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If you’ve driven through McKinleyville in the past week or so, you may have noticed Public Works staff doing some prep work for a big road improvement project on Hiller Road. That’s the Hiller Road Quick-Build Project, which aims to test out traffic-calming measures on Hiller Road — between McKinleyville and Central avenues — before moving forward with permanent construction. 

The project includes a temporary roundabout at the intersection of Hiller Road and McKinleyville Avenue, as well as buffered bicycle lanes, new signage and public art murals.

More information can be found in the following press release from the Humboldt County Department of Public Works.

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The Humboldt County Department of Public Works is thrilled to announce that work to install the Hiller Road Quick-Build Project, aimed at improving safety on Hiller Road between the intersections at McKinleyville Avenue and Central Avenue, is ongoing in McKinleyville. 

Preparation work to install this temporary project began on Sept. 25 and the project installation is expected to continue through the end of this month and in November, weather permitting. As part of this project, local artists will be painting murals on Hiller Avenue.

A quick-build project is a fast, temporary way to make streets safer for everyone as they help clam traffic and protect pedestrians. Quick-builds are not meant to be permanent but are often used to test design ideas for future, long-term safety improvements to roads. The quick-build pop up in McKinleyville includes installing temporary bike lanes, rubber posts to protect the bike lanes, a temporary roundabout with speed humps, signage and crosswalks and public art murals.

Background

The Hiller Road Quick-Build Project is a partnership between the Humboldt County Public Works Department and McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee (MMAC) to test out road safety design features, gather community feedback and add some color and creativity to Hiller Road, between Central and McKinleyville avenues, in McKinleyville. It is the first quick-build project of its kind by Humboldt County’s Public Works Department, thanks to road improvement funding provided by Measure O tax dollars. 

Additionally, Public Works and the MMAC have partnered with Sea Goat Farmstead and Folk School to bring colorful murals to the quick-build. Funding for the project’s murals will be provided by generous community donations.

“This project really came about after the community raised concerns about safety along this stretch of road in McKinleyville,” said Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone. “I’m excited to see this project move forward. It will allow us test road safety improvements, gather community feedback on the design and showcase the work of our talented local artists. I’m thankful for every community member who has helped make this project a reality.”

This project is not a part of the McKinleyville Town Center Project. The Hiller Road Quick-Build Project was developed after years of studies focused on improving travel safety in McKinleyville for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and individuals who use mobility devices. Since 2019, Public Works and the MMAC have discussed safety issues on Hiller Avenue, first identified in the McKinleyville Middle School Walkability Assessment and later reaffirmed in the 2023 McKinleyville Multimodal Connections Project. 

The Hiller Road Quick-Build Project tests several of the recommendations made in these assessments in addition to featuring murals painted by local artists Ben Goulart, Gina Tuzzi, Toad and Soren Richards. The murals will be arranged to help calm traffic, improving safety for all road users while adding beauty to Hiller Avenue.

“We’re thrilled to see the Hiller Road Quick-Build Project come to life after years of community engagement on safer routes for walking and rolling,” said MMAC Chair Mary Burke. “I would like to thank Public Works for bringing this opportunity to MMAC and our partners at Sea Goat Farmstead and Folk School who helped us incorporate public art into the project. By testing these road safety measures and adding artwork to Hiller Road, we’re making McKinleyville safer and more vibrant for everyone.”

What to Expect

Work for this project is currently taking place along Hiller Road between Central to McKinleyville avenues. Humboldt County Public Works has finished removing paint on Hiller Road to prepare it for the quick-build pop up installation. Next steps include installing temporary bike lanes, rubber posts to protect the bike lanes, a temporary roundabout with speed humps, signage and crosswalks and the murals.

Road work is anticipated to continue this week through Thursday, Oct. 16 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The murals are currently scheduled to painted on Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Community members are invited to stop by, walk along the route and see the artists in action while Hiller Road is transformed into an outdoor art gallery. Finally, the temporary roundabout installation is expected to take place at least two weeks after the murals dry, sometime in November. 

All work for this project will be conducted as weather conditions allow. Work may be delayed or rescheduled due to rainy weather conditions.
Residents are encouraged to drive slowly and follow all directions and traffic control devices within the project area. On the days of scheduled work, travelers should expect delays as one-way controlled traffic will be in place for safety purposes.

Once installed, the quick-build is expected to last for three months and up to one year.

Share Your Input

Once fully installed, community members will be invited to share input on the Hiller Road Quick-Build Project via an online survey. Additionally, Humboldt County Public Works will install a sign near the intersection of Hiller Road and Central Avenue, allowing community members to scan a QR code and share input on the quick-build project and how they feel about it.

Public input received will be reviewed and feedback from the community will help inform future road designs. More information regarding the public survey will be provided once the project is installed.

For more information about the Hiller Road Quick-Build Project, please call 707-445-7421.

Stay Informed

Humboldt County residents are encouraged to sign up to receive text and email alerts regarding county road conditions, including upcoming projects, road closures and chain requirements. Residents can sign up at humboldtgov.org/RoadsUpdates. By planning ahead and staying informed, you can minimize stress and make your travel experience more enjoyable.

For more information and updates on Humboldt County roads projects, follow @HumCoRoads on Facebook or visit the Humboldt County Public Works Roads and Fleet Services Division web page.