January 2024
Vol. 43 No. 1
Website: www.humbike.org
Email: info@humbike.org
New and Renewed Members of the HBBCA
The following are new and renewed members since the last newsletter. If you haven’t renewed your dues for 2024, please see the application at the end of this newsletter.
Renewed Members (since last newsletter)
Mike & Bonnie Walund, Eureka**
Will Dvorak & Carole Beaton, Eureka***
Molly Martian, Eureka**
Corine Frugoni, Arcata***
Revolution Bicycles (Justin Brown)***
Jim & Frances Maunder, Eureka**
Gail Popham, Eureka**
Rick Knapp, Eureka***
Carl & Judy Cooper, Bayside**
Those with a ** next to their name gave an additional donation. Those with *** have given a $25 or greater donation. Thanks to all those who have joined or renewed their commitment and those who have given additional donations to support our many causes. Get on board now for all the benefits, including discounts at bike shops. See application at the end of the newsletter.
Next Meeting at Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant on Monday, January 22, 2024, in Arcata
The next meeting of the HBBCA will be on Monday, January 22nd. The dinner meeting will be at Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant, 1288 G St, Arcata, CA (13th and G Streets). The meeting will start at 6 pm and end before 8 pm. The agenda will be set by those in attendance.
Thanks to Brian Gerving and Jesse Willor for Attending the October Meeting
A big thank you goes to Brian Gerving, Eureka Public Works Director and Jesse Willor, City Engineer, for attending our October 23rd meeting and updating the HBBCA members on all of the bike-related projects and activities that affect cyclists.
They briefed us on the bike plan in preparation, status of the H and I buffered bike lane project, the Bay to Zoo Trail project, and others. Rick questioned them on the recent addition of flexible delineators on Fairway Drive (results discussed in article below).
As for the Bay to Zoo bike path, they have received State funding for the environmental stage. They don’t expect construction to start before 2026, likely later, as they expect to have to acquire 33 right of way parcels, some of which are likely to be contentious, with property owners objecting to the project or proposed acquisition.
Thanks to Netra Khatri for Attendance at Last Meeting
Rick was remiss in not reporting on City Engineer, Netra Khatri’s, attendance at the October meeting of the HBBCA. He was the one and only agenda item. He stayed at the meeting for the entire 2 hours, updating the members on every bicycle-related project and activity being pursued. He also responded to every question members and guests had. It was the best attended meeting in years with at least 15 attending. Thanks Netra.
Status of Buffered Bike Lanes on H and I Streets in Eureka
Construction of the buffered bike lane project on H and I Streets continues. All the bulbouts have been constructed on I Street and the street has been repaved in preparation for the change to two lanes and buffered bike lanes.
Most of the bulbouts have been completed on H Street. Once those are finished, H Street will be repaved. After that, the striping of the buffered bike lanes can be accomplished. The end result will be two 11 foot traffic lanes, 9 foot parking lanes on each side, a 4 foot buffer between the right traffic lane and a 7 foot wide bike lane. It should be a great addition for cyclists, pedestrians and residents along those streets, who will experience significant traffic calming. Even motorists will benefit from improved safety and a vastly improved roadway surface.
Flexible Delineators Installed on Fairway Drive an Issue for Cyclists
In late summer, the City repaved Fairway Drive. In addition, they placed flexible delineators on the bike lane stripe. This created issues for motorists and cyclists. Vehicles have frequently hit the delineators, damaging them and causing vehicles to be scratched. For cyclists, it makes it more difficult to enter or exit the bike lane and makes it impossible to get the monthly sweeping done by Recology. In discussing this with the Director of Public Works for the City, he said it was done as a result of concerns expressed by the City Council. He said, the Council had wanted a sidewalk added in conjunction with the project. That was financially infeasible according to Gerving, so flexible delineators were added instead. He says it has slowed down vehicles. He also said they are looking into alternative ways to keep the bike lanes swept.
