101 Eureka Arcata Corridor Improvement Project A Green Wheels Perspective Alta Planning Redwood...

101 Eureka Arcata 101 Eureka Arcata Corridor Improvement Corridor Improvement

ProjectProject

A Green Wheels A Green Wheels PerspectivePerspective

Alta PlanningRedwood Transit Authority

101 a safety problem?101 a safety problem?

Bigger safety issue?Bigger safety issue?

Bigger safety issue?Bigger safety issue?All photos by Eureka Reporter

Bigger safety issue?Bigger safety issue?• Motor vehicles are top killer of Motor vehicles are top killer of

Californians aged 1 to 35.Californians aged 1 to 35.

• Equivalent of a 9/11 attack on Equivalent of a 9/11 attack on California every year.California every year.

• Mass transit is 10 times safer per Mass transit is 10 times safer per passenger mile.passenger mile.

• Pedestrians and cyclists are Pedestrians and cyclists are rarely killed in accidents that rarely killed in accidents that don’t include cars.don’t include cars.

Eureka Reporter

101 a safety problem?101 a safety problem?

• No fatal collisions at 50mph (since 2002).No fatal collisions at 50mph (since 2002).• Corridor is 3 times as safer than average.Corridor is 3 times as safer than average.• Collision rate at Indianola Cut-off is “average” Collision rate at Indianola Cut-off is “average”

((χχ22 = 0.288, df = 1, P = 0.591). = 0.288, df = 1, P = 0.591).• Speed limit still works.Speed limit still works.

Bigger safety issue?Bigger safety issue?All photos by Eureka Reporter

Will traffic increase by Will traffic increase by 50% over 25 years?50% over 25 years?

• Is this an accurate prediction?Is this an accurate prediction?• Is it desirable?Is it desirable?• What is the smartest way to deal What is the smartest way to deal

with increased travel demand?with increased travel demand?

Caltrans

Vehicle miles traveled are projected to increase 50% in 25 years. Note that the slope for projected increase is steeper than that from the historical data.

Humboldt County Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

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Population growth - 10%.

Humboldt County Population

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1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040

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Traffic – growth – 50%.

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Traffic – growth – 50%.

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HumCo per capita VMT

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Today: Today: 27 miles per day27 miles per dayIn 25 years:In 25 years: 38 miles per day!38 miles per day!

HumCo per capita VMT

02000400060008000

10000120001400016000

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040

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Today: Today: 27 miles per day27 miles per dayIn 25 years:In 25 years: 38 miles per day!38 miles per day!1/3 of people can’t drive:1/3 of people can’t drive: increase increase from 40 tofrom 40 to

57 miles per day!57 miles per day!

What About Eureka?What About Eureka?

Location Location LOSLOS

Broadway: Broadway: FF

44th th & 5 & 5thth St.: St.: EE

North of Myrtle:North of Myrtle:FF


2006 RTP2006 RTP


2006 RTP2006 RTPCommercialCommercial $1.10 million $1.10 million



Waterfront DriveWaterfront Drive $19.55 million$19.55 million




Widen BroadwayWiden Broadway $59.70 million$59.70 million





Parking structuresParking structures $35.50 million$35.50 million





Parking structuresParking structures $35.50 million$35.50 million

TotalTotal $115.85 million $115.85 million

Consistent w/ Caltrans Consistent w/ Caltrans Mission?Mission?

• ““Provide the safest transportation system Provide the safest transportation system in the nation for users and workers.”in the nation for users and workers.”

• Automobile dependent transportation Automobile dependent transportation system is #1 cause of death for people system is #1 cause of death for people aged 1-35.aged 1-35.

• Safety could more effectively be increased Safety could more effectively be increased through alternative modes through alternative modes improvements.improvements.


• ““Maximize transportation system Maximize transportation system performance and performance and accessibilityaccessibility.”.”

• Corridor is illegal for pedestrians, Corridor is illegal for pedestrians, dangerous for cyclists, and poorly dangerous for cyclists, and poorly served by transit.served by transit.


• ““Preserve and enhance California's Preserve and enhance California's resources and assets.”resources and assets.”

• Project destroys 13 to 15 acres of Project destroys 13 to 15 acres of wetlands.wetlands.


