Are you sitting down? Because we just put the squash on an age-old Humboldt County debate: What is the fastest way to get to Arcata from Eureka?
The safety corridor takes it. No contest. Samoa Boulevard is slower. Though at times Highway 101’s 50 miles-per-hour speed limit can feel constricting (my station wagon putters in protest, its four mighty cylinders begging for more gas) that straight safety stretch is definitely the quicker option, says highway patrol Officer Chase Adams. “Both time-wise and in mileage.”
Measured from the highway patrol station at the southern edge of Arcata to the Pachanga Mexicana restaurant in Eureka, where Highway 101 meets Highway 255, the safety corridor route is 7.4 miles and takes 10 minutes to drive, according to the Google machine. The back route, through Manila, is 9.3 miles long, and takes 16 minutes. The speed limit there is a heart-pounding sweat-palming 55 miles per hour.
The speed gap is likely to close in the future, making the safety corridor comparatively even quicker. During a conversation in March, 3rd District County Supervisor Mark Lovelace said that CalTrans is working on a plan to lower the speed limit through Manila. It’s unclear when the slow-down will occur. Anyway, that’ll be sweet for all those people with the “I drive 45 in Manila” signs and bumper stickers, and any other supporters of public safety.
As for which way is the pleasanter drive – “It’s completely objective,” Officer Adams says. “It depends whether you like dunes or eucalyptus trees.”
Populace, now informed: Go forth and commute.
This article appears in 7:07 A Moment in Humboldt.
As a transplant from Chicago, I am always looking for alternative route to a given destination (you’ve heard of the two seasons in the midwest? Winter and road construction!) I discovered a few years back that the difference between taking the safety corridor and the Samoa back road is five minutes. Samoa is a lovely little community and the ranches so near the ocean are quite an arresting vision for this newer resident.
Samoa Blvd.: Go for the dunes, stay for the lambs.
I always take 255. It’s just nicer.
Going 255 saves you from the Humboldt Bay stink at low tide, assuming the wind is going in the usual direction.
Conversely, very few people drive 50 through the safety corridor — the CHP’s hidey spots are well known, and you can always see ’em coming and slow down before they zap you with radar. When you see a car in the left lane hit its brakes, look for a CHP car across the median coming toward you.
I often drive a loop, inner bay one way, outer bay the other. Unless I’m in a hurry, then I just hit cruise control up the corridor.
When I do pass through Manila, I tend to drive as slow as traffic will let me. The actual town part, with cross traffic is not too long. I see no reason not to slow down. You save probably less than a minute of time driving 55-60 rather than a much safer 45 for that half mile.
As far as scenery I have say the Manila route wins hands down. I don’t care for eucalyptus…they grow funny here, get humungous and fall over, or explode when they burn. The view from the bridges is world-class, even if you can only catch a glimpse or two while avoiding other people crossing. The bay side of the Lanphere area is inspiring, as well as the sloughs. Once in awhile you see these incredible static layers of fog hovering maybe 10 feet off the ground in long patches. Don’t tell me the Bracut lot or the Mid City merry-go-round is more attractive LOL
The word is “subjective”, Officer Adams. Whether you like dunes or eucalyptus trees more, is subjective.
pleasanter?
Ummm…I think the word you’re looking for is * subjective *
Old arcata rd is the nicest! But definitely not the fastest.
As a pedestrian who lives on the South Side of Samoa blvd, I implore those who believe that 255 is faster to slow down while in town. Those 5 blocks between 101 and 255 are part of Samoa Blvd, my residential neighborhood. Many drivers seem to mistakingly believe that they are on the autobahn. All that “improvement” to Samoa blvd seems not to have affected behavior. My dog and I put our lives on the line on a daily basis, so you can drive 55 through the 35.
Perhaps next time, instead of painting triangles to indicate where drivers should stop for pedestrians at F & Samoa, they should put in spikes that would pop up when these speed demons refuse to allow me enough time to safely cross with my dog. That might get the point across.
Where’s everybody going in such a hurry anyway? I can’t believe how everyone seems to be jockeying for pole position on the south side of Arcata & dodging through traffic only to get to the first light in Eureka just in front of everyone they cut off over the past 7 miles. It’s probably only work your going to, and if you can’t manage your time any better than that you’re probably about to be fired anyway.
I’m happy donating 5 minutes or more of my time by driving safely, using either route. Listen to local radio … check out the sky and the bay … relax, you’ll get there. Better to arrive alive even if it means being a few minutes late.
