Richardson Grove Controversy Attracts the Interest of the Washington Post

The Washington Post Business Section just put out a story on the Richardson Grove controversy which cuts to the root of the problem. The story is fairly even handed though the last word seemed pro project.

U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup listened to arguments from both sides on Thursday in San Francisco, and appeared skeptical that damage to one segment of the trees’ roots would kill them.

“I don’t buy the idea that if you take one tiny little root (out) it’s going to hurt the whole tree,” Alsup said.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Philip Gregory, holding a clump of tiny redwood tree roots in his hand, told the judge that redwoods have a complex, shallow root system the tall trees need to feed and anchor into the ground. He said damage to a section of these roots can affect the entire system.

As for fears that once the road is realigned, a convoy of massive trucks and developers will descend on this remote area of California, Humboldt County’s Debets said the concerns are overblown.

“I’m a fifth generation Humboldt County native, I love that it’s small here,” she said. “And I also know that after this project’s done no one’s going to notice a change

If you haven’t done so yet, you ought to check out the simulations on what changes are going to be made in the road.

Here is a short slideshow.  This page here is full of information.

Hat tip to @forestdefender.

 

UPDATE:  The Judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the Richardson Grove Project

(Photo from an unnamed source)

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Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

What’s the point of checking out the slideshow? How about I show you some pictures of what your lungs would look like after I scoop a couple tablespoons full of capilaries from your lungs…as you would plainly be able to see, you would survive the procedure and live a perfectly normal life thereafter, except for maybe the possibility of an early death but you know the experts on our side say that won’t happen so don’t worry.

WAY TO GO KYM! Keep hyping that freeway!!!!!!!

HUMBOLDT! Where the hillbillies want more freeway????

just another “no big deal….” on the road to health and prosperity the planet is firmly planted, right? We need more decisions made that are PRO-FREEWAY!!!!

FUCKING disgusting….good night.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

Random,
I do understand your passion for the trees. What I fail to understand is why someone who has an honest difference of opinion is somehow disgusting….I admire people like Will Druid who believe passionately that Richardson Grove project needs to be stopped and are willing to go to jail to make that happen. I don’t agree with him but I admire him. I also respect those who offer their opinion, present their facts, and listen to mine. They might make me change my mind. But how does what you just presented here help? If I truly am evil or stupid or just misinformed will it change my mind or will it solidify me in my beliefs?

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Kym, I think you’re taking it a little too personal. He said your opinion disgusts him, not you.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

The status quo that is so obviously and blatantly pissing on every man woman and child’s head is disgusting. There’s not only no reason to be polite about it, there’s important reason to call it what it is. Disgusting. Disrespectful. Deceitful. You’re not alone in having written that you’re confused and put off by “lying environmentalists” who ruin a good thing for everybody. Last I checked, even lying environmentalists aren’t trying to accomodate more fucking freeway in the middle of an old growth grove IN HUMBOLDT. The corporations that fall rank and file in the wake of projects like this prosper over locality. The proof is the rest of the nation. Their reasoning behind the project is false, the money is being used improperly and other projects should take immediate priority. Surely you can think of better ways for caltrans to spend 10 million in your neck of the woods?

Because the “improvement” project is fucking disgusting. About as gross as it gets in this day and age. If you take it personally, ask yourself why, not me. It’s so disgusting it’s confusing and sad to see people like yourself hype it. It’s couple fucks in the continuing rape of the planet.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

I understand calling what you see even if it is uncomfortable for others to hear. I just don’t believe that most people can distinguish between calling someone’s opinion disgusting and calling them disgusting. So, if you explain where you think their opinion is wrong, you offer a particular set of facts that they can refute or agree to. Calling an opinion of a person you are discussing things with disgusting, just gets them defensive. It doesn’t get the facts out there. If you think someone is lying, say so. You can’t have a dialogue based on dishonesty. But if they are honestly disagreeing, point out where their grasp of facts is wrong.

Should I call Will, whom I admire, shortsighted, idiotic or uninformed I don’t doubt he would be pissed off and the dialogue would end. Rightfully, so. If I say, Hey guy, here’s what I think. What do you think? We’ve got a conversation that may end with both of us learning something and both us capable of working together on other projects where we agree. Insulting folk or their opinions rarely leads to a better world.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago
Reply to  Staff

You’re nitpicking like a mom to a grown adult about vocabulary and what you take to be a personal insult. The fact that freeways continue to grow while open space continues to diminish is a bit more important, don’t you think? Raping the planet is pretty fucked up, right? It happens one little project like this at a time, right? Right! So wtf.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

If you think your way works….I believe that treating people with respect is the basis of a better planet.

