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HCOG forms ad hoc committee to study trail maintenance, safety and funding
Summary
The HCOG board and Policy Advisory Committee endorsed creating an ad hoc committee to study maintenance funding, rules, safety and enforcement for Humboldt County's growing network of commuter and recreational trails, with volunteers from several jurisdictions and agencies.
The Humboldt County Association of Governments authorized formation of an ad hoc Trail Maintenance Committee Sept. 18 to study long-term maintenance funding, safety and consistent rules for the county's expanding nonmotorized trail network.
Brandon Byrd, HCOG executive director, told the board the committee is intended to bring together technical staff and local officials to explore funding models, maintenance responsibilities and consistent rules and regulations across jurisdictions now that several class-1 commuter trails are opening and receiving heavy use.
"It's great that these trails have been developed and they're getting used and it's really exciting. But now is kind of the thought of, well, how are we gonna pay to keep these things nice and used and maintained and improved, both now and into the future?" Byrd said.
Byrd said the committee would also consider public-safety elements, calls for service across jurisdictional lines, and consistency of trail etiquette and signage. HCOG staff reported volunteers to participate had come from Eureka, Arcata, the county, Caltrans and a jurisdiction identified in the staff report as "Bridal" (as listed in the TAC responses). The ad hoc committee was recommended by the Social Services & Transit Advisory Committee and by HCOG's Technical Advisory Committee.
A PAC member who spoke during the meeting said the PAC recommends the HCOG board approve formation of the ad hoc committee; the PAC motion and the subsequent board approval were recorded as unanimous. A public commenter from Eureka said she supported the committee and stressed the need for consistent safety rules across the full length of trails: "I'm excited to hear more about how we can get that and also to have that be uniform because we wanna make sure that the full trail's not, you know, changing up, you know, every 5 miles or 3 miles or what have you. I think it's the consistency will be a really, important piece of that."
Board members discussed potential long-term funding options, including local assessments or measures, and asked staff to return with clarifications about committee scope and any limits on membership. Byrd said staff would follow up with details about membership limits and whether the ad hoc committee could become a standing committee if work continues beyond the planned year-long period.
Ending: HCOG staff will convene the ad hoc committee with the TAC-recommended members, develop a work plan that includes funding scenarios and safety/regulatory options, and report back to the board on membership limits and an initial timeline.
