ADT - Average
Daily Traffic
A&MRTS - Arcata
and Mad River Transit System
ATS - Advanced
Transportation System
BLA - Bicycle
Lane Account
Caltrans - California
Department of Transportation
CNG - Compressed
Natural Gas
COATS - California
Oregon Advanced Transportation System
CTC - California
Transportation Commission
DAR/DAL - Dial-A-Ride/Dial-A-Lift
DOT - Department
of Transportation
EEM - Environmental
Enhancement and Mitigation Program
ETS - Eureka
Transit Service
FCR - Flexible
Congestion Relief
FAS - Federal-Aid
Secondary
FTA - Federal
Transportation Administration
ITS – Intelligent
Transportation System
IRRS - Interregional
Roadway System
HCAOG - Humboldt
County Association of Governments
HOV - High
Occupancy Vehicle
HTA - Humboldt
Transit Authority
ITS - Intelligent
Transportation Systems
LNG - Liquid
Natural Gas
LOS - Level-of
-Service
LTF - Local
Transportation Fund
NCRA - North
Coast Railroad Authority
NCUAQMD - North Coast
Unified Air Quality Management District
NHS - National
Highway System
OWP - Overall
Work Program
PM - Particulate
Matter
PPM - Parts
Per Million
PSR - Project
Study Report
RCR – Route
Concept Report
RTIP - Regional
Transportation Improvement Program
RTP - Regional
Transportation Plan
RTPA - Regional
Transportation Planning Agency
RTS - Redwood
Transit System
SAFE - Service
Authority for Freeway Emergencies
SAFETEA-LU Safe
Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
SB 45 - Senate
Bill 45
SHOPP - State
Highway Operation and Protection Program
SR - State
Route
STAA Truck - Surface
Transportation Assistance Act Truck
STIP - State
Transportation Improvement Program
TDA - Transportation
Development Act
TEA-21 - Transportation
Equity Act 21st Century
TDM - Transportation
Demand Management
TSM - Transportation
Systems Management
ADT (Average
Daily Traffic)
A
measure of the daily (24-hour period) average amount of traffic generated from
a source, utilizing a route or corridor, and/or arriving at, or through, a
destination or point.
A&MRTS (Arcata and Mad River Transit
Service)
ATS (Advanced Transportation System)
ATS
strategies enhance safety; improve the movement of people, goods, services and
information; increase travel information and promote trip enhancement.
Bicycle Facility Classification System
|
Separated,
surfaced right-of-way designated exclusively for non-motorized use. The
minimum width for each direction is 1.5 meters, with a 2.4 meter minimum
width for a bi-directional path. |
||
|
Bike Lane |
Class II |
White stripe and Bike Lane sign on roadway
providing 1.5 meters of road surface for preferential bicycle use (not
including gutter). Vehicle parking adjacent to and motorist crossflow is
allowed. Bike lanes must be on both sides of a two-way road for one-way
travel only. |
|
Bike Route |
Class III |
Shared roadway with motorists on through
routes not served by Class I or II bikeways or to connect discontinuous
bikeways. Established by a Bike Route sign. |
BLA (Bicycle Lane Account)
Federal
funding program for roadway-related bicycle facilities enhancements; will
increase from $1 million to $5 million by the year 2004.
Caltrans (California Department of
Transportation)
The
state level department responsible for oversight of the statewide multi-modal
transportation system, maintenance of the State Highway System, and other
related tasks as assigned by the California State Government.
CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)
Natural
gas compressed to a pressure of between 3,000 pounds per square inch (psi) (for
light duty vehicles) and 3,600 psi (for transit vehicles).
CTC (California Transportation Commission)
The CTC is an 11-member state commission
appointed by the Governor. The CTC
advises and assists the state legislature and the administration in formulating
and evaluating state policies and plans for transportation programs in
California. Special responsibilities include adopting a STIP, preparing the
Biennial Report to the Legislature concerning significant transportation
issues, and evaluating the proposed state transportation budget.
