McKinleyville Multimodal Connections Project

Project Background

The County of Humboldt has been funded through a Caltrans sustainable transportation planning grant for the McKinleyville Multimodal Connections Project to engage community members including local businesses, McKinleyville residents, youth, seniors, non-English speakers, veterans and those with limited mobility to create a plan with concept designs for safe walking and bicycling connectivity between McKinleyville and community destinations to the south around Humboldt Bay. Walking and bicycling infrastructure is lacking in the project area which includes the proposed Town Center mixed-use development and areas south connecting across the Mad River to Arcata.  Pedestrians and cyclists currently have no other option than to navigate the complex Highway 101 interchange or travel 2.5 miles in the opposite direction to access the Hammond Trail Bridge over the Mad River. Community members, including the informal McKinleyville Trails Group, and County staff have been working together for several years to address the deficiencies in non-motorized travel options in the project area and after several efforts the County was awarded Caltrans funding to support the development of a plan with proven solutions that will create multimodal connections and safer roads for all modes of transportation. The County is partnering with Redwood Community Action Agency to lead robust public participation to hear how community members would like to improve safety and connectivity in the project area. Mark Thomas & Associates, a Transportation Planning firm has also been contracted by the County to review, compile and analyze current opportunities and constraints for walking and bicycling and develop a report with concept designs showcasing potential multimodal improvements between northern Arcata and southern McKinleyville developed from the public’s input and consistent with the County’s Regional Transportation Plan, adopted County plans and design standards.

In order to focus on and prioritize the needs of disadvantaged communities and promote solutions that integrate community values, capacity and need with transportation safety, outreach targets have been selected for this project based on current demographic data from the US Census for the project area.

A map of the project area is available here: Project Map [4 MB].

Check this website frequently for updates, links to community input surveys, draft plans, and additional outreach opportunities and events. 

Project Contact
Chris Lohoefener
chrisl@rcaa.org
(707) 269-2062

Project Updates (Reverse Chronological Order)

  • 07/22/2022 Update: Minutes from the 06/30/2022 Project Task Force meeting are available here: 06-30-2022 MMCP PTF Meeting [4.2 MB]  Please see updated event summaries for prior events below. 
  • 05/18/2022 Update (revised 07/22/2022):  This survey provides participants with the opportunity to view proposed concept designs for roadway improvements in the McKinleyville area and provide feedback about them. Please submit your response by May 31, 2022. This survey is now closed,
  • 04/13/2022 Update  (revised 07/22/2022):  Community Meeting #2. Event summary here: 04-28-2022 MMCP Community Meeting Summary [0.1 MB]

When:  Thursday, April 28, 2022 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Materials:  Event Flyer (English) [3.1 MB]  Event Flyer (Spanish) [3.1 MB]

  • 03/30/2022 Update (revised 07/22/2022):  Pop-up demonstrations were held to provide feedback on conceptual designs for multimodal transportation improvements. Initial community feedback was used to develop concept designs for transportation improvements in the project area. Event summary here: 03-30-2020 MMCP Pop-Up Demo Feedback and Summary [0.1 MB]

Pop-Up Demonstration Event

This event will use temporary materials to demonstrate a potential concept design in person. This is a great opportunity to see the concept on the ground and provide feedback. The event will take place over two days. Come see what suggested designs could look and feel like as a pedestrian and cyclist!

Where: Hiller Road at Central Ave (Event on Hiller Road)

When: Friday, April 1, 2022 from 3:30pm to 6:30pm and Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:30am to 12:30pm


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Project Goals

•    Enhanced Safety & Connectivity for all modes traveling between McKinleyville and community destinations to the south around Humboldt Bay.

•    Robust Community Engagement of diverse McKinleyville, Arcata and Humboldt County residents, students, businesses and community organizations through a variety of engagement strategies. This includes careful consideration of environmental justice in the planning process so that all residents have an opportunity for meaningful involvement and engaging school‐aged youth (and their parents/caregivers) in providing input and feedback on pedestrian and cyclist needs.

•    Environmental & Community Benefits such as reduction of greenhouse gases, encouragement of non‐motorized transportation modes, and increased commuting by transit, walking and bicycling between McKinleyville, north Arcata and communities further south.

•    Integrating Transportation and Housing Planning Efforts through coordinating  planning efforts with the proposed McKinleyville Town Center development and  focusing on first/last mile transit connectivity between McKinleyville neighborhoods and Redwood Transit Service stops in McKinleyville which offer transit connectivity south and north. 

Public Input Opportunities

A Project Task Force (PTF) comprised of key stakeholders in the project area and transportation officials will guide the project by providing feedback on the project approach, insight for community outreach strategies, and guidance for refining concept improvements.  The PTF will also assist with reaching community residents with limited mobility, unfamiliarity with computers and technology, language barriers, limited time, disabilities, multiple jobs, those who have taken on additional work and/or childcare, and community members who have become food or housing insecure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The first round of public outreach activities are expected to begin in late spring/early summer 2021 and are being coordinated by Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA).  Creative input opportunities and methods for identifying potential safety and connectivity improvements and strategies along the south end of McKinleyville will be made available to all residents, stakeholders and community groups starting with a virtual (online) public meeting to familiarize participants with the project, present existing data and opportunities for public input. Community outreach activities will continue through the summer of 2021 including opportunities to take a survey, participate in small group walking observations, and photo and/or video input engagement activities. A second round of public engagement activities including a second public workshop and temporary “pop-up” infrastructure demonstrations to provide opportunities to see how certain improvements may look on the ground will occur in early-mid 2022 to review draft concept designs and comment on the draft plan. A final plan is expected to be completed by December 2022.

Walking Tours – Community members are invited to gather for walking tours on Monday, 08/16/2021 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM to observe key areas of concern within the project area.  

Those interested in participating should choose one of the three available routes to join, dress appropriately for the weather, plan to walk one mile, bring drinking water and wear comfortable shoes. Participants will also be asked to regroup at Azalea Hall after the walks at 4:15 PM to share their observations and begin discussing potential improvements. Prepare to leave at 3:00 PM from one of the following locations:

●    South end of the Hiller Park parking lot to observe conditions along Hiller Road.

●    North end of Wymore Road in Arcata (adjacent to the bike path) to observe the 101/Central Avenue/North Bank Road Interchange and discuss the Bella Vista area.

●    McKinleyville Middle School parking lot to observe the Central Avenue and Pierson Park areas.  

Online Community Meeting – Community members are invited  to join an online Community Workshop on Monday, 08/23/2021 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM to learn about the project’s history and objectives, impacting traffic analysis,  review community feedback, and participate in breakout sessions to discuss potential improvements and provide feedback on initial recommendations. Spanish interpretation will be provided upon request. 

There are two ways to join the meeting on 08/23/2021 at 6:00 PM:

  • By computer: clicking this link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83444830335. This method is preferred as you can see graphics that the presenter is sharing. A web camera is not necessary to participate; however you may need to call in to hear or speak if you do not have a web camera or speakers. 
  • By telephone:  calling 1-253-215-8782 and use Meeting ID: 834 4483 0335 

Community Survey – Community members are invited to complete an online survey to provide feedback about priorities toward walking and bicycling improvements within the project area.  

The online survey in English is available at: <N/A>  and the link to the Spanish language survey is: <N.A> 

Paper copies of the survey can be also picked up and dropped off at the McKinleyville Family Resource Center (1944 Central Avenue) and the McKinleyville Community Services District Office (1656 Sutter Road).

The survey is now closed and community responses are being reviewed. Additional public input opportunities will be available this fall and winter.