I do think that freeways growing is an important issue. Richardson Grove project is not a freeway. The road is being realigned to make it safer and open up the county to economic opportunities. Projects like this have happened through the Grove for years without injury to those lovely trees. Why is this one project going to harm them?

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

My way? The concept of not continuing to pander the status quo that’s screws everybody in broad daylight? In Humboldt, no less? Regarding some of the most beautiful, unique and diminishing habitats on the planet? Why is one more section of freeway so important indeed? TO YOU? Isn’t more forest more important? Isn’t that what you’d like to see more of in the world? Isn’t the image you would like associated with Humboldt, let alone SoHum to be more redwoods than freeway? This is the case of the new millennium in that respect. There’s no sense to the project other than the status quo continuing to dictate OUR locality from their offices in money land, and not for our sake whatsoever.

Do you understand that it’s just another brick in the proverbial wall????? I refuse to believe you don’t see that bigger picture. Just another couple fucks in the ongoing rape…rephrase that politely if it makes for better conversation.

Harry
Guest
Harry
12 years ago

Just a drive on Avenue of the Giants shows that cutting a few Redwood roots doesn’t kill the forest. If you want to drive fast just get on the new US 101 bypass that was built to by pass old US 101 (now called Avenue of the Giants). Lots of Redwood roots were cut when they built the new bypass not so many years ago. If we don’t need roads, let’s just rip them all out, park all our cars and just walk.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

If you want to drive faster through Richardson Grove, wait until the “improvement” project makes that a reality.

Welcome to Humboldt! Where Freeways cut through Old Growth Redwood Groves and, doggone it, we like that we’re gonna see even more of it!

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

that was /sarcasm, btw.

No more compromising forests for freeways. Get with the times. Don’t be a hippycrit, for crying out loud. It’s more than sad. When I came to sohum as a kid with my folks, never in a million years would I have expected those people to be supporting a proposal like this. In fact, they don’t….is why it’s sad to see this blog represent like it does.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

I don’t understand why you keep conflating this project with a freeway. The speed limit is not going to increase when the project is completed. To quote the EIR, “The posted speed limit would not be raised.” It is only 35 miles per hour. There are only 2 lanes now and will only be two lanes then. What makes this a freeway?

Ernie's Place
Guest
12 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Thank-you Kym
I was looking for some honesty. I was afraid that somebody might believe the freeway thing. I think that we would all oppose that. I keep looking for honesty because you and I won’t be making the decision as to what happens in the grove, it will be decided by others. I hope that clearer minds can see through the breathless lies.

Removing the two 8′ redwoods is not a freeway, and the road is not being widened one little speck. The speed limit will remain at crawl speed, which is okay. Pruning the limbs or roots of a redwood does no more harm to them than it does a rosebush.

I hope that the people making the final decisions on the project will see past the screaming hyperbole.

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago

I just don’t believe that most people can distinguish between calling someone’s opinion disgusting and calling them disgusting. ,

Random Guy,
She offers this baseless belief so that she can claim that you made a personal insult. So then instead of honestly responding to the reality of your criticisms, she can sit on her high horse and get into her self righteousness and snootily go about politely fighting with her straw man. Saying things like, “I believe that treating people with respect is the basis of a better planet.” If a person can’t even listen to a little criticism without taking it personal –well, I doubt if you can communicate with them about the needs of the planet.

But if they are honestly disagreeing, point out where their grasp of facts is wrong.