DAR/DAL (Dial-A-Ride/Dial-A-Lift)
DOT (Department of Transportation)
EEM (Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation
Program)
A competitive grant program, administered
through the CTC and Caltrans, which makes $10 million available annually for
mitigation of impacts from transportation related projects. Several types of
projects are eligible for funding, including bicycle facilities and signage.
ETS (Eureka Transit Service)
FCR (Flexible Congestion Relief)
A
new State Highway Account (SHA) program element for funding in the new 7-year
State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to help alleviate traffic
congestion.
FAS (Federal-Aid Secondary Standards)
Federal
road standards that apply to certain designated rural roads and minor state
highways for which Federal-Aid Secondary Funds are spent. These have become
part of the new Surface Transportation Program under ISTEA.
FC (Functional Classification)
A
designation for each roadway describing its general characteristics in terms of
its function within the overall roadway system. Examples include local roads,
minor and major collectors, minor and principal arterials.
FTA (Federal Transit Authority)
ITS (Intelligent Transportation System)
ITS
is the use of computer and communications technologies to improve safety,
productivity, and mobility even while traffic congestion increases.
IRRS (Interregional Roadway System)
The
IRRS is a series of interregional state highway routes outside of urbanized
areas. They provide access to and
between the state's economic centers, major recreational areas, and urban and
rural regions.
IRRS Program
An
SHA program element for funding improvements on the IRRS. Improvement projects for this program
must be chosen from a 10-year IRRS Plan submitted by Caltrans to the California
State Legislature in February of 1990.
Programming will be authorized by the biennial CTC adopted STIP.
HCAOG (Humboldt County Association of
Governments)
The
HCAOG is established under requirements of State Government Code and is
composed of representatives from the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, City
Councils of the seven incorporated Cities, and the Humboldt Transit Authority.
The primary functions of HCAOG
are:
(1) development and
yearly accomplishment of the overall work program (OWP);
(2) biennial preparation
of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP);
(3) LTF funds
administration according to the Transportation Development Act (TDA); and
(4) preparation of an
biennial Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP).
HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle)
HTA (Humboldt Transit Authority)
LNG (Liquid Natural Gas)
Natural
gas with cryogenic (very low temperature) properties of the fuel. (LNG is maintained at a temperature of
–261 degrees Fahrenheit.)
LOS (Levels-of -Service)
A
qualitative measure of traffic operating conditions whereby a letter grade,
"A" through "F", corresponding to progressively worsening
traffic conditions, is assigned to an intersection or section of roadway
Local Roads
The
rural local road system should have the following characteristics (1) serves
primarily to provide access to adjacent land (2) provides service for travel
over relatively short distances as compared to collectors or arterial systems.
Local roads constitute the rural mileage not classified as arterial or
collector.
LTF (Local Transportation Funds)
TDA
funding, which is derived from state sales taxes are generally referred to as
LTF; also, the actual repository account fund for these revenues is at the
Humboldt County Auditors - Controllers office.
MJC (Major Collector) (Applicable to State
Highways in this plan)
Major
collectors should:
(1) provide service to any
County seat not on an arterial route, to the larger towns not directly served
by the higher road systems, and to other traffic generators of equivalent
intra-county importance, such as consolidated schools, shipping points, County
parks, important mining and agricultural areas, etc;
(2) link these places with nearby larger
towns or cities, or with routes of higher classification; and,
(3) serve the more important intra-county
travel corridors.
MNC (Minor Collector) (Applicable to State
Highways in this plan)
Minor
collectors should:
(1) be spaced at intervals,
consistent with population density, to collect traffic from local roads and
bring all developed areas within a reasonable distance of a collector road;
(2) provide service to the remaining smaller
communities; and,
(3) link the locally important traffic
generators with their rural hinterland minor arterial(s).
Minor Arterial (Applicable to State Highways
in this plan)
In
Humboldt County the "Minor Arterial" system consists basically of
most state highways, although some new or existing streets and roads may
achieve minor arterial status as the cities and the county grows. Minor arterials constitute routes whose
design should be expected to provide for relatively high overall travel speeds,
with minimum interference to through movement.
