ARCATA’S FOSTER AVENUE ROADWAY EXTENSION PROJECT NAMED ASCE BIKEWAYS AND TRAILS PROJECT OF THE YEAR
The City of Arcata’s Foster Avenue Extension was named the Bikeways and Trails Project of the Year for 2016 by the American Society of Civil Engineers’ San Francisco Section. The award was presented at the Annual ASCE region section meeting and awards dinner on September 22, 2016, in San Francisco.
The City of Arcata and the Humboldt County Association of Governments considered the Foster Avenue Extension Project high-priority for many years. The Extension creates a designated east-west commuter, bicycle and pedestrian route in central Arcata and provides a more direct connection between the City’s main north/south arterials of Highway 101 and Alliance Road. The project has transformed both motorized and non-motorized transportation in Arcata and will continue to do so for generations to come.
In addition to the improved connectivity and increased accessibility that the roadway and trail extension provide, the project has had positive impacts on existing road networks by incorporating traffic calming and low impact design, resulting in reduced traffic through the nearby neighborhoods. In alignment with current planning best practices, the roadway and pedestrian/bicycle trail extension were designed within the context of achieving positive community impacts.
The final project design was completed by the City in 2009 and project plans were prepared in 2014 by GHD Engineering’s Eureka office with the aim of improving the livability and sustainability of the area. The Foster Avenue Extension was constructed by Mercer-Fraser Company at a cost of $2,028,013. Funding for the project was provided by California State Transportation Improvements Program funds and Arcata General Fund “Measure G” tax revenue.