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Road & Equipment Maintenance
Responsibilities
The Road & Equipment Maintenance Division contains two sections:
The Road Maintenance Section performs routine maintenance for all County roads and bridges. The Division also provides disaster response during storms and other emergency events. This provides safe roads for the citizens of Humboldt County.
The Equipment Maintenance Section provides competitive procurement, maintenance and disposal of road construction equipment to ensure safe operating equipment. The heavy equipment maintenance garage maintains 120 pieces of heavy equipment, plus approximately 100 pieces of support equipment, primarily serving the Road Maintenance Section. The heavy equipment shop also manages a storehouse of parts.
Submit a Request for Service/Report a Pothole
While Public Works is responsible for the installation and maintenance of traffic control devices, enforcement of traffic laws is with law enforcement agencies. Below are links to commonly referenced code sections relating to the use of County roads:
Speed limits
Basic speed law (California Vehicle Code Section 22350)
25 MPH Business District (California Vehicle Code Section 22352(b)(1) and Section 235)
25 MPH Residence District (California Vehicle Code Section 22352(b)(1) and Section 515). Note: As a general rule of thumb, this typically applies when the lots are less than 100 feet wide for the one side of the road condition; and when the lots are less than 165 feet wide for the both sides of the road condition. This assumes that all there is an average of at least one dwelling unit per lot for a quarter mile of road.
Enforcement of the California Vehicle Code on non-county maintained roads (County Code Section 423-1 et seq.) Petition
Speed Zones established by County Code
Resource: California Manual for Setting Speed Limits (Caltrans)
Resource: Humboldt County Speed Hump Policy
Stop Signs and Traffic Signals
Parking
On-street parking is provided on some County maintained roads. On-street parking is provided on a first-come, first serve basis and is available to the public, subject to the limitations described below. As such, no one can "reserve" an on street parking spot or claim exclusive rights to the parking lane in front of their home. In addition, on-street parking is one of the lowest priority uses of the right of way and may be eliminated in the future to better utilize the right of way for transportation uses, which is a higher priority use than the parking of vehicles.
Parking may be temporarily prohibited by law enforcement or due to road construction.
Questions about insufficient on-street parking? See County Code Section 313-109.1.1.2 (Coastal Zoning) and County Code Section 314-109.1.1.2 (Inland Zoning) which requires that all land uses to provide sufficient off-street parking, regardless of the minimum parking required in the County Zoning Code. Contact the Planning & Building Department at 707.445.7541
Parking Zones established by County Code
Parking in excess of 10 days (County Code Section 434-5)
Double parking/ parking in the travelled way (County Code Section 431-1(b))
Towing of vehicles parked in excess of 10 days (County Code Section 434-6)
Not parking parallel to the road unless otherwise allowed (California Vehicle Code Section 22502(a) and 22503)
Parking parallel, but facing the wrong direction (California Vehicle Code Section 22502(b)(2))
Parking more than 18” from curb (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(f))
Parking that obstructs traffic (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(g) and 22651(b))
Parking that obstructs the use of a sidewalk (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(f))
Parking that obstructs the use of a bike lane (California Vehicle Code Section 21211)
Parking that obstructs the use of a curb ramp (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(l)) and (California Vehicle Code Section 22522)
Parking that obstructs the use of a driveway (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(e))
Parking that blocks an intersection (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(a))
Parking that obstructs a crosswalk (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(b))
Double parking (California Vehicle Code Section 22500(h))
Parking within 15 feet fire hydrant (California Vehicle Code Section 22514)
Accessible Parking (California Vehicle Code Sections 22507.8(a), 22507.8(b), and 22507.8(c))) and County Code Section 431-2.
In most cases the County does not provide on-street accessible (ADA) parking stalls. If an on-street accessible stall is desired, an applicant is required to obtain an Encroachment Permit from Public Works and construct the stall at their own expense. An accessible parking stall requires the the Board of Supervisors adopt an ordinance to establish the zone (See County Code Section 431-2). In addition, the applicant must justify why the accessible parking stall cannot be provided on-site per County Code 313-109.1.1.2 (coastal) or County Code 314-109.1.1.2 and must instead be constructed on the public street. Contact the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 for more information.
Disobey parking signs or red curbs (California Vehicle Code Section 38300)
Use and Use Restrictions
Oversize and/or over weight loads. Obtain a Transportation Permit from the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205
Weight Limits for Scotia Mill Pond Bridge on Bridge Street (County Code Section 433-1)
Weight Limits for North Fork of Bear Creek on Kings Peak Road (County Code Section 433-3)
Weight Limits for Viaduct Bridge on Ishi Pishi Road (County Code Section 433-2)
Weight Limits on Salmon Creek Bridge on Maple Hills Road (County Code Section 433-4)
Weight Limits on Moody Bridge on Sprowel Creek Road (County Code Section 433-5)
Weight Limits on Bridge on North Fork Road (County Code Section 433-6)
Weight Limits on Jacoby Creek Bridge on Brookwood Drive (County Code Section 433-8)
Length and width restrictions on Davison Road (County Code Section 414-1)
Mad River Bridge on Hatchery Road (County Code Section 434-1)
Mad River Bridge on Jack Shaw Road (County Code Section 434-4)
Humboldt Hill Road Multipurpose Path (County Code Section 434-2)
Establishment of Bicycle Lanes (County Code Section 435-3)
Prohibition of bicycles and skateboards on sidewalks in commercial zones (County Code Section 417-1)
Prohibition of studded tires and tracks (County Code Section 413-1)
Use of Golf Carts on Lake Benbow Drive and Benbow Drive (County Code Section 418-1)
Visibility at driveways and road intersections
Visibility Ordinance (County Code Section 341-1) Report possible violations to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Unauthorized work/ use occurring in the County Road without an Encroachment Permit.
Encroachment Permit Ordinance (County Code Section 411-1) Report possible violations to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Unauthorized traffic control device (California Vehicle Code Section 21465) This includes No Trespassing signs, No Parking signs, and traffic cones that are placed in such a manner as to discourage the public from using a road. Report possible violations to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Election Signs in the public right of way. Contact the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205.
Gates across County maintained roads. Contact the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205.
Fences in the public right of way. Contact the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205.
Vegetation/mowing. Mowing of vegetation within the right of way is only provided in select rural areas. In all other areas it is the responsibility of the fronting landowner. Report overgrown vegetation to the Road Maintenance Division at 707.445.7421 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Street Tree Preservation Policy. Contact the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205.
Sidewalks
Trashcans or other objects blocking the sidewalk. (California Streets & Highways Code Section 1480.5 and California Streets & Highways Code Section 1481) Report possible violations to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Damaged sidewalk. Report damaged sidewalk to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Portable basketball hoops. Report possible violations to the Land Use Division at 707.445.7205 or online by using the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form.
Broken Links
Many of the links on this webpage are to external websites. Please report broken links on the Request for Service/Report a Pothole form. Thank you for helping to keep this page up to date and accurate.