Humboldt County Public Works is Working Over Your Wallet, Claims Letter Writer

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When you make your appointment to repair the beat-up front end on your vehicle after you just paid a $1500 bill for tires chewed up on our abysmal county roads you can contemplate the handful of people that chose to spend more of your money on county trails than on county roads.  Keep in mind our county already has more trails per capita than most other communities in the Nation and has significant trouble maintaining its existing recreational facilities.

According to the County Public Works Department report the County spent 12% of their budget on roads and 15% on trails and parks last year. Another 21% on engineering.   It would be interesting to see the breakdown on costs spent per mile of trail vs mile of road.

According to the report a large part of department spending was directed to the Humboldt Bay trail south project.  For those of you unaware this 4-mile section of trail will cost over $20 million dollars when the mitigations and design costs are figured in.  For those of us who like math that comes to over $5,000,000 per mile.

Trail advocates have been pushing this trail for years and would regularly bemoan that a rail with trail would cost 5 times what a trail on rail would cost.  However, now that the Great Redwood Trail took over the North Coast Rail Authority and ultimately railbanked the rail line the trail can now legally be built on the rail itself.  In fact, the Coastal Commission required the railbanking to be completed before granting the permit for the current design which involves rail removal. In other words, what we didn’t get after all this was a rail with trail as originally promised nor did we get the less costly trail on rail.  What we did get is an over $2 million engineering bill which is part of the 21% hit to the Public Works budget.

Rather than going back to the drawing board and perhaps saving over $15 million, the County Public Works is going ahead with the much more expensive design that doesn’t even allow for rail use like speeders, trollies, and other transportation uses of the rail.  If that is just a result of incompetence its embarrassing, if it was intentional, perhaps criminal, but either way it is insulting to us as taxpayers.

The cost of this trail is not just in monetary measures.  Part of the mitigations required for paving over 5 acres of coastal wetlands for this short section of trail is the loss of a large, historic farm on Samoa Blvd in Arcata.  This once highly productive farm was turned into a salt marsh right next to another botched salt marsh “restoration” project attempting to do the same thing.  Irony is getting to be a staple in these types of projects in that the original “restoration” site is now covered in a spartina plant that didn’t exist there previously.  This same plant is targeted to be eradicated on Indian Island also as part of the mitigation for the Bay trail south project. These mitigations would have been unnecessary had the less costly and less impactful version of the trail was chosen.

You will have another opportunity to ponder this $5,000,000 per mile paved over coastal wetland trail when the county puts yet another tax on the ballot for “roads” this coming election. These numbers were run by Public Works and Supervisors for accuracy.

Uri Driscoll

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brodie
Guest
brodie
10 months ago

Well said. We know they have been trying to get rid of the tracks for along time. I wish they would focus on getting rid of Drugs and Crime like they have the tracks. The fact they are spending over $330,000 Tax dollars on hiring someone to figure out the best way to Tax us again to fix the roads is a slap in the face. What happened to all the other Measures we were promised would fix the roads?

The Real Guest
Guest
The Real Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  brodie

The other measures that we were promised would fix the roads went mostly to the sheriff’s department.

You gotta hand it to the sheriff’s though…

They must have known the roads would suffer if they got so much money, so they bought a very expensive boat…

Last edited 10 months ago
Michael Rios
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  brodie

Michael

Michael Rios
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  brodie

It’s the “good old boys” at it again. Lining their pockets , at taxpayers expense. Corruption at its finest. I read that rising sea levels will put roads around the bay under water. More dollars down the drain. Time to clean house.

Mr. Clark
Member
Mr. Clark
9 months ago
Reply to  Michael Rios

so you thing the ocean will rise up to the old rial line?

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
10 months ago

Yup. Contractor with a few machines… removed the track, removed the cross ties, bladed the railroad bed down to about 6′ wide, and put in a 3″ asphalt pavement job.

Maybe half a million a mile and the ‘bay trail’ would have been done long, long ago.