RG, I have read some of your many posts on this blog where time and time again you make your points about where ppl on Kym’s side of the issue are wrong. Some ppl don’t get it, some take it personal, and some hate you. But I dig what you are saying. I especially like your point about one little step at a time. Because it seems to me that too many ppl around here are like that frog in the water that’s heating up slowly . . . unaware that it’s gonna die from it.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago

Harry…That’s the point I’ve been trying to get across to these folks. I would like just one of them to tell me why there aren’t a bunch of stumps lining old 101. There are hundreds of large old growth Redwoods whose trunks are in some cases just inches from the pavement that are doing just fine. The folks who started this silliness are not about Redwoods. They’re about Arkley, Home Depot and Wal-Mart and have been bullshitting the public with this phony environmentalist scam. Probably the most pathetic of the bunch are these paranoid airheads who think the project will somehow make it easier for the military to send in tanks when they come to put down some imaginary insurrection. Stupid is as stupid does. I’d be happy to take Mr McBride for a tour of the avenue.

sidestepper
Guest
sidestepper
12 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

The folks who first made light about this project are not about Arkley, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart. They simply wanted a Environmental Impact Report to be conducted– something that CALTRANS failed to do initially. There are many different groups who are advocating for Richardson Grove for different reasons. The core folks who brought this project into attention were concerned about the impacts of the land and the fact that this project will cost so much…. the State of California will pay 12% of the cost. I know personally, I wish I could use that 12% to help out with South Fork Highschool.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  sidestepper

Honestly, there are a few other places I’d rather see the money spent, too. But government is ponderous. Stopping this project won’t put the money at South Fork or on county roads or provide support for poor families. You need to change the system for that. The money from this will just go to another highway project.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Kym, you say “Honestly, there are a few other places I’d rather see the money spent, too.”

It’s understood that with the bunch of your family receiving income from Caltrans, it would probably do their future within the company no good if you were to bad mouth any of their proposals, especially one as heated as this. That works both ways, however, as your voice would be heavy weight for them to reconsider for, if nothing else, the very obvious reason you just sited.

It’s not worth sacrificing a little more of those non-refundable environments for a little more pavement. The decision makers involved, many of whom have been elected to represent our best interests, need to recognize and respect that.

On top of it all, our future shouldn’t be about placing a little more faith in a little more easy money. Humboldt will prosper even more in the future if we protect the planet’s most sacred places within our borders. It’s a very big win win the further down the line you look. More of the same will only beget what we see everywhere else this type of construction has already permanently destroyed the natural landscape.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

…and before somebody jumps down my throat about “no ancient trees being cut” or that this construction won’t permanently harm anything, realize and respect the fact that fifty years is nothing to these trees, they need time and space to florish and, like all life, the genuine love of everything around them to prosper. All I see more roads doing is what we can all see more road doing everywhere else. That’s what I’m talking about.

WE NEED TO BE MORE INTELLIGENT THAN TO SAY THERE IS NO OTHER WAY IN THIS CASE.

sidestepper
Guest
sidestepper
12 years ago

“In Humboldt Redwoods Sate Park just south of Scotia, evident on the Eel River side of Highway 101 are old-growth redwood where nearly every tall tree has a dead top. In this case, the highway changed the water drainage pattern and increased the exposure of the treetops to increased air movement. Increased water stress combined with desiccation may have caused the tops to die.” (http://www.nwwg.org/treetips/20050717)

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  sidestepper

I don’t know that the drainage change caused this problem but it does look to me like this area was the result of that issue.

No one, to my knowledge, is alleging though that Richardson Grove project will have drainage issues.

sidestepper
Guest
sidestepper
12 years ago

One last comment—

Judge Orders California to Halt Work on
Richardson Grove Highway Expansion That Would Harm Ancient
Redwoods

SAN FRANCISCO— A federal judge on Wednesday ordered California state
transportation officials to stop work on a controversial plan to cut wider highway
lanes through ancient redwoods in Northern California’s Richardson Grove State
Park. The judge granted the injunction that was being sought by a group of
plaintiffs that includes three environmental organizations and several citizens,
finding the project is likely to harm trees and may violate federal law.

The judge halted plans by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
to realign a section of Highway 101 that winds through old-growth redwoods in
the park to accommodate large-truck travel. The work would require crews to
extensively cut into the roots of towering redwoods that stand along the highway
within park boundaries. The injunction prohibits all on-the-ground construction
and even contract advertising, bidding, or awards until the merits of the case are
heard. The case is to be heard on Dec. 1, 2011.

The court’s decision centers on the controversial project’s potentially fatal
damage to the prized ancient trees, as well as harm to sensitive wildlife. The
plaintiffs charged that Caltrans failed to evaluate impacts of the project in
violation of environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act.
Those arguments were recognized as valid in Wednesday’s court decision
granting the injunction. The federal lawsuit accompanies a California state action
also filed by the coalition.

