appendix A: Public participation workshop summary

PUBLIC WORKSHOP OUTREACH

Community participation and input was solicited through a variety of media and direct means, including:

·        Fliers announcing both local and regional workshops were hung in each community. For outlying communities, fliers were mailed to contacts with community or government organizations to be distributed and hung. Fliers were also made available on the project website, www.altaplanning.com.

·        Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were made on KHSU, KHUM, KSLG, KMUD and KINS.

·        Weekly newspapers and monthly newsletters ran PSAs: Eureka Times-Standard, Eureka Reporter, North Coast Journal, Arcata Eye, McKinleyville Press, Humboldt Beacon, and The Independent. News letters included Wheel People (HBBCA) and the Senior News

·        Articles about the workshops were printed in the Times-Standard, Arcata Eye and McKinleyville Press.

·        Paid newspaper advertisements were printed for two consecutive Sundays in the Times –Standard. 

·        Broadcast email PSAs were sent to hundreds of interested individuals and groups. Email addresses were used from sign up sheets at previous local bicycling events, Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters, Bigfoot Bicycle Club, HSU Alternative Transportation Club, and NRS data).

·        The ‘workshops’ took the form of an agenda item on some city council agendas (smaller cities), and was notified and publicized by standard means as such.

·        Coordinated with Alta on making the survey and bikeability checklist available online.

·        Surveys were widely distributed via email, on the internet, results from which will be summarized in a separate report.

 

PUBLIC WORKSHOP INPUT

Public workshops were conducted in three ways: as city council agenda items (Trinidad, Ferndale and Blue Lake), as a committee or community meeting agenda item (Arcata and Rio Dell), and as ‘stand-alone’ workshops (Eureka, Willow Creek, McKinleyville, Fortuna, Manila/Samoa and Southern Humboldt (Avenue of the Giants and Garberville/Redway).

 

 

 

Meeting Summaries

 

Trinidad, February 11th, City Council Meeting

·        Bike rack needed at school

·        Directional signing needed for touring cyclists and possibly 'bike friendly community' signage

·        Bike lanes, route or improved shoulder along Westhaven Drive

                                                                                                             

Arcata, February 17th, Transportation Safety Committee Meeting

·        Most residents looking to master plan to be guiding document

·        Develop bicycle boulevards

·        Pacific Coast Bike Route - reroute to come through town

·        Utilize bicycle 'shared arrow' stencils on bike routes

·        Better connections across SR 101 between Sunnybrae and downtown

·       More covered bike parking

·       Regional bicycle connections to/from the community very important

-       Class I on Arcata-Eureka corridor

-       Extend Hammond Trail into Arcata City Limits

-       Annie & Mary corridor to Blue Lake

·        Improved entrance/access into town when riding north on 101 from Eureka

·        Wider shoulders on SR 255 between Jackson Ranch and V Street

·         ‘Share the Road’ education for kids and adults

 

Eureka, February 24th, Adorni Center Meeting Room                                                                                   11 attendees

Programs

·        Law enforcement is important: education about correct/safe/legal riding – especially folks riding against traffic

·        Police really need to address and enforce bike safety… it’s a problem

·        In Eureka, it is legal to ride on sidewalks – maybe just for young kids (?)… which is problem if they’re riding against traffic for driveway conflicts

·        Education is for kids important – especially on-road training programs

·        Education for City staff and elected officials about merits of non-motorized transportation and a balanced multi-modal transportation system

·        Provide incentives/awards for developers that construct good bike facilities – parking at WinCo is a good example: protected island of bike parking in front

Policy, Standards & Maintenance

·        New developments should be required to provide bike parking

·        Bike parking design standards - covered, located where safe and visible, easy to use

·        Incentives for businesses to provide secured bike parking to employees

·        Bike racks at tourist/rec facilities in town (i.e. Boardwalk – 71 benches and not one bike rack)

·        More bike parking at major shopping areas (i.e new Borders at the mall)

·        Better policies to strongly provide/design for bike & ped …city does not follow existing polices – need to provide support to elected officials to encourage and enforce (clarify if/what policies exist in the City)

·        Bike lanes or shoulders are only as good as they are cleaned – motorists get mad if you’re in lane   (Old Arcata Rd, Elk River Rd. for example)

·        Incentive to sweep more regularly: BMP for stormwater management

·        Storm drain traps are viciously dangerous in the dark: need to ensure paving projects don’t continue to create these hazards

Facilities

·        H & I Streets need… bike lanes, traffic calming

·        Need to establish clear routes between downtown and other areas of the City:

-       Easy and clear route to Old Town from other parts of city  – need a connected route across 101, since bike lane on J Street ends at County jail