Auto Parking Advocates Lead Eureka City Council to Reject Buffered Bike Lanes on Myrtle Avenue
At its December 19th meeting, the Eureka City Council rejected a staff proposal to pursue eliminating auto parking on the portion of Myrtle Avenue between West Avenue and Harrison Avenue in order to redo bike lanes to add a buffer between the traffic lanes and bike lanes. In spite of very little parking usage on this section of Myrtle Avenue, and adjacent parking being available, vocal complaints led to the Council rejecting the idea. The Council suggested staff look at placing barriers to improve safety for cyclists. Rick Knapp has since written to the Director of Public Works asking that flexible delineators not be added like was done on Fairway Drive (See Fairway Drive article above).
The County of Humboldt is Embarking on the Preparation of a Local Road Safety Plan
The County is developing a Local Road Safety Plan in order to be eligible for future safety grant funding. As part of the effort, they are establishing a stakeholder working group. They have asked for a representative from the HBBCA to participate. Longtime HBBCA member, Mark Mueller, has volunteered to represent the Association.
Mark will be an important contributor for the HBBCA. He has been a lifelong bike commuter and an advocate for better cycling facilities and safety improvements. He knows what it takes to make roadways safer for cyclists. He has served on the City of Eureka’s Transportation Safety Commission for many years, including serving as its Chair. He is very familiar with County Roads having ridden bikes on hundreds of them, especially those in the Humboldt Bay Region. We thank Mark for taking on the responsibility for the HBBCA.
Comments Solicited by City of Eureka for Bike Plan Update
Mark Thomas Associates is updating the City’s Bike Plan. The are soliciting ideas for the update. The HBBCA Board has submitted some “ideas,” but others are encouraged. Comments can be emailed to:
bikeplan@eurekaca.gov.
On November 16th, a walk audit was conducted to discuss the bike plan and ideas for improvements in Eureka. About 25 people attended, including several HBBCA members and City staff. Further public meetings will be held early next year.
Who to Call When You See a Safety Concern (Rev. 1/3/24)
The HBBCA periodically checks with agencies in the Humboldt Bay region to determine appropriate contact personnel to respond to bike-related issues. If you see a condition that needs to be corrected in order to improve safety or convenience for cyclists such as a pothole in a bike lane, accumulated debris on a roadway shoulder, the need to re-stripe a bike lane, the need to clear vegetation encroaching on a shoulder, or a street light that is out, call the responsible agency/person listed below. Of course, if you see a condition that requires immediate attention, like a stop sign knocked down, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency conditions, the following contact information is provided:
Caltrans
Customer Service Liaison, Jessica Henry Gibbs
707-441-5655 online Customer Service Report:
csr.dot.ca.gov
County of Humboldt
Dispatcher RoadsDispatch@co.humboldt.ca.us
707-445-7421
Abandoned Vehicles: Wally Williams,
County Sheriff’s Office, 707-268-2509
City of Arcata
Engineering Administrative Staff
707-825-2128
Engineering@cityofarcata.org
Abandoned Vehicles:
Arcata Police Dept. at 707-822-2424
City of Eureka
707-441-4203 publicworks@ci.eureka.ca.gov
Abandoned Vehicles:
707-268-5232
eurekapoliceabatement@ci.eureka.ca.gov;
HBBCA Board of Directors (Rev. 10/2/23)
(all phone numbers have 707 area codes)
President---------------------- Rick Knapp
499-5918(cell) email: info@humbike.org
Vice-President---------------- Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(cell);
Secretary/Treasurer---Gail Popham,
502-8030(cell)
Director of Planning-----open/available
Director of Publicity ----open/available
Contact Rick Knapp if you are interested in filing a vacant Board position.
Please Join or Renew Your Membership for 2024 Now
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting. Your $5.00 annual dues, paid on a calendar year basis, will help pay for youth helmets, bike racks, this newsletter, the website, BikeSmart promotions, “Bike Month” activities, prizes, postage, insurance, etc. And, it will help demonstrate your commitment to our goal.
With your membership card, you may request discounts on bike parts and accessories at Revolution Bicycle Repair and Adventure’s Edge. Discounts are typically 10%, but may vary. Membership cards include stickers on the back showing discounts offered by the various bike shops.
