Feeling intimidated by the transportation section of the Marina Center EIR? Check it out in Wordle, the “word cloud” tool.
Thanks to Green Wheels for the intro to Wordle, which they wisely used to deconstruct the Redwood Marine Terminal Plan.
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December 4, 2008 at 12:26 am
And you can glean a lot from this very quickly. The word bicycle is pretty small. Can’t find “bus,” “transit,” “pedestrian,” or “walking.” Judging from the wordle cloud, it looks like there are some automobile dependence issues happening here, whether they are with the project, the study or both.
Obviously, the wordle cloud is not a robust analysis, but not a good sign for Eureka’s walkability, either.
December 4, 2008 at 12:30 am
Oops. “Pedestrian” is in there, it’s just so small I missed it at first.
December 4, 2008 at 6:35 am
This traffic report talks a lot about impacting Hwy 101 but nothing about the cross-town lateral impacts. Once again, the residents of Eureka, ignored.
December 4, 2008 at 7:08 am
This is the most awesome thing you have ever posted in my opinion. I can’t wait to geek out and make Christmas gifts!
December 4, 2008 at 7:08 am
Brilliant!!!
“Just give me the high points!”
-boy
December 4, 2008 at 7:14 am
Someone needs to do this with the Marina Center Traffic EIR
December 4, 2008 at 7:46 am
So let me get this straight, Heraldo and Rall are puposing cleaning up the brownfield with money they have raised? Green wheels is going to fund it? Heraldo is tapping into her grow house connections and they are donating funds to help improve the town we all share?
Hell, we dont need the Marina Center, you guys found a solution that rocks!! Go Heraldo! Go Go Green Wheels!
December 4, 2008 at 8:38 am
After seeing the Marine Terminal wordle much time was lost wordling various documents and blogs. As Chris points out, it’s an interesting way to look at a lot of text and see what words jump out and what words are buried.
December 4, 2008 at 9:03 am
To sum up Chris’s point- Infill is bad for walkability?
I suppose putting all the shopping in Fortuna away from the main population centers must be a better solution, right Chris?
December 4, 2008 at 9:29 am
It looks like there may be an “Arkleyville” after all.
December 4, 2008 at 10:24 am
What is up with the Times Standard fluff pieces on the Balloon Track DEIR? Was this part of “the Agreement” too? Or perhaps the reporter has never reviewed a CEQA document before, and doesn’t realize that he ought to dig beyond the surface of the DEIR language?
Let’s see…Eureka has some of the highest rates of pedestrian injuries by cars. There will be more traffic on 101, more congestion, more frustrated drivers trying to get through town in a hurry. Hmmm…Let’s apply our critical thinking capabilities.
December 4, 2008 at 10:46 am
that’s right Billy Joe–either we have a massive shopping mall or Heraldo and Chris Rall pay for the cleanup. Those are the choices, so what’ll it be people?
What? There might be another way to cleanup the Balloon Track?
December 4, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Thanks for the very accurate summary of my point.
But if you want to go there, the question about infill from a balanced transportation perspective is whether 54 housing units on 43 acres, with over 1500 parking spaces Eureka, which has an abundance of retail that draws shoppers from the whole county, is infill or a semi-vacant hole.
December 4, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Let’s see………. I’m Rob Arkely and I want to develop the Balloon Tract. How do I get it real cheap. I offer to buy it and release SP from having to clean it up properly, which would cost this highly profitable company a huge sum. They give Arkely a big break on the price so they don’t have to do the clean up. Rob builds a parking lot over the brownfield for the big box and the whole problem goes away. What’s not like here? And everybody gets rich………
December 4, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Chris,
Now I am really confused. I’ve been hearing about sprawl, sprawl, spraw and how we need to have housing, products, services, and jobs all located within the close proximity to each other.
Now that somebody is actually proposing to DO something that accomplish that objective, you are complaining that the EIR doesn’t mention bikes enough?
Any comments about the paint color, light bulb shape, or the brand of toilets they plan to use?
December 4, 2008 at 2:11 pm
nothing like a gross oversimplification that you smugly think proves your point. And your point is what exactly, Red Wheels, that Chris is wrong to think that 53 housing units (none of which are affordable housing, despite Arkley’s claim to be so concerned about affordable housing that he is suing the county over it) 1500 parking spaces and a big box store is not the best use of 43 acres right in the heart of Eureka’s waterfront?