“This project would cause irreparable damage to one of our most prized state
parks, and this decision confirms the legitimacy of our concerns,” said Gary
Hughes of the Environmental Protection Information Center, a plaintiff group
based in Humboldt County. “We believe that this ruling highlights the ecological
importance of the state parks in redwood country, and we hope that decision-
makers are beginning to understand the legal and ethical responsibility they have
to steward these globally important protected areas for future generations.”

“With less than 3 percent of our ancient redwood trees remaining, we cannot
allow Caltrans to injure and kill the precious giants of Richardson Grove State
Park,” said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity. “We hope that with
this court decision, Caltrans will scrap this misguided project that would sacrifice
redwoods and the endangered species that depend on them for the sake of a few
more oversized trucks speeding through the grove.”

Plaintiffs in the case (No. C 10-04360 WHA) are Trisha Lee Lotus, Bess Bair,
Bruce Edwards, Jeffrey Hedin, Loreen Eliason, Environmental Protection
Information Center, Californians for Alternatives to Toxics and the Center for
Biological Diversity. They are represented by a team that includes Philip Gregory
and former congressman “Pete” McCloskey of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, a law
firm in San Francisco.

Harry
Guest
Harry
12 years ago

Open discussion is a good thing. Transportation efficiency enhancement for light weight items shipped out of Humboldt in one reason for support of this Highway improvement project. We may not all agree on this project, but there is a lot more support for the project than just Kim. I appreciate her Blog as an avenue (of the giants? lol) for open discussion……:)

Thompson stirs talk over cut flower transportation
Donna Tam/The Times-Standard
Posted: 07/09/2011 02:00:29 AM PDT

Congressman Mike Thompson has opened the door for domestic cut flower suppliers — such as Arcata’s Sun Valley Floral Farms — to potentially compete with foreign flower growers.

According to his office, Thompson offered an amendment Thursday to the Colombia Free Trade Agreement implementing bill that would provide funding for a national floral transportation and distribution center for U.S. cut flower shipments. Thompson eventually withdrew the amendment, but the action allowed cut flower growers to address the committee on their concerns.

Thompson, D-St. Helena, said Friday that he wanted to bring awareness to the issue before the House Ways and Means Committee.

”I wanted to talk about it, and I wanted people to understand what a significant issue it is.”

Just one more reason to support the Richardson Grove road improvement project. The local economy.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago

There are a number of Redwoods on my property that have dead tops. They have dead tops because Red Squirrels knaw the bark near the tops. When they chew the bark off all the way around the tops die and eventually are broken off by the wind. But you still have not answered the question as to why the construction of the original 101 had so little impact on the adjacent trees. I’m sure far less care was taken when that was done than will be the case with Richardsons Grove.

Ernie's Place
Guest
12 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

Dave
Thanks for mentioning the “Red Squirrels”, they are well known to the old-timers around here. We used to call them “Redwood Squirrels”. Not many newcomers know about them, and probably none of the RG protesters know about them. The only thing that they know if that “They Love the redwoods”. But some of us even take the time to know what a redwood tree really is, and how it thrives. Thank-you!

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago
Reply to  Ernie's Place

Sidestepper already covered the red squirrel issue. Try reading the link that she/he provided above.

Ernie's Place
Guest
12 years ago
Reply to  suzy blah blah

Suzy
The link that you provided also promoted the theory that the freeway cut the water supply to the Redwoods causing top death. Another theory (Far more likely) is that the light was let in and competing species were allowed to grow, using up the water and nutrients that the redwood formally gleaned from the soil.

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago
Reply to  Ernie's Place

Sidestepper provided the link Ernie, not me. I clicked on it and read it.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago

Sidestepper…If you’re really concerned about the cost of this project how about getting the lawyers out of equation. You want to save money then don’t support frivolous law suits than are only going to drive the cost of the project up. I am confident that Cal Trans will prevail in the end. Personally I don’t care one way or the other whether the project get’s done or not. But I do resent the lies and intimidation that many of the opponents are engaged in.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
12 years ago

” The road is being realigned to make it safer…” With all due respect, Kym, even CalTrans has abandoned that dead horse. If we want 101 safer we need to “realign” or “widen” the junction at highway 1 and the area at Standish-Hickey/Peg House. Statisticly they are two of the “most dangerous” sections.

“…. the road is not being widened one little speck.” Ernie, I don’t doubt your sincerity, but you clearly haven’t read the CalTrans site. There will be “minor widening” and the highway will be “3-4 feet wider” in places.

