Caltrans made a presentation available on its website which illustrates two new alternatives on the 101 Eureka Arcata Corridor Project, which is a project to close all at-grade median crossings on the corridor to eliminate left-turn movements.  The new alternatives, 1A and 3A are variations on Alternatives 1 and 3 in the original draft EIR.

Alternative 1A employs a half signal at Airport Road (right) and three u-turns to make up for closing all the median crossings.  This alternative substantially reduces costs while still providing some connectivity, but it increases out-of-direction travel substantially.  Vehicles turning left onto or off of Indianola Cutoff would have to travel approximately one extra mile than they do now.So for example, if you were headed to the Humboldt Area Foundation on Indianola cutoff, you would have to travel over 1/2 mile past your turn, perform a u-turn and travel 1/2 mile again to get back to and turn right on Indianola Cutoff.

Alternative 3A is a variation on Alternative 3, which provided a compact diamond interchange at Indianola Cutoff and a half signal at Airport Road.  In 3A, the interchange is built in a more compact manner, and the half-signal at Airport Road does not allow for left turns from Airport Road onto southbound 101.

The new alternatives reduce costs and wetland impacts compared with the fomrally likely preferred Alternative 3, but still substantially increase out-of-direction travel and negatively impact non-motorized access compared with current conditions.  While this stretch of highway has already flooded once in a storm surge, sea-level rise and coastal access have still not been adressed.

A hearing is a tentatively scheduled for December 2.  Stay tuned.