Dems Oppose 101 Widening
Local papers reported this morning on Democratic Central Committee Chair, Pat Riggs, stepping down from his position.
That wasn't news to me, it having been reported earlier on at least one local blog. What was news was the DCC having written a letter to powers- that- be in opposition to the removal of trees to facilitate widening of Highway 101 at Richardson Grove State Park.
I was somewhat confused by the Eureka Reporter version of the story. I guess I missed this part:
Riggs spoke about the possible cutting of Richardson Grove trees after seeing reports in media about Caltrans considering such plans.
The E/R split the story on two pages, starting on A8 and ending on A10. When I got to A10 all I saw was some mention of the widening of Highway 101 at Richardson Grove. Not having noticed Riggs mentioning the widening, I got the impression the E/R made a layout goof and put the wrong story on A10 where the Riggs story was supposed to be.
It wasn't until I read the Times- Standard's online version of the story that I realized the 101 widening and the DCC opposition to it was part of the story. I guess I'll have to read more carefully in the future.
It will be interesting to see how opposition to the widening of 101 will play out with the DCC. Will it hurt them, or help them?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:29 AM
26 comments
26 Comments:
It will only help them because of all the idiots that really think saving a tree is a religion. The fact that they all grow back eventually, and the fact that they will continue to hamper/cripple the economy of an entire county, is not lost on them. Feel the power!
Sure, all that old growth has really grown back now hasn't it?
Anyone believe Riggs' reason for leaving?
No way of knowing for sure why he stepped down. Being in that kind of position can be a thankless job. Often times the person who an organization has for Chair is simply the only one that would accept the job.
Well, it does prove that they really don't care about clean air. The only completely long big trucks that can get through there are the Cab Overs, and they stopped building cabovers when the new engines came out. So you can't get a truck that can fit through there, with a sleeper, with the new cleaner burning diesel engines, legally.
Patty Berg and Mike Thompson really don't care about the envroment at all, and this just proves it.
Link Here
Touched on it a little more.
I don't know if this issue will help or hinder HCDCC either way, but the California legislature, the source of funding for road improvements (can you say by-pass?) is dominated by Democrats. It makes sense for local Dems to send opinions on state funding issues to state leaders.
Widening the road through Richardson's Grove is not the only alternative. It may be the least expensive in the short run, but would not be an adequate long-term solution to anything.
There are no 65' and over vehicles allowed on 101 north of Willets nor on 299 from Blue Lake to Redding. As for a "long term solution", nothing is "forever" in spite of the talking points of the watermelons.
Anon.r wrote, "Patty Berg and Mike Thompson really don't care about the envroment at all, and this just proves it.".
I think you're jumping the gun a little here. HCDCC simply sent a letter to Berg and Thompson. That doesn't mean Berg and Thompson will necessarily agree with it. That remains to be seen, unless they've indicated in some way they already oppose widening the highway and Richardson's Grove.
I also wonder how much this falls within Thompson's jurisdiction? Isn't Richardson Grove a state park and wouldn't most of the money spent be state money? I'm not sure about the latter.
Well, they sure haven't been busting their ass to get the road widened in how many years they've been in power and in office have they?
Also don't forget that 101 south of Cresent City is also closed to STAA trucks
Just put stoplights at either end, and have only one way traffic using both lanes through the grove. The one way traffic could use both lanes, thus widening it for trucks. It would add a 2-3 minute delay. The part they're talking about is only 300 yards or so long right? Seems reasonable to me.
I've also heard some suggest just doing that late at night.
I just don't think the state's main north to south highway should have bottlenecks like that.
Besides, it would probably take longer than just a few minutes. We've seen longer waits than that when they do controlled traffic other places down there and it would be a real headache in the summer.
Riggs is a 2nd grade teacher? Now THAT's scary!
Next time you drive through Richardson Grove take a good look. The removal of only two trees would allow the big trucks through safely. No one is going to object to just two trees. However, knowing Caltrans, they cannot just make that simple improvement. They would not be satisfied unless they cut down a dozen or more.
Hayduke wrote, "No one is going to object to just two trees.".
Not sure about that. We had one tree sitter in a tree a little while ago that was deemed a public hazard. I suspect this project, should it happen, might end up along the lines of the Headwaters Forest fiasco, whether one tree is chosen for cutting, or a dozen.
Hayduke also wrote, "knowing Caltrans, they cannot just make that simple improvement. They would not be satisfied unless they cut down a dozen or more.".
That might well be true. Like they say, " When you give the government a hammer, everything ends up looking like a nail...".
Regardless, I suspect whatever happens there won't happen in my lifetime. I'll let the rest of you fight it out. I'll just sit back and opine.
The sooner you die old man, the better.
Anonymous said...
The sooner you die old man, the better.
9:51 PM
The sooner you come out, the better, as I think the stress is getting to you.
PS Worst troll ever.
There was consideration for a bypass and I don't remember how much that was supposed to cost but it was a lot. I also thought one way traffic was a solution but then someone asked how the properties in the one way area would know which way the traffic was supposed to be going when turning out of their driveways. Maybe could have a light at the driveway that was either red or green in the direction of travel as a lot of the driveways are across from another on the other side of the road.
When traveling, there was a truck that was from Oregon headed south that was way too long and it obviously had gone through Richardson Grove as we encountered it just pas the grove. How did it get through?? Probably took up all of the road.
I was chair of my college Young Democrats and a delegate to the state convention that elected Jerry Brown chairman of the state party. I worked on untold number of campaigns electing reasonable and practical Democrats to local and state offices.
I'm no longer a member of any political party and its largely due to the silliness of positions like the one on Richardson's Grove. I have to ask, did they even have a debate or research on the issue or decide to wait until the experts came out with their report? I suspect someone got an itch they had to scratch based on a couple of newspaper articles and the rest of the committee just went along with it. Baaa, baaa...
I guess they want to continue to strangle local businesses and add cost to everything up here to save a couple of trees, which might not even be old growth. They, like the Republicans whistle down the road to irrelevancy. While we all rejoice about the fact the Bush is extremely unpopular, we are awfully unreflective on the fact that Congress is even less popular.
Vision sometimes has to involve seeing the forest through the trees...
This is another reason why as a local dem I will not send one damn dime to this local committee. They are idiots.
Mark/heraldo,I am endlessly amazed at what a dumb ass you are. Go chop some fire wood.
wouldn't a bypass around richardson grove go through the area that they hold reggae?
I can't imagine anyone letting THAT happen. *eye roll*
Actually a bypass was estimated at about 200 million if I heard it correctly. It will never be funded and without making it able to accommodate the trucks, the stretch will continue to be unsafe and impassable for regular trucks.
Less than 400 mill will put the railroad back in buisness. Complete with all enviro safegaurds. Sounds like a good deal in this time of hesteria over carbon.
Great for you...are you paying for it because the state won't.
Concur with 10:27 re: the railroad. Why can't the HCDCC take THAT on as a cause instead of this silly two-tree brouhaha.? The HCDCC is like any other organization- those who commit their time, show up at innumerable meetings, etc run the party locally, those who stay home and bitch don't. And that's the way it should be.
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