Let’s not risk further damage to one of the world’s most unique treasures.

Staff
Member
12 years ago

Anonymous, I’m not sure where you got the idea that Caltrans has abandoned the idea that the Richardson Grove project will make the road safer. To quote the EIR, “The purpose of the proposed project is to adjust the roadway alignment to accommodate Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) truck travel, thereby removing the restriction for STAA vehicles, and improve the safety and operation of US Route 101 while also improving goods movement…” I agree that those other two projects are important. But am curious. Aren’t there redwood trees that are as likely to be affected in those two places as they are at Richardson Grove?

Also, I agree there will be some widening but I’m unable to find the place you quote as being “3-4 feet wider” Could you direct me to where you found that?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
12 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Kym,
Please don’t be disingenuous. CalTrans started back-pedaling on the safety issue early in the process when it was brought to their attention that there hadn’t been a truck accident in the grove in several years. Their focus then became STAA trucks and “commerce”. Look at the summary of the project on their website. There isn’t a single mention of safety.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist1/d1projects/richardson_grove/

Dig a wee bit deeper and you’ll see that the project calls for adding 2 foot or 4 foot shoulders “where obtainable”. But I have a feeling that you already knew this.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Anonymous,

I wasn’t intending to be disingenuous. I know that many people feel this area will be safer with the project but, I believe, in order to go into that on the eir Caltrans would have to perform an expensive study.

And I did know about the 2 -4 foot shoulders but since you used quote marks, I assumed you were quoting and I couldn’t find the place. I was trying to be respectful and understand your position. I have limited time to spend on my blog and was trying to be pointed in the right direction without having to spend quite a bit of time digging through the document.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

Kym, you are either genuinely naive or intentionally playing the part. It is completely reasonable to suggest you have an inherent bias that you will not falter from because your husband works for Caltrans. That’s as personal as I’m going to make it, because I refuse to believe you’re as stupid as you continue to (hopefully pretend) to be about this.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

Random, it is completely reasonable to suggest I have a bias because my husband, father, and grandfather have all worked for Caltrans. It is also possible that because I know the work that was done by Caltrans in the past through the Grove rather intimately for the last 50 years, I know how absolutely minimal this work is and how, if that earlier work didn’t harm the trees, this isn’t going to hurt those trees.

You say on the Pot Country post, “While you grew up here in the beautiful hills of southern humboldt, kym, I was 300 miles south watching “improvement” projects turn the area into the shithole it is today….one insignificant loss of opens space at a time…a few more feet on either side of a road here and there, now and then….…next time you post one of your very cool photographs of the backyard you’re very blessed to call home, imagine a bulldozer tearing a road right through the middle of it.”

What you appear to be saying is that there is no project valuable enough to do? All road work should stop now? No more houses should be built etc. Don’t get me wrong. I want very very slow and thoughtful “improvements.” I don’t want “progress” in the form of Santa Rosafication. But my reasoning for the Grove project is this

1) Marijuana as a huge economic engine is sputtering

2) I’ve seen what this county looks like as the last economic engine (lumber and fishing) sputtered to a near stop. It ain’t pretty. The environmental damage inflicted by a poor, desperate community is ugly. They’ll abandon leaking cars and decaying batteries. They’ll empty businesses and leave their hazardous waste sitting for latter generations to deal with. They’ll sell their big open ranches for smaller developments crisscrossed with roads and speckled with low income housing that is often abandoned. We did it before. We’ll do it again. Only this time the plots will be smaller and the roads woven tighter. We’ll throw in Walmart’s and McDonald’s. We’ll sell our water and our trees for even less than we do now.

3)So we need to build and support our own businesses that provide jobs and money to this economy. One of the simplest, least harmful ways to do that is to realign the road through the Grove. It won’t hurt the trees. It will allow our businesses to compete with others outside the area as their trucking costs will be reduced. We give up a literally a few feet of land now to provide support to the kind of businesses that we want.