·        South Eureka: circuitous Little Fairfield – Pine Hill route is relatively flat … needs clarification for cyclists, like shared arrow (also Union route? more topography though)

·        Bike network (Class I, II, III) in the City should provide for different levels of riders

·        Class I route between Eureka and Arcata

·        Headwaters Access            Bottom of Elk River Rd. needs better sweeping and access for bicycles

·        Keeping shoulders/bike lanes clean of debris should be a priority

·        Kids ride from Humboldt Hill to mall – between Herrick & mall & Harrison - keep bike lanes clean & clear                

·        Buhne needs bike lanes, between J and G is tight ROW, look at creative ideas

-       10 ft. lanes and shared arrow or wide shoulders with fog lines for continuity with bike lanes on other sections of street?

·        Continue Harris bike lanes to Fairgrounds and Hall to Old Arcata Road

Intersections Needing Treatment

·        Confusion with motorists about how and where to stop for bikes/peds at all unmarked intersections like 2nd, 3rd on 101 and in Old Town

·        Harrison crossing Harris – intersection can be difficult for bikes

·        West & Myrtle

·        Wabash & 101 & Fairfield – very difficult for bikes

·        V Street & 101 southbound - especially when 101/4th become 3 lanes

·        So. Broadway - No northbound left turn at Truesdale – too many left turn opportunities – no need to have so much left turn freedom in that area

Other communities

·        Fortuna needs an ‘on-bike’ audit … created bike lanes where it was easy, not good consistency or connectivity

·        Bike lanes around region exhibit major inconsistencies with state standards - makes local governments vulnerable to lawsuits

·        Avenue of the Giants: Class I parallel to Highway 254

·        State Parks need to consider bicycle transportation and recreation needs in their planning – should be including Avenue of the Giants trail system in their planning efforts

·        Manila: needs center median, residents want narrower highway lanes

 

Willow Creek, February 26thst, St. Joseph Resource Center                                                 1 attendee

·        Class I (or II) facility from town to school and park - also in ped needs study

·        Bike racks on KTNet buses

·        Safety education – ‘Share the Road’ on SR 299 and SR 96

 

McKinleyville, March 3rd, Village Pantry Restaurant                                                       6 attendees

Programs

·        Improved respect on the roads for cyclists - 'Share the road' education

Policy, Standards & Maintenance

·        New developments need to pay for connectivity of non-motorized facilities near each site: they generate the need to walk or bike to that location, they should provide the facility (i.e. School Road development should have covered at least some of the cost to improve School Road… they said they wouldn’t use it for truck access, but that’s now not true)

·        Enforcement: parking in bike lanes is a problem in places

·        Connectivity – lots of dead end roads that could work better for bike/ped if small connections were improved – McK Community Plan is supposed to address these issues (?) – need policies to ensure bike access between neighborhoods

·        Look into 'end of road' parcels that have utility easements and could connect to other roads for bike/ped, but no ped/bike access currently specified (i.e. parcels on West Cochran)

·        MCSD can’t maintain what it’s got; residents want more Class I, but maintenance funding needs to be addressed

·        Revolving fund at county level (and each city?) for facility development and maintenance

-                    Setup fund to pay for projects & that then get refunded by development later

-                    Per development assessment for trails and open space?

-                    Headwaters Fund monies to establish?

Facilities

·        Hiller Road is very wide, has high speeds and poor pavement - room for bike lanes at least east of the Hwy 

·        Hiller Road will have a huge increase in motorized and non motorized traffic with the completion of the new sports complex

·        School Road has narrow sections, commercial traffic, high speeds, poor sight distance on hill, Hwy on and off ramps and is one of the main east/west routes across Hwy, as well as, a major connection point to the Hammond Trail

·        Railroad Ave also has high speeds and is a main school route.

·        Central Avenue from School Road south to 101 (between School Rd. and Bella Vista) most dangerous in town due to lack of shoulder and high speeds

·        Dow’s Prairie/Grange: narrow, poor pavement

·        Crossing 101 on School Road is dangerous

·        School and Hiller have been consistently identified as priorities for years, but not addressed

·        Bike lanes will be built on McK Ave. when it’s extended out to Central within next two years

·        U racks at Hiller Park being removed by MCSD out due to concerns about liability - attractive nuisance - kids swing on them

·        Nursery Rd. has bike lanes, but does not connect - only place to park is in bike lanes

·        Non -motorized connection from neighborhoods to the back of the Middle School - currently students must go out to Central (See connectivity above)

·        Mid-Town trail needs signage improvements, and it’s not working well – one area, sight lines impaired - designed poorly

 