NCRA (North Coast Railroad Authority)
NCUAQMD (North Coast Unified Air Quality
Management District)
NHS (National Highway System)
The
National Highway System, which is a system of roadways of national significance.
These roads would be eligible for additional funding under TEA-21.
OWP (Overall Work Program)
Annual
work programs that are prepared by local transportation commissions for the
purpose of applying for regional planning funds and other financial resources
for the continuous development of regional transportation plans and operation
of the transportation system.
PA (Principal Arterial) (Applicable to State
Highways in this plan)
Principal arterials are routes of state and
regional significance whose design should provide for relatively high travel
speeds with minimum interference to the through movement.
PPM
(parts per million)
"Reasonableness Criteria"
The
criteria used to determine if an identified unmet transit need is reasonable to
serve using TDA funds as established by the RTPA pursuant to Section 99401.5
(c) of the State Government Code.
RTIP (Regional Transportation Improvement
Program)
Document
adopted biennially by RTPAs to present transportation improvement funding
request to the California Transportation Commission. Replaced the rural county
"fact sheet" and comments on Caltrans PSTIP beginning with the 1992
STIP. This 7-Year program must be submitted to the CTC by December 15 of odd
numbered years.
RTP (Regional Transportation Plan)
The
transportation planning document required by Section 65080 let. seq.) of the
State Government Code " Directed at the achievement of a coordinated and
balanced regional transportation system" within the area of responsibility
of the recognized RTPA. With the passage of SE 1435 in 1992, the due date for
the RTP is December l of even numbered years.
RTPA (Regional Transportation Planning
Agency)
The
regional transportation planning agency established by Government Code Section
29532; the RTPA in Humboldt County is the HCAOG.
Senate Bill 45 (SB 45)
SB
45 states that each transportation planning agency designated under Section
29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan
directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation
system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad,
maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and
services.
SHS (State Highway System)
SHOPP (State Highway Operation and Protection
Program)
A
state program to rehabilitate and improve safety and operational
characteristics on the SHS. SHOPP programs are not included in the STIP and are
not counted against county minimums.
SR (State Route)
State Subvention Funds
Transportation
planning funds made available to each RTPA under Section 99311.5 of the State
Government Code for preparation of RTPs and RTIPs.
STAA Truck
Surface
Transportation Assistance Act Trucks of the following lengths:
Tractor-trailer
combinations in excess of 65 feet; Semi truck and single axle trailer
combinations with kingpin to rear axle length in excess of 38 feet; Semi truck
and double axle trailer combinations with kingpin to rear axle length in excess
of 38 feet; Trucks with double trailer combinations in excess of 75 feet.
STIP (State Transportation Improvement
Program)
The
STIP represents the greatest share of state and federal transportation dollars,
and has been significantly affected by SB 45. This program contains four years
of funding and is updated every two years. In 1998 a supplemental funding
process added $1.3 billion worth of projects to the overall program. New
funding after this supplement may not be programmed again until after the year
2000.
TDA (Transportation Development Act)
A
pool of funds from a 0.25% of the general sales tax established by SE 325 for
local transportation purposes, e.g., community level bus service, bikeways,
transportation planning, and streets and roads. TDA funds can be spent on
streets and roads if and only if there are no reasonable unmet transit needs.
TEA-21 (Transportation Efficiency Act for the
21st Century)
Federal
legislation which established a multi-modal surface transportation program,
supported comprehensive transportation and systems planning, and allowed for
the flexible use of selected Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) grant programs.
Traffic Calming
Transportation
techniques, programs, or facilities intended to slow the movement of motor
vehicles in order to better accommodate other modes and increase safety.
Examples may include medians or bulb outs.
TDM (Transportation Demand Management)
TSM (Transportation Systems Management)
Short-range
improvements to maximize the efficiency of the existing transportation system;
includes traffic engineering, public transportation, traffic regulations,
pricing structures, bicycle usage, and operational improvements not requiring
construction of additional through lanes.
Unmet Needs Hearing
Hearings
that are required to be held annually by the RTPA to determine whether or not
there are any unmet transit needs that can reasonably be met before TDA funds
may be used for streets and roads purposes (see Section 99401.5 and 99401.6,
California Government Code).