December 4, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I thought we were talking about traffic, infill, and the EIR? Why do you keep changing the subject Gray??
And since you mentioned it, there is more than one way to make housing affordable. One novel, innovative concept would be to allow more houses to be built. BTW- When the discussion about demand/supply gets over your head just let me know. OK, I’ll stop.
December 4, 2008 at 2:43 pm
The largest words on the word cloud are Street, St., Broadway, Project, and Intersection.
What words would you expect to see in a discussion about the traffic effects of a project on Broadway.
Am I missing the point of this post, or were you just so impressed with yourself for making the graphic that you didn’t realize that you aren’t really proving any point this is simply a distraction from the real issues.
I think this post shows more about the person who posted it than the project. The word cloud is sort of like an inkblock test- I supose all of those black dots look like you know who?
The better graphic is at Watchpaul today! Now that is telling!
December 4, 2008 at 2:58 pm
H,
Have you actually read the EIR? All of it?
Can you please enlighten me about the problems with the proposed traffic mitigations?
As far as I can tell, traffic in Eureka is a problem with or without any new development of any kind, population growth, or all of those tourists I keep hearing about.
December 4, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Maybe, Nice Graphic. Don’t you think this thread has way more discussion?
December 4, 2008 at 6:25 pm
From the Sacramento Railyard’s newsletter:
“The California Pollution Control Financing Authority in November approved a $15 million grant from Proposition IC for clean-up at the former Union Pacific Railroad site. The money was part of $53.8 million in grants and loans awarded to redevelopment projects in Sacramento and 10 other counties in the state. While $5 million has been awarded, the balance requires additional state action as part of a pending economic stimulus plan which remains under discussion.”
So just who will be paying for the Balloon Track clean-up?
December 4, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Heraldo, whats your official position on development in eureka? It seems like when ever any new development is proposed you are like a hawk on it, and post everything you can to demonize any new development. I think it would be good for new development in eureka to revitalize the town, arcata has had new development and new stores/buildings. So has mckinleyville / fortuna. Both these towns are doing alot better than eureka. I think a revitalized waterfront would make eureka much more desirable. I may even park my car and take a walk thru old town or enjoy the eureka boardwalk. Yes i understand big box development can harm local buisnesses, but in the long run the free market will decide wether folks want to pay more to shop at piersons and have smaller selection or pay less and shop at home depot where there is a huge selection! I think a home depot would be worth dealing with if thats what its gonna take to revitalize downtown eureka!
December 4, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Well, Jack, I don’t have an “official position” on development in Eureka. But a Home Depot on the waterfront is a terrible idea and would not, in my opinion, “revitalize” downtown Eureka.
If you refuse to “park [your] car and take a walk thru old town or enjoy the eureka boardwalk,” then you’re missing out. I invite you to attend the next Arts Alive, this Saturday, December 6th. Old Town is much revitalized in the last 10 years. Check it out.
Big boxes don’t revitalize downtown areas. Towns across the US show this.
Why would a Home Depot on the Balloon Track make people want to walk on the boardwalk? It wouldn’t. People drive to Home Depot. If you’re waiting for a giant big box and parking lot to walk through old town then sorry. Perhaps you’d like to visit the Bayshore Mall.
December 4, 2008 at 10:02 pm
It’s pretty unbelievable that people are still claiming all these free market arguments, after what we’ve seen in the past few months. In October, Alan Greenspan testified to Congress that he had put too much faith in the self-correcting power of free markets.
More houses does not mean lower house prices. Just try buying a house in Blue Lake.
December 4, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Belief in free market capitalism with no regulation and trickle down economics is what got us where we are. Reality does not exist for people that hold these beliefs, just like science does not exist for people of the religious persuasion.
December 4, 2008 at 10:16 pm
When you travel, don’t you NOTICE the cars in the parking lots of the ‘big boxes’ heraldo? The lots are full. The people haven’t gone away. Quite the contrary. Those are thriving communities. Ever look at the makes and models of the cars in those lots? Where do all those Lexus, Mercy B’s and Volvos come from?
Face it. Big Boxes are the Five and Dimes of our time. that’s where people go for basics, and for the things they need for their homes, for their dinners, and for their yards.
they go there because the prices are good, and because o the convenience of being able to get many items in one place. Not to have to drive all over town to fifteen different stores to get what they need. It was called “the Superstore” model – and even little hometown furniture places were trying to do it. To better SERVE their customers.