Enclosed: $_____dues ($5.00) $_____donation
Name_______________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Phone__________________(h)______________________(w)
____I’d rather receive my newsletter by email. This is my neatly printed email address:
_____________________________________________________________
Mail to HBBCA, P. O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502-9054
Website: www.humbike.org
Email: info@humbike.org
New and Renewed Members of the HBBCA
The following are new and renewed members since the last newsletter. If you haven’t renewed your dues for 2024, please see the application at the end of this newsletter.
Renewed Members (since last newsletter)
Mike & Bonnie Walund, Eureka**
Will Dvorak & Carole Beaton, Eureka***
Molly Martian, Eureka**
Corine Frugoni, Arcata***
Revolution Bicycles (Justin Brown)***
Jim & Frances Maunder, Eureka**
Gail Popham, Eureka**
Rick Knapp, Eureka***
Carl & Judy Cooper, Bayside**
Those with a ** next to their name gave an additional donation. Those with *** have given a $25 or greater donation. Thanks to all those who have joined or renewed their commitment and those who have given additional donations to support our many causes. Get on board now for all the benefits, including discounts at bike shops. See application at the end of the newsletter.
Next Meeting at Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant on Monday, January 22, 2024, in Arcata
The next meeting of the HBBCA will be on Monday, January 22nd. The dinner meeting will be at Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant, 1288 G St, Arcata, CA (13th and G Streets). The meeting will start at 6 pm and end before 8 pm. The agenda will be set by those in attendance.
Thanks to Brian Gerving and Jesse Willor for Attending the October Meeting
A big thank you goes to Brian Gerving, Eureka Public Works Director and Jesse Willor, City Engineer, for attending our October 23rd meeting and updating the HBBCA members on all of the bike-related projects and activities that affect cyclists.
They briefed us on the bike plan in preparation, status of the H and I buffered bike lane project, the Bay to Zoo Trail project, and others. Rick questioned them on the recent addition of flexible delineators on Fairway Drive (results discussed in article below).
As for the Bay to Zoo bike path, they have received State funding for the environmental stage. They don’t expect construction to start before 2026, likely later, as they expect to have to acquire 33 right of way parcels, some of which are likely to be contentious, with property owners objecting to the project or proposed acquisition.
Thanks to Netra Khatri for Attendance at Last Meeting
Rick was remiss in not reporting on City Engineer, Netra Khatri’s, attendance at the October meeting of the HBBCA. He was the one and only agenda item. He stayed at the meeting for the entire 2 hours, updating the members on every bicycle-related project and activity being pursued. He also responded to every question members and guests had. It was the best attended meeting in years with at least 15 attending. Thanks Netra.
Status of Buffered Bike Lanes on H and I Streets in Eureka
Construction of the buffered bike lane project on H and I Streets continues. All the bulbouts have been constructed on I Street and the street has been repaved in preparation for the change to two lanes and buffered bike lanes.
Most of the bulbouts have been completed on H Street. Once those are finished, H Street will be repaved. After that, the striping of the buffered bike lanes can be accomplished. The end result will be two 11 foot traffic lanes, 9 foot parking lanes on each side, a 4 foot buffer between the right traffic lane and a 7 foot wide bike lane. It should be a great addition for cyclists, pedestrians and residents along those streets, who will experience significant traffic calming. Even motorists will benefit from improved safety and a vastly improved roadway surface.
Flexible Delineators Installed on Fairway Drive an Issue for Cyclists
In late summer, the City repaved Fairway Drive. In addition, they placed flexible delineators on the bike lane stripe. This created issues for motorists and cyclists. Vehicles have frequently hit the delineators, damaging them and causing vehicles to be scratched. For cyclists, it makes it more difficult to enter or exit the bike lane and makes it impossible to get the monthly sweeping done by Recology. In discussing this with the Director of Public Works for the City, he said it was done as a result of concerns expressed by the City Council. He said, the Council had wanted a sidewalk added in conjunction with the project. That was financially infeasible according to Gerving, so flexible delineators were added instead. He says it has slowed down vehicles. He also said they are looking into alternative ways to keep the bike lanes swept.