The following is
a compilation of comments received at the three public workshops held in
January 2006 in Garberville, Willow Creek, and Eureka, as well as written comments
submitted directly to HCAOG (up until February 17th, 2006.). Comments were received from individuals
in Willow Creek, Hoopa, Arcata, Garberville, Miranda, Eureka, Ferndale,
Fortuna, Manila, Cutten, Bayside, Orick, Klamath, Redway, and Shelter Cove.
These comments
are all in response to the question ÒWhat do you think should be addressed in
the 2006 Humboldt County Regional Transportation Plan?Ó
Comments have
been sorted into the standard RTP mode and transportation determinants
categories: Roadways, Transit, Aviation, Bike and Pedestrian, Goods Movement,
Recreational Travel, Transportation Management, Pipelines and Energy
Conservation, Land Use and Transportation, and Air Quality. Some sub-categories
were created under these to help make for easier review of the many comments
received. In
addition, other categories such as Telecommunications, Governance, Other
Recommendations, and Background Information were created to facilitate the
organization of comments received.
Comments with an
Ò*Ó appear under two or more topic headings. This redundancy is to help insure
that cross-cutting ideas are considered wherever appropriate in preparing the
Plan update.
ROADWAYS
U.S.
101
- *Improvements to 101 that would allow STA
(longer length) trucks are important for the east county economy.
- A median divider on 101 along the Benbow
grade is needed to increase safety. The community is very concerned about the
number of accidents there.
- *Fix 101 at Confusion Hill so it is
reliably open.
- Create a safety corridor along 101 at
Alton -- that could be an alternative to an overpass.
- The 101 southbound on ramp from Central
Avenue is unsafe.
- Improve the levee (rail bed) that
protects 101 from Humboldt Bay tides and storms.
- Install night illumination and turn lanes
along SR 255 in Manila at intersections
State Route 299
- *Two sites on SR 299 west of Buckhorn
Summit need STA upgrades (these are relatively low-cost).
State Route 96
- Need a ÒWillow Creek storm-receptorÓ to
address SR 96 runoff that flows into WCCSD water intake. Approximately $80k
price tag.
- The Hoopa Tribe runs industrial vehicles
both ways on SR 96, along a 30 mile stretch. It needs a little widening in some
places for safety. Note also that
there is some future growth anticipated in Hoopa and Orleans.
- Support and fund the ÒHighway 96
corridorÓ project, through the Hoopa square.
State Route 169
- An SR169 connector to Klamath (the coast)
– is important for east-west travel. There is existing physical access,
via Simpson roads.
Hoopa Valley Roads
- Find a way for public access to be
available for Horse Linto Road (Hoopa Tribe jurisdiction). Uses include
recreation/scenic and as an emergency access route. The TribeÕs concern is accessibility for law enforcement
patrol, especially regarding timber theft.
- A possible new, easier access to Horse
Linto Rd. would be a bridge at Tish Tang or Campbell Field.
- Do a study for a bridge across the
Trinity River at the south end of Òthe blue slideÓ to south end of airport in
Hoopa.
- It would be nice if the roads in Hoopa
had the names painted on them at intersections. Currently, there are not any street signs.
- Many of the County roads need
improvements.
- The Shelter Cove Road could be improved
somewhat simply by providing some turnouts in key areas.
- Traveling to and from Southern Humboldt
(Shelter Cove) to see friends and family can be a safety issue because of poor
road conditions. A driver cannot
see potholes or other road damage in the dark. They are in horrible shape and need to be repaired.
- The roads in Southern Humboldt, Briceland
Road between Redway and Briceland, need to be repaired. Pot holes and slides have accumulated
to an unreasonable level during the recent storms.
- Redwood Drive between Garberville and
Redway needs improvements for safety and reliable use.
- There can be congestion at intersections
along Redwood Drive – challenging for turning and for pedestrians,
enforcement needed for motorists that block intersections (Garberville).
- *Trucks parking in the Redwood Drive
median affect pedestrian uses (Garberville).
