On Wed. Aug. 7 at 11 a.m., the California Coastal Commission will meet at the Wharfinger Building at 1 Marina Way in Eureka to consider the Coastal Development Permit for the Eureka-Arcata Highway 101 Corridor Project, which includes an interchange at Indianola Cutoff, a left-turn signal at Airport Drive, and closure of all other medians.
Humboldt Baykeeper and the Surfrider Foundation submitted comments to the Coastal Commission last Friday. Our top concern is the lack of sea level rise planning, which is critical for this stretch of U.S. Route 101. According to local experts, significant portions of the highway corridor will be flooded on a monthly basis with 1.6 feet of sea level rise, which could occur by 2040. It is also in the 100-year flood zone, tsunami hazard area, and an area of potential soil liquefaction. See our major concerns below:
- Sea Level Rise Planning: We ask the Coastal Commission to require CalTrans to immediately develop and incorporate long-term sea level rise adaptation plans that protect Humboldt Bay’s habitat prior to approving this project.
- Billboards: We request that removal of the four billboards on the North Coast Rail Authority easements or right-of-way, including the three billboards located on public trust tidelands, be included as a condition of the Coastal Development Permit.
- Wetland Mitigations: We urge the Commission to require mitigations for the Project’s wetland impacts to focus on restoring larger areas of functional wetland habitat, with a focus on enabling salt marsh to migrate inland and upland as sea level rises.
- Coastal Access: We are concerned that planned closures of Bayside Cutoff and other medians in the Project area will block important non-motorized access to the Bay Trail, requiring longer and more dangerous commutes for cyclists, particularly with the specter of increasing the speed limit on the Corridor where people will undoubtedly cross the highway rather than take long detours.
Click HERE to read more.
To voice your concerns, join us in Eureka this Wed. at 11 a.m. at the Wharfinger Building, 1 Marina Way.