Ferndale, March 4th, City Council Meeting

·        Bike safety and advocacy education needed for both kids and adults

·        Fernbridge is dangerous for cyclists – potential solution: add flashing warning light (i.e. Mad River bridge) that cyclists can activate when crossing

·        ‘Share the road’ campaign needed for rural routes

·        Bike lanes or bike routes needed to schools: Arlington and 5th Street

 

Fortuna, March 8th, Rohner Park Recreation Hall                                                             5 attendees

Programs

·        Bike safety education – kids don’t wear helmets and don’t really know how to ride in town

·        Parents don't let kids walk or ride due to concerns about safety

Policy, Standards & Maintenance

·        Kenmar/Riverwalk is scary for bike/peds - needs lights, better shoulders or lanes, striping

·        South side or Riverwalk in County jurisdiction - coordination needed

·        Bike lane painting faded in areas downtown on Main – faded between bulb outs

·        Need more bike parking in general – not available at most shopping areas

Facilities

·        Expand Riverwalk Trail – though it’s outside city limits (include this area as city annexes)

-                    ped & bike can go to mouth of Van Duzen

·        Interest in Carlotta Rail-Trail (Hwy 36): could connect with south extension of Riverwalk trail

·        Fortuna Blvd./Riverwalk – new bike lane, County jurisdiction on South side of road.

·        Big highway/12th St. intersection: lots of bike/ped issues: bridge is biggest constraint; needs some kind of improvement

-                    At least improved fog line striping at minimum – critical for basic safety

-                    Cantilevered ped/bike facility or raised railing preferred

·        Ross Hill Rd. is “like a freeway” – city has considered making it two lanes with traffic calming, support for this idea

-                    Needs new bike lanes – will be a lot of new development soon, should take down to two lanes

·        Fernbridge to Fortuna – old highway is a ‘death trap’ – no shoulders and poor pavement

·        Old highway to Loleta: good bike route, but not currently open - provide wide fog lane/shoulders and connect to Hookton Rd.

·        Hookton Road should have better shoulders or bike lanes… with old highway would make a good route between Fortuna and CR

·        Rohnerville Rd. between First & Redwood needs lanes

·        Drake Hill Rd. (1/2 is county) needs lanes

·        Kenwood Rd. needs bike lanes

·        When Newburg re-surfaced, include bike lanes

·        Redwood Way needs bike lanes– is bridge constraint ? is there enough width? has no parking so should not be too hard. Open space around is slated for development. Traffic will greatly increase soon.

 

Blue Lake, March 9th, City Council Meeting

·        Safety education program - both adults and kids need to wear helmets

·        Subsidized helmet program

·        ‘Share the road’ campaign

·        Develop A&M Rail-Trail adjacent to South Railroad in town, then connect to Arcata

·        Between Arcata & Eureka: need Class I, or widen shoulders on 255

·        Add bike lanes throughout Blue Lake – at least white fog lines to tell kids where to be

·        Like ‘shared arrow’ stencils – would help highlight the “right” of cyclists to be there

·        Bike library in Blue Lake could function as education center for youth & adults

·        Bike racks needed at Dell’Arte, Post Office and baseball field

·        Provide more alternatives to autos

Blue Lake Trails Group Priorities (separate input)

·        Arcata to Korbel on Annie & Mary Rail-Trail

·        East Mad River Levee connection to Rail-Trail to make a loop

·        Public easement & accessway to connect at end of Acacia to Railroad Avenue

 

Rio Dell, March 10th, Rio Dell Community Action Forum (at Elementary School)                     12 attendees

·        Bike warning lights on bridges (i.e. the Mad River Bridge) work well (needed on Fernbridge, 101 Eel River bridge, maybe Scotia bridge)

·        Riding on highways: on- and off-ramps are challenges; maybe improved 'Bike Lane x-ing’ signage or marking could help

·        101/36 intersection in Alton area is a big challenge for cyclists

·        Kids don’t use helmets; need to enforce – police have tried, enforced heavy, got helmet grant & gave them out (has come up in ReCAP and at school)

·        More options for recreational riding around town

·        Off-highway multi-use path between Fortuna & Rio Dell – extend Riverwalk south (and connect to old railroad grade along Highway 36 through Carlotta)

·        Need to redesign bike lane in front of school: dangerous, conflicts with parking, only one side of street (school was not able to give design input on that project)

·        Bike lanes on:

-        Wildwood                    –   Center

-        Davis                           –   Ireland

     Shared arrow route on:

-        Bellevue                      –   Painter

-        Pacific (shared arrow)                                     –   Edwards (lane or shared arrows)

-        Bike trail connection to Gunnerson or Hilltop

·        Formalize the multi-use path to behind school - starting on Davis