- Roads in Southern Humboldt are in
desperate condition, Briceland Road, Shelter Cove Road, Honeydew, Avenue of the
Giants, Highway 101 North and South, the road between Redway and Garberville,
Alderpoint/Harris Road, Sprowel Creek Road, just to name a few need
repair. Please allocate money in
the budge to maintain Southern Humboldt Roads.
- Before you build new roads for new
people, letÕs take care of the ones weÕve got. We are having a building boom that has increased commercial
truck traffic. The SUV fad has
added to the need for wider roads, better turn-outs and smooth shoulders;
monster trucks are a way of life now.
Next summerÕs R.V. drivers will face our roads in the worst shape IÕve
ever seen them. Shelter Cove jetty
improvements will mean big wear and tear on the Shelter Cove Road, which is
already badly degraded. I have
also heard that Mercer/Frazier Asphalt Batch Plant in Piercy may not renew
their lease. That could mean a
substantial increase in the cost of maintaining Southern Humboldt roads in 2
years. Before you build new roads
for new people, letÕs take care of the ones weÕve got.
- All communities and neighborhoods should
have more than one ingress/egress road, for safety and for reliable access.
- *Roadway improvement projects should also
incorporate improvements for bicycles and pedestrians. (Example: the U.S. 101 at Myrtle Av.
project does not).
Parking
- Address automobile parking in the plan
– the provision of parking (or not) has a lot of ramifications on land
use, vehicle use, etc.
- Free or fee? Parking is a free facility provided by most municipalities
(meters have been removed in Arcata).
Install meters and use parking revenues to subsidize transit.
- In Garberville:
- More parking is needed.
- Address parking behavior: Many business
owners and employees park in front of stores rather than further away.
- *There is a big demand for parking during
events that bring a lot of people into the area, like Reggae on the River.
TRANSIT SERVICE
- There is a growing need for public
transportation options particularly for seniors but also for outlying
communities.
- Paratransit services need to be increased
to accommodate increasing numbers of seniors and people with disabilities.
- The Transportation Solutions forum lead
to improvements, more dial-a-ride vendors, however, current service providers
need to provide expanded service; and they need more funding to do so.
- Implementation of the state's Olmstead
Plan over the next few years will increase the need for transportation services
for persons with disabilities. (The "Olmstead" decision requires that
states are to reasonably accommodate new and improved efforts to prevent
unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with disabilities and to
facilitate or expand community-based services and support.)
- Access to health and education services
is especially important.
- Ferndale has no public transit system,
you have to get to Fernbridge to get a bus. There is a grant-funded paratransit service that is helping
to keep people living in their homes.
There is a demand from Rio Dell, Carlotta, and beyond.
- Special needs populations in Rio Dell,
Hydesville, and outlying areas, need transportation to doctorÕs appointments or
medical appointments.
- Transit is needed for Southern Humboldt,
more than the ÒQUAILÓ provides.
- How can Southern Humboldt develop
paratransit systems like Ferndale and Willow CreekÕs?
- There is a local van available, but a
driver and operating subsidy is needed.
- HTAÕs Willow Creek bus is great and
people are using it.
- Replace transit service dropped by
Greyhound.
- Transit services need to be expanded to
include Sundays and weeknights.
- Extend public transportation hours of
service.
- CouldnÕt there be at least one loop
between Fortuna and Trinidad for Sunday bus service?
- Build a light rail between Fortuna and
Trinidad.
- An alternative to Òlight railÓ: could be
to establish park and ride stops along 101 for ÒexpressÓ buses to get on and
off and speed up transit times along the 101 corridor.
- Establish express service during peak
hours on Arcata/Eureka RTS bus route.
- We need more bus service from outer areas
such as Manila to CR.
- Airport bus service, especially on
Sunday.
- The majority of buses run between HSU and
CR, we need a coordination of resources. Schedule RTS buses that work for
students and university employees
- We need a transit link for Willow
Creek-Weaverville (thence to Redding via existing service).