• ““888. The department shall not 888. The department shall not construct a state highway as a freeway construct a state highway as a freeway that will result in the severance or that will result in the severance or destruction of an existing major route destruction of an existing major route for non-motorized transportation traffic for non-motorized transportation traffic and light motorcycles, unless it and light motorcycles, unless it provides a reasonable, safe, and provides a reasonable, safe, and convenient alternate route or such a convenient alternate route or such a route exists.”route exists.”


• ““887.8. (b) Where the traffic safety 887.8. (b) Where the traffic safety or capacity of the highway would be or capacity of the highway would be increased, the department shall pay increased, the department shall pay for the construction and maintenance for the construction and maintenance of non-motorized transportation of non-motorized transportation facilities approximately paralleling facilities approximately paralleling the highway.”the highway.”


• Deputy Directive 64:Deputy Directive 64:– ““The Department fully considers the The Department fully considers the

needs of needs of non-motorized travelersnon-motorized travelers (including pedestrians, bicyclists, and (including pedestrians, bicyclists, and persons with disabilities) in persons with disabilities) in allall programming, planning, maintenance, programming, planning, maintenance, construction, operations and project construction, operations and project development activities and products.”development activities and products.”

Planning for all usersPlanning for all users

Consistent with Arcata Consistent with Arcata Plans?Plans?

• Arcata General Plan:Arcata General Plan:– ““POLICY T-1 BALANCED TRANSPORTATION POLICY T-1 BALANCED TRANSPORTATION

SYSTEM WITH CHOICE OF MODESSYSTEM WITH CHOICE OF MODES– Objective. Create and maintain a balanced Objective. Create and maintain a balanced

transportation system with choice of bus transportation system with choice of bus transit, bicycle, and pedestrian as well as transit, bicycle, and pedestrian as well as private automobile modes. private automobile modes. Reduce the Reduce the percentage of trips that are made by percentage of trips that are made by automobile and provide the opportunity automobile and provide the opportunity and facilities to divert trips from and facilities to divert trips from automobiles to other modes.”automobiles to other modes.”

Consistent with Arcata Consistent with Arcata Plans?Plans?• Arcata General Plan:Arcata General Plan:

– ““T-1a: Investment in alternative modes. In order to provide T-1a: Investment in alternative modes. In order to provide a realistic and cost-effective balance between travel modes, a realistic and cost-effective balance between travel modes, the City shall emphasize investment in the City shall emphasize investment in alternative modes alternative modes (bikeways, etc.) as a priority over increasing (bikeways, etc.) as a priority over increasing vehicular capacitiesvehicular capacities of streets.” of streets.”

– ““T-1c: Intercity travel. The City shall coordinate with T-1c: Intercity travel. The City shall coordinate with Humboldt County and Caltrans to provide adequate Humboldt County and Caltrans to provide adequate facilities for vehicles, buses, and bicycles to serve intercity facilities for vehicles, buses, and bicycles to serve intercity demand. Joint efforts may include transportation demand. Joint efforts may include transportation improvements outside of Arcata which serve intercity improvements outside of Arcata which serve intercity travel, travel, such as bicycle links, timed-transfer bus stops, such as bicycle links, timed-transfer bus stops, park-and-ride lots, and regional transit service and park-and-ride lots, and regional transit service and development of park-and-ride lots in Arcata to development of park-and-ride lots in Arcata to reduce intercity vehicular travel.reduce intercity vehicular travel.””

Consistent with Arcata Consistent with Arcata Plans?Plans?• Arcata General Plan:Arcata General Plan:

– ““T-4a…T-4a…– 2. No additional travel lanes. The City does not 2. No additional travel lanes. The City does not

support development of any additional support development of any additional through-travel lanes to State Routes 101, 299, through-travel lanes to State Routes 101, 299, or 255 or 255 in Arcata or nearby areas.in Arcata or nearby areas. Existing Existing and projected traffic volumes do not warrant and projected traffic volumes do not warrant additional lanes on these facilities.additional lanes on these facilities.

– 3. Auxiliary lanes. 3. Auxiliary lanes. The City does not supportThe City does not support construction of auxiliary lanes between construction of auxiliary lanes between existing interchanges, or existing interchanges, or any new any new interchanges, on State Route 101interchanges, on State Route 101. .