It is absolutely ridiculous to keep trying to fight this tide.
Because there just flat out ain’t no little local businesses lining up to sell those basic necessities.
December 4, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Home Depot has basics you need that you can’t find locally? What a tiny little hovel you dwell in.
December 4, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Poor people driving those “Lexus, Mercy B’s and Volvos” must have such a hard time finding the screws! Oh, hard times!
December 4, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Do you OWN a home, heraldo? Or are we getting the opinion of some guy who hasn’t ever owned a place of his own? And maybe never will? But wants to tear down everyone who manages.
December 4, 2008 at 10:25 pm
What? You have to drive a Lexus to matter? Dammit!
December 4, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Are we dealing with class envy here? is that what this is all about?
You don’t have a house? So you don’t know what it is like to go shopping for new light fixtures. Or cabinets.
This is sad.
December 4, 2008 at 10:27 pm
They’re cheap because they’re made in sweatshops Rose
December 4, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Don’t cry, rose. I don’t envy your Lexus.
December 4, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Do you own a house, heraldo? Are talking to someone here who knows what he is talking about? Or just some jealous little man who doesn’t even own a damn house.
December 4, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Do you own a business, heraldo? Because you sure like telling people who do what they ought to be doing.
December 4, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Who’s the classist pig now, rose?
December 4, 2008 at 10:33 pm
It’s just that you talk like someone who doesn’t have a clue why a person would shop for home improvement supplies at all. If you have no ability to comprehend why someone would shop at Home Depot – but you just want to stop anyone else from going there – it puts an interesting spin on this whole thing.
December 4, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Rose, are you talking about Santa Clara or Novato? because that doesn’t sound like anyplace around here!
There is a big parking lot full of BMWs in McKinleyville, but that’s a BMW dealer.
December 4, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Yes, with all the hardware stores in the greater Eureka area, it’s just so hard to comprehend why someone would shop for improvement supplies — unless they have a Lexus.
December 4, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I’m talking about the places that HAVE the big boxes, villian. But even Costco here has the same thing.
December 4, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I do think your little wordle is funny, though. Imagine a DEIR dealing with traffic and street names. The nerve of them.
December 4, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Yes, don’t bother reading that section of the EIR. You can just doodle Arkley’s name in the margins.
December 4, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Or do you live on a nice big piece of property? You just want everyone ELSE to live in cramped apartments with a nice view of the street lights.
Is Windsong your idea of infill?
December 4, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Just like you want choice in your hardware shopping “rose”, others of us want choice in our land use.
December 4, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Oh, I agree with choice, red Hummer. Some people like city living. Some don’t. Some like tract homes. Some live living off the land. Off the grid. On 20 acres, or 120 acres. Some like apartments and downsizing.
December 4, 2008 at 11:21 pm
As if living off the grid and shopping at Home Depot go hand in hand.
December 4, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Question is, would you even have a clue?
December 4, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Where do you shop?
December 4, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I shop at Ace, Wycoffs, and Piersons, depending on what I’m after. Non of those is located on prime bayfront property.
December 4, 2008 at 11:36 pm
If Home Depot was here, would you also go there? Never go there? Or stop going to Ace, Wycoffs, and Piersons? Go to all, depending on what you were after?
December 4, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I also shop at Forbusco and Western Auto and Englunds, which does occupy bay front property, but they do so for a different reason then the HD will.
December 4, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Those are all good choices. Do you want other people choosing where you can shop?
December 4, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Once Home Depot squashes the local competition that choice will already be made.
December 4, 2008 at 11:53 pm
To me it’s more about land use, but the economic impact arguement is a close second.
December 4, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Maybe you should get the city to buy the land back. It was once offered freely. Now it has costs associated with it.
I can assure you they won’t want it. they didn’t want the burden of the park that was donated to them (was it Bertha Russ Lytle?)
Harry Adorni donated his money for the express purpose of a park in the Old Town Area. The City didn’t want that. So they figured out a way to use it to build the Adorni Center when they couldn’t use his money to fix up the Muni.
Why don’t you create a business to fill that anchor slot? Maybe Home Depot won’t be able to afford to come here anyway.
There are already plans for a hostel, right? So that’s out. Already plans for a hotel, right? So that’s out.
‘Course it could stay a dump forever, I suppose.
December 5, 2008 at 12:11 am
Realistically speaking the fix is in on this one with the makeup of the city council. Arkely will get what he wants and we’ll be able to watch the bay sunsets from the HD parking lot.