Doesn’t require any further… er ‘mitigation’.

Wonder how much ‘mitigation’ the future expansion of the Arcata sewage ponds is going to need ?

Go figure. Follow the MONEY.

Korina42D
Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Bozo

Part of the trail construction will be to repair and enhance the prism that keeps the bay off the 101.
The trail could have been done 15 years ago, when a company came and offered to take the rails for scrap, and in exchange leave a prepared trail bed, ready for paving, no money involved. The local governments dawdled, wondering if they could do it instead, and eventually the company gave up and left.

Uri
Guest
Uri
10 months ago
Reply to  Korina42

you seem to forget that would have been illegal 15 years ago

Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  Uri

Is it a case of doing a good thing badly? Trails are cool, but not at any expense! People confuse engineering with perfection. I can point to countless heavily engineered projects that fail.
Funny story: a local Fire organization got a grant for a large fire water tank to go on the border of State Park land and private property. (Goal: help prevent fires spreading from private to public property)The best spot for the tank happened to be on State property. A desk bound State engineer in Sac. got a hold of it and demanded we cable the tank down to a concrete slab; Unlike any of the other plastic tanks all over the Park. A local engineer volunteered to write us a five page formula demonstrating that the water left under the outlet of an empty tank weighed enough to hold the tank down in 125 mph winds…just like the tank designers figured.
So, I’m not blaming the engineers. The Country just slopped the trough, can’t blame the animals for feeding!

Michael Rios
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  Bozo

They’re just covering their “tracks “.

I Remember
Guest
I Remember
10 months ago

I’ve always believed getting train service between Eureka and Scotia would do more for the economy than anything else I could come up with. (It’s not the Eel Canyon, which is never going to work.) It would be a convenience and attract rail-lovers from all over. I’m sorry the trail is replacing the tracks. Back in the early 1990’s there were special runs of trains for fun, even a murder mystery fundraiser onboard from Arcata to Stafford!

Korina42D
Member
10 months ago
Reply to  I Remember

Then do it; no one’s stopping a tourist train, in fact it sounds fun!

Uri
Guest
Uri
10 months ago
Reply to  Korina42

Yes it is being prevented by removing rail between Eureka and Arcata. You know that.

thetallone
Guest
thetallone
10 months ago

Don’t worry about the cost-the county can raise the money by fining you $10k/day for the old drying shed the previous owners of your property built.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
10 months ago

Back on May 19, 2023, KMUD News covered a meeting talking about tourism and roads in Southern Humboldt, County speakers were Planning Director Ford, Public Works Director Mattson and 2nd District Supervisor Bushnell, Sheriff Honsal etc. see flier below, take it as you will, I only posted the link that talked about roads, there is more about tourism on KMUD News:
https://archive.kmudfm.org/mp3/kmud_230525_080000newsam.mp3

331094422_740903380747548_2872610097896685013_n.jpg
Last edited 10 months ago
Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
10 months ago
Reply to  Ed Voice
Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

What ever happened to the money offered by the State to make “211” a scenic route?
I once got a Yelp scam call saying everyone thought our business sucked. I looked it up, and it turns out, there were 10 posts, all complaining about our roads.
” I put 20,000 miles on our Mercedes in only 20 miles of Mattole road!”
Once I came upon a man and a lady sipping sherry from the the boot of a 50s Alpha Romeo by the A.W.Way bridge. They had driven on county back-roads from the East Coast, with the only problem being a loosened exhaust pipe. The worst road on the trip? You guessed it!
Somebody needs to tell the Concourse D’Elegance folks in Ferndale to quit sending those expensive classics out the Wildcat!

FogDog
Guest
FogDog
10 months ago

The road to my house hasn’t been paved in 40 years and is still in decrepit shape from when it was torn up to put in the first sewer main in the area. Its been that long.
I frequently drive around the western US and the worst roads I ever drive are the last few miles home. County works comes and patches it occasionally, but that only adds more bumps to lumps. 40 years of patch on patch makes a terrible road.

