CHANGES COMING TO "H" AND "I" STREETS IN EFFORT TO LOWER NUMBER OF COLLISIONS

 “H” and “I” streets in Eureka are no stranger to accidents according to Senior Traffic Officer Gary Whitmer.
 
"The number of collisions for “H” and “I” for 2012 are average compared to the number of collisions we've had for the past 10 years," Officer Whitmer said.
 
But is average a good thing? Officer Whitmer said no.
 
"Throughout the years we've always ranked high for the number of collisions in Eureka," Officer Whitmer said.
 
He said throughout the city, speed related collisions are among the most common, but on “H” and “I” streets—
 
“The most common type of collisions we see at “H” and “I” are crashes at signalized intersections," Whitmer said.
 
Which is why “H” and “I” streets will see some changes.
 
“We’ve been asked by the Transportation Safety Commission to possibly look at doing a road diet on “H” and “I” streets and that would be to reduce the number of lanes,” said Sheila Parrott.
 
Parrott is a Project Manager for the City of Eureka’s Engineering Department and said that would consist of taking the three-lane road, down to two, temporarily.
 
“In conjunction with that, we’re going to look at some safety improvements for reducing speed and red light running and traffic collisions,” Parrott said.
 
Those improvements are changing the 8-inch traffic signal lights to 12- inches and adding speed radar signs.
 
The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded the Eureka Police Department with grant money to fund the radar signs.
 
"We’ve been putting them around the city in different areas,” Parrott said. “They have to keep moving."
 
And they’ll move to “H” and “I” street as an effort to make the road safer.
 
"Maybe with the signs it will remind them to back off a little bit, slow down and pay attention," Officer Whitmer said.