From: Gregory Dagge
To: Meredith Matthews; Stacy Atkins-Salazar; Alex Stillman; Kimberley White; Sarah Schaefer; Tabatha Miller; Rhea Varley; Merritt Perry; Engineering Dept; Emily Sinkhorn; Jennifer Dart; Delo Freitas; Peter Lehman; Wendy Starr; Abigail Strickland; Ashton Hamm; Dan Tangney; Justin Hawkins; Matthew Simmons Subject: a. 6.a. Staff Reports Receive an Update from City Engineer Netra Khatri on the City"s Complete Streets Policy.
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 10:40:39 AM
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Re: Complete Streets Policy – Need for Proactive Public Safety Measures Mayor and Councilmembers:
I am writing regarding tonight’s agenda item on the City of Arcata’s Complete Streets Policy.
While engineering, multimodal design, and infrastructure improvements are essential components of a Complete Streets framework, they are not sufficient on their own to ensure public safety. A credible Complete Streets Policy must integrate proactive enforcement, data‑driven policing, and a realistic assessment of Arcata’s current public‑safety conditions.
Recent statements from the Eureka Police Department underscore the importance of proactive policing as a core public‑safety strategy. Patrol Division Commander Leonard LaFrance recently emphasized that EPD is “actively address[ing] issues in the community, deter[ring] criminal activity, [and] be[ing] embedded within the community” as part of its commitment to improving roadway safety and reducing preventable harm. This approach is grounded in nearly two decades of experience responding to serious injury and fatal collisions—incidents he notes are devastating for victims, families, and first responders alike.
State Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) data further validates the need for proactive action. In 2023, Eureka ranked among the worst in its population group for multiple crash categories, including fatal and injury collisions, alcohol‑involved crashes, and nighttime crashes. Among approximately 90 similarly sized jurisdictions statewide, Eureka has frequently ranked in the top five for injury and fatal collisions. Their response has been to increase enforcement, community engagement, and early intervention.
Arcata must adopt a similarly proactive posture. The events of September 28, 2026, illustrate the consequences of delayed or insufficient intervention. On that date, Arcata Police received reports of an erratic driver who struck multiple vehicles and nearly hit pedestrians between the 1000 block of 7th Street and the 1000 block of 15th Street. The suspect fled through Arcata, entered U.S. Highway 101, and continued northbound until spike strips were deployed by the California Highway Patrol in Trinidad. This incident placed residents, motorists, and pedestrians at significant risk and demonstrates the need for earlier detection, faster response, and stronger deterrence.
The community is also still reeling from the violent attack on William “Bill” Spenceley in the Arcata Community Forest. His recent passing from injuries sustained in that attack is a profound loss and a reminder that Arcata’s public‑safety challenges extend beyond traffic enforcement. The State of California has long recognized an undue concentration of alcohol and drug‑related businesses in Arcata, and this concentration continues to exacerbate public‑safety risks, strain emergency response systems, and undermine the goals of a safe and accessible street network.
A Complete Streets Policy cannot succeed in isolation from these realities. Engineering improvements—crosswalks, bike lanes, traffic calming, ADA upgrades—are necessary but not sufficient. Without proactive enforcement, early intervention, and a commitment to addressing underlying contributors to crime and disorder, Arcata will not achieve the safe, accessible, and equitable transportation system envisioned by the Complete Streets framework.
I respectfully urge the Council to incorporate the following into the City’s Complete Streets implementation strategy:
Adopt a proactive public‑safety model that integrates traffic enforcement, community policing, and early intervention into the City’s transportation safety goals.
Increase enforcement of dangerous driving behaviors, including speeding, reckless driving, impaired driving, and illegal vehicle noise, consistent with California Vehicle Code requirements.
Develop a coordinated response plan for high‑risk corridors and areas with repeated incidents, including the downtown core, K Street,H Street, Samoa Boulevard, and the Community Forest interface.
Address the documented concentration of alcohol and drug‑related businesses as part of the City’s broader safety strategy, recognizing the relationship between land‑use decisions and public‑safety outcomes.
Publicly report enforcement metrics and safety indicators, including collisions, injury trends, DUI arrests, and pedestrian/bicycle safety data, to ensure transparency and accountability.
Integrate public‑safety considerations into all Complete Streets capital projects, ensuring that engineering solutions are paired with enforcement and community‑based prevention.
Arcata residents deserve streets that are not only well‑designed but genuinely safe. Tonight’s discussion of the Complete Streets Policy is an opportunity for the City to acknowledge current conditions, adopt a proactive approach, and commit to measurable improvements in public safety.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued service to the community.
Respectfully,
Gregory Daggett
https://www.times-standard.com/2026/06/22/proactive-policing-works-dui-checks-rise-as-epdfocuses-on-safety/ https://www.times-standard.com/2026/10/06/hiker-brutally-hurt-in-arcata-community-forestattack-dies/