have Some Pizza and Beer for the Humboldt Trails Council!
What could be better than pizza and beer for a good cause?

Another Car is Weaponized Against Pedestrians
Disturbingly, this seems to be a new trend.

Trump Administration Funding More New Roads, Less of Everything Else
A new analysis shows that a long-time major federal funding program for multimodal infrastructure has shifted dramatically toward funding more new road capacity – and fewer complete streets projects – since Trump took office.

Chalking Tires Unconstitutional…in the Midwest
The parking enforcement tool is still perfectly legal in California, at least for now.

Drone Delivery Program Approved
The first one in the US will start soon in Virginia.

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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 Collector

April 19, 2019

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The Village Will Be Built…We Think
The Arcata City Council finally approved the biggest infill housing project in the city’s history, but not before capping the number of beds at a much lower number than originally proposed. Word on the street is that the developer is going ahead with the project regardless of the restrictions.

County Planning Commission Opens the Door to Lower Parking Requirements
The City of Arcata got rid of parking requirements for downtown development years ago. The City of Eureka’s new proposed zoning code will dramatically reduce its requirements. And last night, the Humboldt County Planning Commission – at the urging of CRTP – recommended a change to the zoning code that would allow local community plans to reduce parking requirements in town center areas like McKinleyville’s. Pedestrian-oriented streetscapes may finally be within reach!

Plaza Discussions Heat Up
Both the Arcata Plaza Improvement Task Force and its Transportation Safety Committee talked a lot about the Plaza at meetings this week. CRTP continues to advocate for partial pedestrianization, and the North Coast Growers Association is proposing partial street closures on 8th & 9th Streets for their farmers markets this season. Meanwhile, a few worried business owners are mobilizing to oppose any reduction in car driving or parking.

Public Meeting on 101 Corridor Project Scheduled
The last the public had a good look at this project was 5 years ago. Now, they’re scheduled to ask the Coastal Commission for approval in San Diego in June, and they’re holding this local meeting next Tuesday (at the Commission’s request) to get more local input.

Annie & Mary Trail Events Next Week
The City of Arcata will be hosting another workshop on plans for its portion of the proposed Annie & Mary Trail on Tuesday, April 23, at 5:30pm at the Hampton Inn in Valley West. Before that, on Monday from noon to 6pm, there will be a pop-up demonstration of trail design ideas near the skate park on Sunset Ave.

Take the Local Mobility-on-Demand Survey!
And come to workshops on May 1 & 2 to have your voice heard.

Supes Agree: No Measure Z Road Funding
Funding maintenance and repair of our extensive road network remains a long-term challenge – one that seems increasingly unsolvable.

Pedal to the Pancakes!
A group ride to a Moose lodge Swedish pancake breakfast is scheduled for this Sunday – a prelude to Bike Month.

“Streets for All” Coalition Founded
Bike, scooter and pedestrian advocates team up.

Scooter Solutions?
San Francisco was one of the first cities to experience a proliferation of e-scooters, and one of the first to experience the backlash. Now, a one-year pilot program to regulate them is being called a success.

Lessons from Barcelona’s “Superblock” Experiments
Cities around the world are watching closely. Just think of the block parties!

Freeways Without Futures
The Congress for the New Urbanism released the list, which includes I-980 in Oakland and I-5 in Portland. Meanwhile, the online environmental publication Grist takes a deep dive into the history of I-980 and the new attempts to tear it down.

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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 Collector

April 12, 2019

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North Coast Railroad Authority Finally Settles Lawsuits
At long last, the NCRA has given up its quixotic quest to revive the railroad and avoid environmental scrutiny. Its Board now claims to be gung-ho about a transition to a Great Redwood Trail authority. Meanwhile, committees in the state legislature are moving forward budget amendments that would allocate $3 million to help carry out the transition.

Eureka Zoning Code Update Proposes Big Changes
Following up on the new General Plan, city staff are proposing a new zoning code with lots of incentives for infill development and a significant shift in focus away from car-centric planning and toward more accommodation of pedestrian, bike and bus modes. The city’s Planning Commission had been scheduled to hold a first hearing on the new code this week, but that hearing has been delayed until April 23rd.

The Village is Back
The latest iteration of the Arcata infill housing project (we lost count of the number of versions it’s been through a long time ago) seems to come in under Arcata Mayor Brett Watson’s previously stated limit of about 600 beds. Will he and the rest of the Council finally give it their stamp of approval? If built, the project could boost Arcata’s walkability quite a bit.

Can We Have Dense Mixed-Use Development in Unincorporated Communities?
Last week, the Humboldt County Planning Commission discussed rural and wild land zoning regulation changes. Next week, they’re discussing mixed use zoning in urban and small-town areas. Meanwhile, the County has planned a new round of public workshops on its Housing Element update.

County Economic Development Summit Planned for Next Week
Guess what will be a major topic of conversation? Transportation, of course.

Learn About the Health Benefits of Biking – In Spanish and English
The event is happening this weekend in Fortuna.

CRTP Seeks New Board Members
Could one of them be you?

Co-op Promotes Shopping by Bike
Full disclosure: CRTP Executive Director Colin Fiske is also the current President of the North Coast Co-op. But he swears he didn’t know anything about this super-cool article until it was published.

More on Congestion Pricing and Equity
It’s a tricky subject, given that low-income communities and communities of color are less likely to be served by high-quality public transit – but more likely to ride it. Still, everyone seems to be converging on an agreement that something like congestion pricing is necessary in many cities.

Quantifying Improvements to Public Spaces
It’s possible!

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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 Collector

April 5, 2019

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Unmet Transit Needs Report Gets First Review
The Humboldt County Association of Governments’ Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met yesterday and took on a slew of important topics. Arguably the most significant item was its review of the proposed annual Unmet Transit Needs report from the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council. The SSTAC found that there are two unmet transit needs which are “reasonable to meet” – meaning under state law they’ll have to be met. The first is an additional bus stop in southwest Eureka; the second is limited Saturday bus service to Blue Lake.

Planning Commission Continues Consideration of Zoning Changes
This week, the Humboldt County Planning Commission weighed proposed changes to the zoning code text related to timber lands and other rural and wild areas. On April 18th, they are scheduled to take on the proposed new mixed-use zones, which are meant to encourage pedestrian-oriented development in the centers of established communities.

Winter Road Repair Bill Adds Up
The cost of repairing this season’s road damage in Humboldt County is estimated at $20 million. Meanwhile, the Measure Z Citizen’s Advisory Committee has rejected the Public Works Department’s $3.5 million request for road repairs.

Coastal Commission Staff Not Impressed with Trinidad Casino Proposal
Among the objections raised is the unclear relation to the proposed new Highway 101 interchange which would serve the project.

CRTP to Lead McKinleyville-Arcata Practice Bike Commute
Rain or shine, join us on Saturday for a beautiful ride through the Arcata Bottoms!

Trails Summit Scheduled for May
The free public event in Arcata will feature information about local trail projects and comments from Senator Mike McGuire about the Great Redwood Trail.

Friends of the Eel River Leads Great Redwood Trail Hike
Some members of the public got to tour a remote stretch of railroad right-of-way in the Eel River Canyon that will someday host part of the Great Redwood Trail.

Harbor District Calls for Emergency Dredging
Another chapter in the never-ending Humboldt Bay dredging saga.

More Evidence that Death While Walking is On the Rise
The disturbing nationwide trend of increasing pedestrian fatalities shows no sign of abating.

Imagine a City Where Car Parking is Removed to Make Way for Bike Parking
That’s Amsterdam!

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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.