Road and Sidewalk Safety: Maintaining Hedges and Properly Placing Trash Cans Can Help
Press release from the County of Humboldt:
Springtime brings color back to the North Coast region with budding leaves and blossoms, but springtime growth can become a safety concern when hedges, bushes, and other vegetation grows over roadways and sidewalks. Sometimes, trees and vegetation cover up street signs. Garbage cans also pose an obstacle to pedestrians and drivers. Take note of the places you put your garbage cans.
Taking Care of Your Vegetation
As residents go outside to enjoy the sunshine, the County of Humboldt Public Works Department asks residents to observe your yards and take simple steps to keep vegetation from becoming an obstacle on sidewalks for pedestrians or a potential hazard to drivers and bicyclists.
Vegetation must be trimmed back so as to not block the traveled way. This includes the road, as well as the shoulders and sidewalks. It is your responsibility to ensure your vegetation is always maintained to this standard.
Because vegetation grows quickly, the Department encourages residents to trim vegetation back “a little extra” so that it reduces the frequency that vegetation needs to be trimmed. Vegetation growing over the sidewalk reduces the width of sidewalk for pedestrians. Some pedestrians, especially those with disabilities, need to use the full width of the sidewalk.
Vegetation (including trees) needs to be trimmed back so that traffic control devices, like signs and signals, are visible for at least 300 feet from the vehicular travel lanes. In the case of traffic signs that regulate parking, the parking signs must be visible for at least 300 feet from the parking lanes; or the previous parking sign, whichever distance is shorter
Don’t forget to trim back vegetation at your driveway. Keeping plants no taller than 36″ at your driveway helps you see pedestrians and other traffic on the road. It also helps pedestrians and other traffic on the road see if your vehicle is moving.
Good Visibility
Poor Visibility
Take Care of Your Neighbors by Taking Care of Your Trash Cans
Garbage bins can also block public walkways, and the way you place them can make it easier for garbage trucks to pick them up and move on to the next residence. Place bins at the street only on the day before and on the day that pickup is scheduled. Bins may not be stored in the roadway or on the sidewalk. Do not leave bins on the sidewalk as the full width of the sidewalk must be kept usable for pedestrians. Some pedestrians, especially those with disabilities, need to use the full width of the sidewalk. Here are some helpful tips.
The Land Use Division is responsible for review, administration and inspection of improvements required for land use projects. Land Use provides right-of-way and land acquisition services for construction and maintenance projects, researches right-of-way records, investigates complaints, and assists other divisions. Land Use is responsible for management and issuance of permits for activities within the public maintained road system, such as encroachment permits for driveways, parades, special events, and transportation permits for oversize/overweight vehicles.
For more information, visit the county’s website or call the Encroachment Permit Office at the Land Use Division at 707-445-7205.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
This is how humboldt sanitation left my garbage can yesterday. It was not windy out.
wonderful ! I’ll prune my tree this weekend , after I plant trees in Old town.
YES! Finally! Clear instructions on where to properly place recycling and refuse bins; anywhere but on the sidewalk! And also very clear directions about maintaining vegetation; completely behind the back edge of the sidewalk, behind a vertical plane 8 feet high!
Allowing vegetation to grow over any portion of the sidewalk is essentially a theft of public space! Placing bins on the sidewalk further restricts the very limited amount of space allocated to pedestrians, compared to vehicles. Most streets have parking lanes or shoulders where the bins can be placed without blocking travel lanes, including bike lanes.
I enjoy walking side-by-side with family or friends rather than single file, or having to constantly dodge obstructions on, or hanging over, the sidewalk.
I hope other local agencies take note and publish similar comprehensive and clear guidance.
Great work County of Humboldt!
Unfortunately, no resources will be in the county public works budget to either cite offenders or do the work themselves. So be prepared to keep dodging.
They left out one key instruction — DON’T PARK ON THE SIDEWALKS!
Sorry for the all caps but this happens all the time in my neighborhood and it’s become a bit of a pet peeve. Even though it’s illegal to park on sidewalks, EPD never seems to enforce it.
When I was a kid, dad had us wash the car on the front lawn so water would not run down the street.
Trim back your bushes and keep sidewalks clear. Don’t leave your trash cans on the street.
Seems like common sense. However some people are so lazy and clueless that the government has to remind them.
Reminds me of telling children to clean their rooms.