Activist Corner

Moving Forward on Responsible Transportation. Join the Coalition!

Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities
Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities

The Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities is about to celebrate five years since our founding in 2015. In that time, we’ve accomplished a lot that we’re proud of on California’s North Coast. Browsing through the Reports & Analysis page on our website, you’ll find dozens of comment letters and research reports on all the significant local transportation-related issues of the day, from Regional Transportation Plans to zoning codes to major development projects. We bring a unique, data-driven perspective to all of these topics, motivated by the urgency of the climate crisis and the bike and pedestrian safety crisis to find the ways that work to reduce driving and increase active transportation and transit use.

And we get results. We have had an impact on numerous local plans and projects, resulting in improvements to bike and pedestrian design that will be felt for decades to come. For example, our comments on the current Del Norte Regional Transportation Plan were so comprehensive that the agency in charge hired a consultant just to respond to them. In the end, the Plan was changed to address the climate crisis more realistically, and to remove any mention of projects catering to extra-large trucks.

Our advocacy around better pedestrian design in Arcata resulted in the creation of the Arcata Plaza Improvement Task Force, which is now recommending that the City Council consider pedestrianizing some of the surrounding streets. And our engagement in revisions of the Humboldt County zoning code led to significant improvements to the new Mixed Use regulations, which will allow more walkable development in McKinleyville and other local town centers.

We also put an emphasis on public education, because we know that the status quo car culture won’t change if people don’t understand its impacts on our environment and our communities. Hundreds of local residents read The Collector, our weekly North Coast transportation news roundup. And we reach many more through our presence at local events, on the radio, and in regular publications like this one. We’ve even started working with interns from Humboldt State University.

And there remains so much more to be done! In 2020, we plan to continue our strategic engagement in local transportation and land use planning, as well as expanding programs such as our bike valet and research initiatives.

To find out more and to join the Coalition, visit transportationpriorities.org.