I think there’s good in creating shared recreational spaces that improve quality of life for everyone and attract people to the area, but I’d agree that the pricetag seems absurd and the upkeep will be significant. Uri seems to make some good common sense points about the process.

Me
Guest
Me
10 months ago
Reply to  FogDog

Yep. Take a drive up Ridgewood from Elk River road. Lots of rocking and rolling from the lousy attempts by the county at repairing the failing culverts. But…I guess that keeps some of the speed demons at bay.

Dusty Rhoades
Guest
Dusty Rhoades
10 months ago

Agree 100% Since the 1980’s Public Work has been top heavy, and this was told to me by a County Engineer. More and more money has gone to management and office staff, including the Director, Deputy Directors, Engineers etc. and fewer dollars for repairs and maintenance. Check out their salaries and benefits at Transparent California…

https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/2021/humboldt-county/?page=1

They (Public Works) had a 122 million dollar budget for FY 2022/2023. Money sure didn’t go to roads. Check out…

https://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/117249/FY-22-23-Adopted-Budget-Section-A2—Budget-In-Brief

More than once I have encountered road crew members on the County road that I live on where there are two employees inspecting the road without any cold mix to fix the cavernous pot holes they come across. They never square up the edges of the potholes and never put enough cold mix in the holes. Not once in 30 years have they done a chip seal or slurry seal, sealed cracks, etc. Crazy!

There is no accountability! Trim the fat, fix the roads!

Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  Dusty Rhoades

CARB inadvertently shlorked a bunch of our public funds and gave it to PACCAR. Public entities like the County had to buy all new trucks when the Air Resource Board decided to time out pre-2010 engines. We got 12 new trucks, but spent all the money we had for asphalt to go in the dump trucks. The new trucks didn’t do anything for a couple years.

Joe'sGarage
Guest
Joe'sGarage
10 months ago

Their job is to put your money in their pockets. The bureaucracy in California functions for one purpose, and one purpose only, to serve itself while putting up a façade of competency. Gone are the days when Bing Prentess (past head of Cal. DOT) would weather the storms, “with his men”, clearing storm drains. Imagine the head of Cal Trans doing the same thing today–hah–fat chance. The rest of the staff, uh probably not for fear of breaking a nail. You can hire competency but you can’t hire equity. You can legislate opportunity but you can’t legislate the outcome.

Korina42D
Member
10 months ago

Wait, the reason it’s rail with trail is so the speeder cars can keep using the rails as far as Braecut, because you and the Timber Heritage guys complained about the trail so loudly (okay, and because that’s all the NCRA would agree to, likely because of the THA). Now you want us to spend tens of thousands more to re-design the trail??

Are you still upset that the state won’t pay to fix the rails around the bay so you guys can run your private business on public infrastructure at $20+ million per mile? I know the THA has been told they’re free to do it themselves so I don’t see a problem.

Uri
Guest
Uri
10 months ago
Reply to  Korina42

Please be honest Korina. They are taking the rail out between Brainard and Breacut. Would be pretty hard to run a speeder or trolly or rail bike without a rail.

Michael Rios
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  Korina42

WTF?

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
10 months ago

What I would like to know is how the trail from bracut to eureka got approved without a hearing. The disturbance to waterfowl,cutting of trees and shrubbery and future maintenance costs are significant things, not to mention the exorbitant costs to serve the trail desires of a relatively few citizens in a place with notoriously bad and freeway traffic noise,weather

Guest
Guest
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  Jeffersonian

But a train with an engine will not bother waterfowl? The eucalyptus trees are flammable and explosive if a car runs into one, wouldn’t that also bother waterfowl if a tree exploded? You are upset there won’t be crowds? Wouldn’t crowds also bother waterfowl? Wouldn’t a train also be loud and bother waterfowl? Is a cyclist or a train more likely to bother waterfowl?

