Newsletter of the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
P. O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502
FELLOW BIKE COMMUTER STRUCK DOWN AND KILLED ON ROUTE 299
On August 25, on his regular bike commute from his Bureau of Land Management job in Arcata to his home in Blue Lake, Greg Jennings was struck by a motorist and killed near Glendale on Route 299. The driver was Alan Baer from Hoopa. Greg was 42 years old.
According to reports from the County Coroner and the CHP, Greg was doing everything right—he was wearing bright clothing, a helmet and was riding far to the right of the 8-foot freeway shoulder. According to Officer Dahlen, “if he had been any further to the right he would have been in the grass.” The motorist for some reason (unknown to us) left his traffic lane, crossed the fog line and continued some 7-8 feet into the shoulder, striking Jennings on his bike. Jennings died at the scene.
The following is from the obituary printed in the September 3, 2008 edition of the Eureka Reporter: Gregory Mark Jennings
Greg passed away on August 25, 2008 on State Route 299 near Blue Lake, CA.
He was a native of Berkeley CA, and a resident of Blue Lake. Greg received his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from Humboldt State University. He was employed by the Bureau of Land Management as the forest ecologist for the Headwaters Forest Reserve.
He is survived by his parents, James and Patricia Jennings, his wife Lisa Hoover, and his brothers Andrew and Packard Jennings.
A memorial gathering will take place later this month. For information, Please email: memorial.for.greg@gmail.com.
Arrangements are under the care of Paul’s Chapel in Arcata.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 22ND IN EUREKA
The next regular HBBCA meeting will be held at Chapala’s Mexican Restaurant at 2nd and C Streets in Eureka on Monday, September 22nd. Those interested in joining us for dinner can order at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will begin at 6:30. The meeting is open to the public. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. Those who attend help set the agenda. Included will be discussion of the public forum the HBBCA will host in November (date to be set later). The forum will likely have the theme: How Motorists & Cyclists Can More Safely Share the Road. For more information, check the HBBCA website at www.humbike.org.
HBBCA TO HOST FORUM ON MOTORIST/CYCLIST ROAD SAFETY
In follow-up to the tragic collision that took Greg’ Jenning’s life and the outrage from the cycling community, the HBBCA will host a Public Forum in November (date to be announced later). Tentatively, the theme will be: How Motorists & Cyclists Can More Safely Share the Road. The HBBCA and other cycling organizations want to work together in a positive way to see if conditions for cyclists in the Humboldt Bay region can be improved. The HBBCA hopes to involve the general public, law enforcement, the District Attorney as well as cyclists to discuss the issues that each have that relate to safely sharing the road and accountability for collisions involving cyclists. For more information, watch for news releases or check the humbike.org website.
THANKS TO MEMBERS WHO RENEWED MEMBERSHIP FOR 2009
Renewed Members:
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Tony LaBanca, Arcata**
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Marylou Avanzino, San Jose**
Those with a ** have made additional donations to the HBBCA. Thank you.
ROAD I COURSE TAUGHT IN AUGUST
On August 22/23, a 9-hour effective bicycling class, called “Road I” was conducted in Eureka. The class, which is a League of American Bicyclists’ training course, was taught by League certified instructor and HBBCA member, P-A WinterSun. Rick Knapp, HBBCA Vice-President, assisted her in the training. The following individuals completed the class: Brett Gronemeyer, Chris Rall, Melanie Williams, and Josephine Johnson. The Road I course is the first of two courses required in order for someone to be certified to teach the class.
“ROAD AUDIT” CONDUCTED ON BROADWAY IN EUREKA
In a first-of-its-kind procedure, the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) recently conducted a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Audit on Broadway in Eureka from Kmart to 4th Street.
The FHWA recently completed Road Audit Guidelines and Caltrans District 1 is the first agency selected for a comprehensive pedestrian/bike audit using the new guidelines. Caltrans was selected after applying to the FHWA for the audit. After an open house meeting on August 25, the FHWA, Caltrans and a host of local agencies and organizations embarked on a three day on-site audit to determine problems and possible solutions. Chris Rall (GreenWheels) and Jen Rice (HBBCA and RCAA) represented the cycling community.
This section of highway has had 89 reported pedestrian and cyclist collisions in the last 10.75 years. Of those, 31 involved cyclists.
The FHWA plans to issue a formal report in mid September. It can serve as a “shopping list” for improvements that can be considered by Caltrans and the community to improve bike and pedestrian safety.
IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO BIKEWAYS AND ROADWAYS IN EUREKA
After trying for about two years, Rick Knapp was finally able to find a “listening ear” in Mike Kennedy, new Public Works Director, who agreed to uncover the lost bike lanes on Fairway Drive. Portions of the 5-foot lanes were covered by a blanket of grass and weeds such that there was only 1-2 feet remaining for bikes. Mr. Kennedy had the roadway graded to find perfectly good paved bike lanes underneath. Thank you, Mike.
HBBCA members Laura and Mike Cent also had some success with growing frustrations with problem locations on the Campton Road dip. Mike writes:
Hi Scott,
Per the HBBCA newsletter suggestion to contact government agencies about road concerns, I decided (back in January) to let the City of Eureka know about some bike-jarring depressions and potholes in the southbound bike lane (shoulder) on H Street/Campton Road (descending to the base of Campton Hill) near Grant School. The depressions and potholes recently got filled in (in August). I send this to you as an encouragement (for you as well as others) because sometimes such concerns do get addressed. I strongly believe in thanking those individuals when things go right as shown in my follow-up letter to the City (not included here). [Well done!]
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
It’s funny to admit that I kind of choked up inside when I read in the most recent Wheel People newsletter that Old Arcata Road, north of 3 Corners will soon have a paved shoulder that bicyclists can use as a refuge from car traffic. When I lived in Humboldt County 1978-1985, I spent hundreds of hours on that road, at all hours of the day and night commuting back and forth between Arcata and St. Joseph Hospital. The fondest memories being ones like the smell of turkey and dressing-dinners wafting through the air as I biked to work on a Thanksgiving shift. The more unpleasant memories of unfenced dogs and fear of passing cars (at night I would move to the opposite side of the road when I could see in the distance that a car was approaching from behind—not so legal, but I felt it was the safest maneuver) never deterred me from biking. And now to think there will be space for a bicyclist makes me emotional. This should have happened decades ago, but I am grateful that it is happening now.
I continue to bike here in San Jose and have been car-free for 10 years. I am on the San Jose Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee and we suffer from all the usual lack of resources, but we just keep pushing toward the goals that we know are right and eventually, much like the paved shoulders on Old Arcata Road, we will get what is needed.
Thanks for everything you do for cyclists in Humboldt County.
Marylou Avanzino, San Jose
[Editor’s note: Marylou was the first President of the HBBCA, from 1982-1984!]
JEN RICE LEAVES BOARD, BRETT GRONEMEYER STEPS IN
After serving on our Board since 1999, Jen Rice has stepped down, but not away from the HBBCA. Jen will still provide energy to the HBBCA efforts, but has found it necessary to reduce her overlapping formal commitments. At our last meeting, Scott Kelly appointed Brett Gronemeyer to take Jen’s place on the Board. Brett lives in Arcata and bike commutes to Caltrans in Eureka. Thanks Brett for stepping up for us!
WHO TO CALL WHEN YOU SEE A SAFETY CONCERN (Revised 3/08)
The HBBCA checked with agencies in the Humboldt Bay region to determine whom to contact if you see a condition that needs to be corrected in order to improve safety or convenience for cyclists. This might include a pothole in the bike lane, accumulated debris on a roadway shoulder, the need to re-stripe a bike lane, or the need to clear vegetation encroaching on the shoulder.
Of course, if you see a condition that requires immediate emergency action,
call 9-1-1. For other conditions, the following is provided:
HBBCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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President------------------------Scott Kelly
839-3614(h); 839-4336(w)
Email: info@humbike.org
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Vice-President/Treasurer----Rick Knapp
445-1097(h)
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Director of Publicity-----------Will Dvorak
445-4229(h)-before 8pm; 441-8809(w)
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Director of Planning-----------Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(h); 441-5770(w)
JOIN THE HBBCA TODAY OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2008
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting. Help make it happen by joining now or renewing your dues for 2008. Your $5.00 annual dues, paid on a calendar year basis, will help pay for insurance, youth helmets, this newsletter, our website, promotions, special events, postage, etc. And, it will help demonstrate your commitment to our goal. Please click here to download our Membership Application.
If you are already a paid-up member and would like to start receiving your newsletters by email, please advise us at: info@humbike.org
Newsletter of the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
P. O. Box 3054 Eureka CA 95502
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