Police Stops, Car Crashes and Parking Enforcement

The Collector

July 17, 2020


County Enforcement of Encroachment Permits Starts Today
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal announced this week that his office will start enforcement procedures against businesses that have moved dining tables or retail operations into parking areas without a permit. We have a couple of questions: (1) Is keeping parking spaces free of obstructions really a top priority for the county right now? (2) Even if officials for some reason think the answer to question #1 is “yes,” does it really need to be done by gun-toting law enforcement officers? If this is what police departments are spending their time on, maybe a little de-funding doesn’t seem so radical.

Alert: Driving Is Really Dangerous
We don’t cover most local car crashes in The Collector, partly because there are just so many of them. But a number of major crashes made the news this week, and sometimes it’s worth a reminder that driving is just a really dangerous activity.

Arcata Police Department Moves Ahead with Some Reforms
Meanwhile, Eureka continues to devote half its budget to police. Unmentioned in most reports on police reform, but critical to remember, is that the vast majority of police encounters with members of the public happen on the street – in car lanes, in bike lanes, on the shoulder or on the sidewalk. The recently introduced federal BREATHE Act would, for example, prohibit “pretextual stops and ‘consent’ searches.”

Eureka City Council to Discuss Tax Renewal
The city’s “Supplemental Transactions and Use Tax” is scheduled to expire, and its renewal will likely appear on November’s ballot. Tax revenues are used for a number of purposes, including building and maintaining transportation infrastructure.

Car Culture Restaurant Opens on Broadway
A drive-thru restaurant decided that it didn’t really need people to actually leave their vehicles, so it could open during the pandemic after all. Imagine that.

Tech Data: Humboldt Residents Are Moving Around More
But they’re not necessarily going to the same places they used to.

Reminder: Make Your Street Story Reports
If you see or experience a hazard, near-miss or collision on the street, make your Street Story report here. CRTP uses reports to advocate for change, and local agencies use them to apply for grants and prioritize improvements. Your reports are important!

DMV Lets Older Drivers Keep Their Licenses for a Year
Drivers over 70 are usually required to renew their licenses in person, in part to test their eyesight and otherwise confirm that they are still able to safely drive. Due to the pandemic, the California DMV is waiving that requirement for a year. We don’t want vulnerable seniors to have to visit a DMV office either, but please don’t forget: This isn’t just meaningless red tape – driving is dangerous!

A Conservative Argument to Abolish Single-Family Zoning
In the US, suburban single-family subdivisions have been associated with political conservatism for decades. But single-family zoning restricts property rights and the suburbs are dependent on massive federal highway subsidies for survival. Doesn’t sound too conservative, does it?

Local Elections and “The Disability Vote”
Local officials have a lot of influence over how accessible streets, roads and other public facilities are.

House Climate Report Incorporates Transportation and Land Use
It’s pretty unusual for a mainstream climate platform to address transportation with anything more than “let’s electrify all the cars.” So we are encouraged by the House Democrats’ report, which includes important measures like building more housing near transit and improving bicycle and pedestrian safety.


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.