It sounds like you wouldn’t like the trail so I suggest not using it. It would be too noisy, there wouldn’t be big enough crowds, and it might be breezy, misty, foggy, and sometimes rainy. I’m not sure how you enjoy Humboldt because that is how the weather is most days.

Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  Guest

“The eucalyptus trees are flammable and explosive if a car runs into one, wouldn’t that also bother waterfowl if a tree exploded? “…
“and it might be breezy, misty, foggy, and sometimes rainy. I’m not sure how you enjoy Humboldt because that is how the weather is most days.”

Ok it be cool to check out a little bit about Wildland Fire Behavior, and Fire Weather. Basically you can relax a bit about the eucalyptus! They’re not explosive. Impact will not cause a runaway exothermic reaction. It is enough to point out a train behaving normally is louder than a trail.
Namaste

trout fisher
Guest
trout fisher
10 months ago

The more hiking trails the better!
The more people hike the healthier we become. Hiking has been shown to be very beneficial to mental health. It alleviates depression, gives the body a huge endorphin boost, improves heart and lung function. Increases stamina and strength. Brings a sense of adventure and wellbeing to people who hike.
Long distance hiking, and long distance trails, brings lots of money to rural communities. Through hiking is very popular. The Appalachian Trail has an estimated three million hikers who hike a portion or all of it annually. The Pacific Crest trail is so popular permits are now required.
There are lots of business opportunities that can cater to hikers. Hostels, campgrounds, shuttle services, food, drinks and cannabis. Camping supplies , tour guiding groups to name a few. The Great Redwood Trail will absolutely bring new opportunities and new cashflow into the counties it traverses.

Uri
Guest
Uri
10 months ago
Reply to  trout fisher

According to Mcguire and Korina and wilson you have to be a “non profit” in order to have a business related to this trail. So unless you are unaware of that perhaps you can clarify what business opportunities you are referring to.

Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  trout fisher

The Appalachian trail didn’t cost 5,000,000 per mile. 75% of which just goes to thinking about it.

c u 2morrowD
Member
10 months ago

I like the days of just do it, when no politicians got involved.

Mr. BearD
Member
Mr. Bear
10 months ago

I was under the impression the vast majority of the funding for this trail is coming from state sources.
This letter seems to imply that the county will be footing a $20 million bill. I know that’s not true

Mike Morgan
Member
10 months ago

Better roads in North Central Texas. Far fewer trees; but you can remember how good it was “back when”.

The people in charge of Eureka destroyed my desire to ever return and show my wife where I grew up. It wouldn’t be safe for a mixed-race couple to walk around those parts of Eureka, according to my sister’s friends.

Steve’s Coney Island, Deb’s, and Mike’s are all gone. No Shakey’s, no Stanton’s, and no 305 Cafe. The only part of Henderson Center that looks “normal” is Fresh Freeze; but we have Dairy Queen in Texas.

Yes, a lot is still there; but the places I remember most fondly are not. Lincoln Elementary and Jacobs Jr High both served as Zoe Barnum. Burger’s Market is a thrift shop.

And at least 5 of my closest friends died from drugs because you gave them free needles and free drugs.

Come on now Eureka! Straighten yourself out!!

Guest
Guest
Guest
10 months ago
Reply to  Mike Morgan

Like where in north central Texas are there mountain roads? Or even good size hills by Humboldt standards? Or rains enough to wash them away. Sounds like you made a good choice in staying way. On the other hand, those who love it here probably would not like it in Texas at all.

But it was surprising to check a map of intentional homocides. I’ve always thought of Texas as pretty violent. Probably because Texas braggadocio created murderous impulses me when encountered. But large parts of it are indeed much less homicidal than California and Humboldt is much more homicidal than even most of California. And less drug addicted too. Does make a person do some rethinking about a few things.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_intentional_homicide_rate

https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/2020.html

Ricky Bennis
Guest
Ricky Bennis
10 months ago
Reply to  Mike Morgan

Nobody’s getting free drugs. That might eliminate the crime though. Good idea.
The free needles prevented your friends from spreading and dying from the AIDS, and Hep. If they were shooting drugs already, they weren’t waiting for clean needles.