• Arcata Ped. and Bike Plan:Arcata Ped. and Bike Plan:– ““Work towards a 50% mode share of all trips Work towards a 50% mode share of all trips

beginning and ending in Arcata, made by non-beginning and ending in Arcata, made by non-motorized modes by year 2020.”motorized modes by year 2020.”

– ““Provide bicycle connections outside of the city Provide bicycle connections outside of the city limits, linking important destinations like limits, linking important destinations like Eureka with Arcata.”Eureka with Arcata.”

Consistent w/ HumCo Consistent w/ HumCo Plans?Plans?

• 2006 HumCo RTP2006 HumCo RTP

– ““GoalGoal: Build, maintain a safe and : Build, maintain a safe and efficient highways, roadways, and efficient highways, roadways, and streets system that will streets system that will accommodate accommodate and balance multiple modes of and balance multiple modes of transportationtransportation.”.”

– ““A-12 Policy:A-12 Policy: Promote Promote equityequity, cost , cost effectiveness, and effectiveness, and modal balancemodal balance in in programming processes.”programming processes.”

Consistent w/ HumCo Consistent w/ HumCo Plans?Plans?• 2006 HumCo RTP (Continued)2006 HumCo RTP (Continued)

– ““G-2 Policy: G-2 Policy: Promote a Promote a balanced balanced multimodal transportation systemmultimodal transportation system that that provides provides equitable levels of access for all equitable levels of access for all travel modestravel modes.”.”

– ““H-6 Policy: H-6 Policy: Consider energy conservation Consider energy conservation in transportation decisions.”in transportation decisions.”

– ““I-2 Policy: I-2 Policy: Encourage Cities and County Encourage Cities and County to plan for land use patterns that to plan for land use patterns that reduce automobile miles traveled.”reduce automobile miles traveled.”

Consistent w/ Eureka Consistent w/ Eureka Plans?Plans?• Eureka Strategic Vision:Eureka Strategic Vision:

– ““The City of Eureka supports a creative The City of Eureka supports a creative approach to traffic engineering that approach to traffic engineering that puts puts pedestrians and bicyclists firstpedestrians and bicyclists first, encourages a , encourages a safe, walkable downtown, and builds community safe, walkable downtown, and builds community and character in our neighborhoods.”and character in our neighborhoods.”

– ““Provide expanded transit opportunities to Provide expanded transit opportunities to reduce vehicle dependency in the Downtown reduce vehicle dependency in the Downtown and Oldtown districts to encourage and facilitate and Oldtown districts to encourage and facilitate pedestrian mobility once they arrive.”pedestrian mobility once they arrive.”

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Select “no-build” alternative.Select “no-build” alternative.

• Prioritize multi-use trail.Prioritize multi-use trail.

• Develop Bus Rapid Transit.Develop Bus Rapid Transit.


• Select no-build alternative.Select no-build alternative.– Rationale for project not supported by Rationale for project not supported by

data.data.– Project inconsistent with local plans for Project inconsistent with local plans for

balanced transportation.balanced transportation.– Caltrans’ rules require multi-use trail as Caltrans’ rules require multi-use trail as

part of any major project on this section part of any major project on this section of 101.of 101.


• Build multi-use trail.Build multi-use trail.– Consistent with Caltrans rules.Consistent with Caltrans rules.– Consistent with local plans.Consistent with local plans.– Proven feasible and warranted.Proven feasible and warranted.

• $73.8 million in annual economic and health benefits.$73.8 million in annual economic and health benefits.• 36,388 fewer cars trips annually.36,388 fewer cars trips annually.

RecommendationsRecommendations• Develop Bus Rapid Transit system to Develop Bus Rapid Transit system to

address travel demand.address travel demand.– Big environmental and economic Big environmental and economic

benefits.benefits.– Compare with Corridor + Eureka 101 Compare with Corridor + Eureka 101

improvement costs: $177.85 million.improvement costs: $177.85 million.– Use 2008 RTP to begin feasibility study.Use 2008 RTP to begin feasibility study.

Thanks!Thanks!

Questions?Questions?

Aloha Freddy

101 Eureka Arcata Corridor Improvement Project A Green Wheels Perspective Alta Planning Redwood...

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