- FortunaÕs Senior Bus works very well, as
far as it goes, but itÕs very difficult to travel beyond city limits. Even if
seniors can get to a bus stop – which most canÕt – the RTS system
isnÕt geared to their needs.
- We need a local transit service between
Garberville and Redway.
- We need transit service out-of-County to
the north (i.e. to Oregon &/or Redding, etc.).
- We need a non-fixed route transportation
system to connect paratransit services with other rural areas, e.g., Brookings,
Willits.
- *Public transportation plays a key role
in getting many workers from home to work. These patterns need to be studied to
improve transportation options for them.
- The senior bus(es) should run until 6:00
or 7:00 p.m. so that seniors have a ride home from doctor appointments.
- Higher priority needs to be given to
evening and weekend transit service and reaching under-served areas (especially
Eastern and Southern Humboldt).
- Schedules and maps posted at bus stops
can be customized to the bus stop at which they are posted, indicating in clear
large type when busses stop. These
signs could also offer guide folks to common destinations (indicating when, for
example, busses leave from HSU Library Circle for the Arcata Plaza.)
- There is very little communication among
transit providers; more internal coordination is needed.
- *Utilize information connectivity:
addresses transportation needs in one central location, such as a website where
all transportation providers schedule, routes and fares are listed
- Improve coordination between bus systems,
e.g. for those making connections between RTS and ETS or A&MRTS. Investigate GPS technology some urban
transit systems are using to give bus riders real-time info on bus locations.
- Someone has to step up and begin
addressing a solution that knits together the municipalities and the County
into an integrated system that leaves no senior or disabled person behind.
- Consider research of a TMA format to
support and enable a host of TDM & transit efforts such as shared transit
vehicles, vanpools, employer and shopper shuttles, ride share programs &
incentives for improving rural access to services (as an alternate to transit,
such as bringing services to rural areas)
- Create a Eureka Transit Center!!
- Transit information resources on the web
could be improved with greater centralization of transit information. Currently, transit users must find
separate websites if they need to use different transit systems to get to their
destinations. The AMRTS website
has links to other transit information resources assembled by volunteer and
former HSU student Nathanial Kelso, now living in Washington DC. The website has not been updated with
new services, like the Blue Lake Rancheria Transit System schedule. The HTA website, representing both ETS
and RTS, which should function as a hub website, doesnÕt have links to any
other transit resources. Even if
transit websites were better linked together, it is still difficult for users
to read schedules and figure out how and where and at what times they should
transfer between busses and transit systems. Fortunately, Google is offering a service called Google
Transit that helps transit users plan trips across multiple routes and systems
with ease, simply by entering their origination and destination points, and the
time at which they need to arrive.
- Creating a centralized transit information
resource that links to Google Transit for Humboldt County will mean that the
URL can be confidently printed on transit system literature. It will also allow schedules and routes
to be easily referenced on other websites and in email messages.
- Any opportunities for transit providers
to promote services should be utilized; transit providers should do much more
marketing than they currently do.
- The business community and transportation
providers should work together to provide incentives for workers to ride the
bus, which would ultimately increase ridership.
- HSU and CR should help subsidize cost of
bus tickets for staff.
- Negotiate with HSU (& CR) to
implement UPass, a universal transit pass for students.
- HSU and CR could help create park &
ride and shuttle facilities throughout their territory. This could reduce the need for parking
on campus –existing lots that do not fill (e.g. Sunnybrae Center) could
be utilized.
- Develop a voucher system as an
alternative to transit, a system that would compensate private drivers who
provide a ride to someone (seniors, etc.) with a voucher that can be cashed in
for money.
- Look into something like a ÒjitneyÓ
service – a smaller fleet of vehicles for getting people downtown in Eureka.
- Transportation is always a top need for
seniors. They often say they canÕt
get to a bus stop. A ÒjitneyÓ is a
good idea.
- Could using smaller buses help ÒsolveÓ
some problems?
- Large employers and schools should be
encouraged to work with transit agencies to improve service.
- *A Òswipe cardÓ for transit -- some kind
of universal, easy-to-use ticket.
- Can existing systems be shared (all the
various buses and vans), so that all get used more?
- Look at Mend