Auto Parking Advocates Lead Eureka City Council to Reject Buffered Bike Lanes on Myrtle Avenue
At its December 19th meeting, the Eureka City Council rejected a staff proposal to pursue eliminating auto parking on the portion of Myrtle Avenue between West Avenue and Harrison Avenue in order to redo bike lanes to add a buffer between the traffic lanes and bike lanes. In spite of very little parking usage on this section of Myrtle Avenue, and adjacent parking being available, vocal complaints led to the Council rejecting the idea. The Council suggested staff look at placing barriers to improve safety for cyclists. Rick Knapp has since written to the Director of Public Works asking that flexible delineators not be added like was done on Fairway Drive (See Fairway Drive article above).
The County of Humboldt is Embarking on the Preparation of a Local Road Safety Plan
The County is developing a Local Road Safety Plan in order to be eligible for future safety grant funding. As part of the effort, they are establishing a stakeholder working group. They have asked for a representative from the HBBCA to participate. Longtime HBBCA member, Mark Mueller, has volunteered to represent the Association.
Mark will be an important contributor for the HBBCA. He has been a lifelong bike commuter and an advocate for better cycling facilities and safety improvements. He knows what it takes to make roadways safer for cyclists. He has served on the City of Eureka’s Transportation Safety Commission for many years, including serving as its Chair. He is very familiar with County Roads having ridden bikes on hundreds of them, especially those in the Humboldt Bay Region. We thank Mark for taking on the responsibility for the HBBCA.
Comments Solicited by City of Eureka for Bike Plan Update
Mark Thomas Associates is updating the City’s Bike Plan. The are soliciting ideas for the update. The HBBCA Board has submitted some “ideas,” but others are encouraged. Comments can be emailed to:
bikeplan@eurekaca.gov.
On November 16th, a walk audit was conducted to discuss the bike plan and ideas for improvements in Eureka. About 25 people attended, including several HBBCA members and City staff. Further public meetings will be held early next year.
Who to Call When You See a Safety Concern (Rev. 1/3/24)
The HBBCA periodically checks with agencies in the Humboldt Bay region to determine appropriate contact personnel to respond to bike-related issues. If you see a condition that needs to be corrected in order to improve safety or convenience for cyclists such as a pothole in a bike lane, accumulated debris on a roadway shoulder, the need to re-stripe a bike lane, the need to clear vegetation encroaching on a shoulder, or a street light that is out, call the responsible agency/person listed below. Of course, if you see a condition that requires immediate attention, like a stop sign knocked down, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency conditions, the following contact information is provided:
Caltrans
Customer Service Liaison, Jessica Henry Gibbs
707-441-5655 online Customer Service Report:
csr.dot.ca.gov
County of Humboldt
Dispatcher RoadsDispatch@co.humboldt.ca.us
707-445-7421
Abandoned Vehicles: Wally Williams,
County Sheriff’s Office, 707-268-2509
City of Arcata
Engineering Administrative Staff
707-825-2128
Engineering@cityofarcata.org
Abandoned Vehicles:
Arcata Police Dept. at 707-822-2424
City of Eureka
707-441-4203 publicworks@ci.eureka.ca.gov
Abandoned Vehicles:
707-268-5232
eurekapoliceabatement@ci.eureka.ca.gov;
HBBCA Board of Directors (Rev. 10/2/23)
(all phone numbers have 707 area codes)
President---------------------- Rick Knapp
499-5918(cell) email: info@humbike.org
Vice-President---------------- Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(cell);
Secretary/Treasurer---Gail Popham,
502-8030(cell)
Director of Planning-----open/available
Director of Publicity ----open/available
Contact Rick Knapp if you are interested in filing a vacant Board position.
Please Join or Renew Your Membership for 2024 Now
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting. Your $5.00 annual dues, paid on a calendar year basis, will help pay for youth helmets, bike racks, this newsletter, the website, BikeSmart promotions, “Bike Month” activities, prizes, postage, insurance, etc. And, it will help demonstrate your commitment to our goal.
With your membership card, you may request discounts on bike parts and accessories at Revolution Bicycle Repair and Adventure’s Edge. Discounts are typically 10%, but may vary. Membership cards include stickers on the back showing discounts offered by the various bike shops.
Enclosed: $_____dues ($5.00) $_____donation
Name_______________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Phone__________________(h)______________________(w)
____I’d rather receive my newsletter by email. This is my neatly printed email address:
_____________________________________________________________
Mail to HBBCA, P. O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502-9054