4) To my mind, what just happened in Arcata with the Cypress Grove goat farm is an example of what is happening now with the Grove. We environmentalists throw fits about reasonable use of land while we ignore the big picture–how many people have written a letter to their supervisors about the County’s General Plan Update? How much diesel is being spilt in the hills? How many homes are converted to our “secret” industry then abandoned when they are destroyed? How many big box stores will we make room for? Why do we continue to allow the Eel River water basin to be destroyed so that the Russian River runs full?…

I’m for careful thought and planning before we make new roads and new homes but I think there are cases, and the Grove is one, where what we gain far outweighs the very little we use.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

“I’m for careful thought and planning before we make new roads and new homes but I think there are cases, and the Grove is one, where what we gain far outweighs the very little we use.”

No, absolutely not. After all you just wrote, concluded with that no less, you are, in my eyes, VERY ignorant. Yea, no surprise if your whole family gets a paycheck from Caltrans. ANY loss of such habitat in this day and age, especially for any of the factual OR fictitious reasons behind highway 101 being given right of way through it, is so stupid it’s mind boggling, sad, frustrating, heartbreaking, etc. It’s mother earth we’re talking about…as much in principle as practice.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

So I guess that is a big no to any ground breaking project–including most vegie gardens which are close in size to the land actually being used in this project?

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

That’s ridiculous thinking and you know it.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Random Guy

No, I don’t. And I’m frustrated by opening myself up with a serious discussion of my point of view only to be dismissed. If you don’t like what I see as facts, offer what you see. That way other people can make up their own mind and I can be challenged to change mine.

Random Guy
Guest
Random Guy
12 years ago

Everything you just wrote right back atcha. Whose mind is changing? Really? Yours? You’re downplaying the project per caltrans, it’s all there for everybody to read. I have no affiliation with them or “environmentalist” groups. I want to live in a world where places like Richardsom Grove are given the highest degree of respect and accomadation, and we can certainly do without more freeway through them. That’s why I moved to Humboldt. Those are the type of people I want to be surrounded by. THAT’s the future, we need…not countless more “no big deal” “just a little bit” compromises all over the state/nation/world all the time every waking day of our lives…..let alone IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY. It’s fucked up. If you’re half the environmentalist you claim to be, you know exactly where I’m coming from.

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago

“no big deal” “just a little bit” compromises

Random Guy nailed it. It’s a slippery slope.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago

All I want is, as I have posted before, is for Mr. McBride or someone to explain to us why the old grow trees that are growing with their trunks literally within inches of the

Ernie's Place
Guest
12 years ago

“A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.”
~ William Blake,
I appreciate the fact that Kym and Kirby have gone to the trouble to learn about the project before giving their opinions.

suzy blah blah
Guest
suzy blah blah
12 years ago

Art is the tree of life. Science is the tree of death.
Wm Blake

Ilk Ridge
Guest
Ilk Ridge
12 years ago

A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

William Blake

Rick
Guest
Rick
12 years ago

Greetings All, Regarding the Richardson Grove project. Personally I do not care one way or another if the project gets done, but we must keep in mind that eventually the Road will require Maintenance in the form of an overlay and perhaps some dig outs just to keep what we have. Also, considering the Economy, and the fact that the road has been there as long as we all are aware, what are the alternatives? A Bypass? Do Nothing? The one thing we need to address right now is the safety of Bicyclists as they ride through the Grove, Lets at the very least value Human life and make an alternate route for Bicyclists while the rest of us agree to disagree on how to solve the Transportation issue. Has anyone ever witnessed a group of bikes and 2 commercial trucks on a Friday meeting in the park? Take my word on this, It’s not pretty.

Winnie Bageaux
Guest
Winnie Bageaux
12 years ago

Thank you Rick. There are signs on the Avenue of the Giants to Share the Road (with bicyclists) but not on each end of the Richardson Grove?!!
C’mon Caltrans, an actual show of concern for public safety in the grove would be great publicity. While a safe trail for bicyclists is the best option, at least token warning signs would be a help.
Not warning drivers and cyclists about that very narrow stretch of 101 is malfeasant negligence in my mind.

charlie two crows
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charlie two crows
12 years ago

Kym, what does the realignment have to do with BIG BOX stores? Its illegal to pull a 53 foot high capacity trailer north of leggett. Some truckers do come to eureka with over length trailers. And CHP hires SSt trucking in arcatia to tow the over length trailers out of Humboldt co. Last year the target store in Eureka grossed 70 million dollars. And the freight was brought in from the north. SO kym , why do a lot of the comments refer to Big Box

Harry
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Harry
12 years ago

I think Big Box is a spurious reason to oppose the project. We already have Big Box stores.

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