The Safety Corridor exists as a result f spcial legislation passed by the Legislature, because a traffic engineering study (the standard by which safe speeds are determined) does not support such a low speed limit. It was enacted in response to a four person fatal collision at Indianola, what, ten, twelve years ago? At that time, CalTrans said it would take ten years to develop an interchange at Indianola by the time engineering and environental work was completed. Where is it? Where in the process does this project stand? Granted, it’s not the only dangerous spot on the road, but it’s the worst one that caused the corridor in the first place. the road was clearly built to be a high speed connection between the two biggest towns in the county; Indianlola was known to be a dangerous location at least forty years ago; why not just build the interchange and be done with it? the legislature could choose at any time to not renew the corridor, at which point the speed limit would go back up as mandated by state law.
It takes an extra minute supposedly to drive the corridor at the reduced speed. Fine and good, until oyu get to the Big Lagoon causeway and see some RV wobbling down the highway a half mile in front of you going 28.3 miles per hour right at the end of the passing lane. Now that corridor just added a lot more time to your trip…
If I am heading to the CHP station or downtown Arcata 101 is quickest…but to get to the west side neighborhoods 255 is quicker.
It takes me a little less than an hour to reach Eureka on my bicycle. For me it is not a lesson in patience, but instead a beautiful way to start the day.
I take the 101 safety corridor because it is much more efficient (shorter) and safer than the other two routes. Both Old Arcata and Samoa Boulevard are notorious for being used by people who want to drive faster–and the roads are narrower. I do not own a car, due to health and financial concerns.
Reading the above comments has left me with feelings of anger and hurt. This is a small community, and I care about the people in it, and hope that they care about me too. On these roadways, my life and the lives of other bicyclists are on the line.
Commuters: I know it sucks driving all the way from here to there everyday. I know it is stressful. But all you have to do to avoid the possibility of ending another’s life is to put a little less pressure on the gas pedal, and enjoy the scenery for 2 or 3 minutes longer than usual.
There are bicyclists using Samoa and Old Arcata as well, and there is also wildlife on all of these roads. If you just take your time and go slow, you will be actively showing respect for the lives of others.
On the North Coast, we claim to value the natural world, and we take pride in how much of it there is left to enjoy here. Yet this conversation is proof that many in this community have adopted one of the very attitudes that has led to the destruction of wildlands in the San Francisco Bay Area. The attitude that nothing should stand in the way of a faster commute can lead to nothing other than more, bigger roads, and the destruction of the creatures and lands that many of us claim to love.
Please take a good hard look at how your own actions are impacting the things you love, and take the necessary steps to protect those things as opposed to harming them.
In response to Sam (at 8:30am):
“Now that corridor just added a lot more time to your trip…”
The difference between driving this 7.4 mile corridor route at 50 miles per hour and 65 miles per hour is 2 minutes (6.8 minutes vs 8.8 minutes). It’s actually even less than 2 minutes because you can begin driving at 65 mph a few hundred yards after the Bayside cutoff.
Is that your idea of a “lot more time”? Chill out Sam and take a breath – you’ll live longer.
Oh, and Sam:
If you speed through the corridor at 65, that saved two minutes “might” just put you behind an RV on the Big Lagoon section. If you’d gone slower, that RV would already be through that section and you would not have had to slow down.
That twisted logic works both ways.
I would really LOVE to have a long and slow commute on my BICYCLE on a trail adjacent to the 101 corridor, so that I might live to raise my kids and see my grandkids.
F the cars…I want ride my bike to Eureka, safely……
Dang it people! The speed limit is 55 in Manila please stop going under the speed limit! It’s annoying, at least people go around you so you don’t hold everyone else up. I want a bumper sticker that says I go the speed limit in Manilla! If they lower it to 45 that’s going to be a bummer. Another thing, when you are turning off the highway to go into Manilla there is room to slow down- you don’t need to make the 5 cars behind you come to a complete stop.
I agree with you Sam. There needs to be a fast way to get between the towns. Use lights, make an overpass, something. Less people getting hurt trying to get onto it, and people can drive at a speed that makes more sense!
Rikki, the maximum speed limit on Hwy 255 is 55 mph. Note the maximum part. One can legally drive 10 mph slower than the maximum speed. i choose to drive 50 mph in Manila because i feel that speed is safer. Sorry.
If you’re in a hurry, consider leaving 5 minutes earlier. Slow down and enjoy the journey.