December 5, 2008 at 12:52 am
If everyone here is so passionate about improving Eureka, please pay some attention to the schools and police department! Those two highly nepotistic institutions could seriously use some of your passionate vigilance. More and more young people are marginalized and disenfranchised every day. I believe that is one of Eureka’s most serious problems since it will only create more social ill for the future if the kids don’t think they’re worth anything.
And I am SICK of the notion that only homeowners should have any say in what happens here. That is the same sickening sort of nepotism that I’m talking about, the kind that discriminates against students at the schools based on whether their parents own homes. We are all residents, even if we don’t own homes.
When someone pulls out something like that in an argument — that only homeowners should be able to have opinions about land use issues that are open for PUBLIC COMMENT — I can no longer consider that person reasonable or even decent.
December 5, 2008 at 8:46 am
just walked the distance between piersons property line and the waterfront houston we have a problem it is now waterfront with no 60 foot road separating it.
December 5, 2008 at 9:05 am
Shades of Grey – would enjoy hearing who you think is going to clean up the brownfield.. how long has it sat? how long? I just want some realism, the world is not perfect but if someone is going to clean up the brownfield I want that to happen so the leaching into the bay ceases.
December 5, 2008 at 9:49 am
It’s not that renters should have no say, Indie. It’s that, if you aren’t fising up a home, you may not be able to relate to shopping for home remodeling type supplies.
I don’t drink, so you shouldn’t take advice from me on what bottle of wine to buy, and if I start telling you we don’t need vineyards, you have a right to ask where I’m getting that.
We don’t know who or what ‘heraldo” is – yet he is trying to affect your opinion. You have no idea why – whether he is being paid to do this or what.
I had to laugh at Cobb’s radio show discussion about the media – how the right and left wing media aren’t serving his purposes, so he needs a ‘new media’ kind alike he needs he currency I guess.
He was lamenting that you just need to get advertisers to quit pushing a product.
Is he insane? Is that the person you’re getting advice from here? That’s the point.
December 5, 2008 at 4:33 pm
i think I’ll fis(x) those dang typos:
It’s not that renters should have no say, Indie. It’s that, if you aren’t fixing up a home, you may not be able to relate to shopping for home remodeling type supplies.
I don’t drink, so you shouldn’t take advice from me on what bottle of wine to buy, and if I start telling you we don’t need vineyards, you have a right to ask where I’m getting that.
We don’t know who or what ‘heraldo” is – yet he is trying to affect your opinion. You have no idea why – whether he is being paid to do this or what.
I had to laugh at Cobb’s radio show discussion about the media – how the right and left wing media aren’t serving his purposes, so he needs a ‘new media’ kinda like he needs his own ‘new currency’ I guess.
He was lamenting that you just need to get advertisers to quit pushing a product.
Is he insane? Is that the person you’re getting advice from here? That’s the point.
December 5, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I live in Sunny Brae, about 3 blocks from Sunny Brae Ace Hardware. It’s owned by the same folks who own Hensel’s Hardware in downtown Arcata.
I don’t own a car, so it’s really important for me to have a hardware store at handy walking distance. Believe me, it’s great for everyone in Sunny Brae. Many people walk to the store; many people also drive; some bike.
Now, Home Depot is only able to maintain one of their centralized mega-stores by drawing customers from a larger regional area. So, I am assuming their own sales projections would probably assume that they will draw some sales from my local Sunny Brae Ace. Would that affect the store’s ability to operate and do business? I don’t know, but that’s possible.
The reason Home Depot is able to offer lower prices is through the centralization of distribution, essentially reducing their own transportation, stocking, and distribution costs and passing those costs onto the customer because the average customer will need to drive father to the centralized store.
If some local hardware stores were to close because of the presence of Home Depot, it would make it more difficult for me to live without a car, and it would also reduce opportunities for developing neighborhood social capital.
So, is it social engineering for me to suggest that I’d rather not see Home Depot go in because I want Sunny Brae Ace to have a better chance of successfully continuing business so that I can continue to live my current lifestyle? Perhaps, but I think that’s a legitimate conversation to have: (1.) Do we value neighborhood stores and want to see those neighborhood spaces (2.) Do we want policies that favor reduced foreign fossil fuel usage, don’t require people to own cars, and lead to more safety on the road?
January 11, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Noted, Indie. Yet you are not saying homeowners should be frozen out of the public debate, either. Right?