Thatguyinarcata
Guest
Thatguyinarcata
10 months ago
Reply to  Mike Morgan

Sorry Mike, I’ve been to Lubbock and Amarillo so there’s no convincing me that eureka’s struggles are foreign to North Texas.

I find it fascinating how many people care enough about this place to keep tabs on a small local news blog even though they’ve moved far away and invariably declare that they have found greener pastures. Like a crummy ex trolling your socials while insisting they’re totally over you and couldn’t be happier now that you’re out of their life.

Guest
Guest
Guest
10 months ago

Access for all. A safer route for cyclists. Get over it.

Money to BurnD
Member
Money to Burn
10 months ago

Once again Mr. Driscoll is using made up alternative facts to justify his own biased opinions. The project is expected to cost $16,046,902, and the funds are already lined up. The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorized $2 million dollars for the project, the California Transportation Commission allocated nearly $13.3 million. Add in $1.25 million committed by the California Department of Transportation and the total construction budget stands at $16,396,000. (Caltrans will administer the funding.) Not a single dime is coming out of the Humboldt County Public Works road budget. Not to mention all the people who will soon be riding their bikes, walking, skating etc. instead of driving their cars on our roads between Eureka and Arcata

Uri
Guest
Uri
10 months ago
Reply to  Money to Burn

The construction costs are supposed to be $16 or so mil. That is not all the costs associated with this, which is my point. Again I ran these numbers by public works and certain supervisors for any corrections before publication. None offered any corrections.
“all the people riding their bikes and walking skating etc instead of driving ….” Maybe you are just being satirical.
Even if $16 mil was all the money spent on this ( its not ) $4,000,000 per mile is still a lot of money to pave over 5 acres of wetlands while you’re saving the planet.

Money to BurnD
Member
Money to Burn
10 months ago
Reply to  Uri

Uri please show us this Humboldt County Public Works report that you claim shows that a “large part of the department spending was directed to the Humboldt Bay Trail South”. It’s simply not true.. Also you are well aware that only about a mile and half of track is being removed to accommodate the trail. Many sections of track around the bay were already unusable due to coastal erosion. The majority of the 4 miles of rail will remain in place and the rest will be placed in storage so you can continue to find a way to successfully operate your train around the bay someday. In the meantime the rest of us will be enjoying the trail.

Uri
Guest
Uri
9 months ago
Reply to  Money to Burn

The report was given at the last Supervisor meeting. I suggest you look it up.
BTW it is not “my train” if the tracks were maintained it would be a train the public would be able to ride. Removing the tracks will prohibit the very real possibility of a transit trolly serving all the bayside communities.
FYI the report done by the Timber heritage folks a few years back indicated it would take about $1mil to rehab the tracks to usable condition. For those who do math that is 1/20th of the cost of 4 miles of paved over wetland, pretending your saving the planet trail

Dano
Guest
Dano
9 months ago
Reply to  Uri

No way it would be only $1million to rehab the rail.

Vermin SupremeD
Member
Vermin Supreme
10 months ago
Reply to  Money to Burn

I would be very surprised if there was ANY noticeable impact on the amount of people driving between Eureka and Arcata upon completion of the trail…. I can see people taking the train for recreation, but not as a daily commute solution.

Thatguyinarcata
Guest
Thatguyinarcata
10 months ago
Reply to  Vermin Supreme

To be fair, I see apparent commuters on the safety corridor every morning. And there must be some portion of people who enjoy riding their bike but are very reasonably uninterested in riding along side that stretch of highway every day.

I wouldn’t expect some mass exodus of cars from the roadway, but a separated trail definitely makes non motorized travel between eureka and Arcata a lot more palatable