Community Update for May 24, 2024

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA ESPAÑOL

Happy Thursday, Petaluma! First off, thank you to everyone who showed up and showed out at the Cool Petaluma Expo at the Fairgrounds this week. It was great to see SO many people enjoying the Fairgrounds, the beautiful weather, and sharing ideas about sustainability!

Next off, this week we want to shout out to our incredible Public Works & Utilities (PW&U) team, as this week is National Public Works Week across the country. PW&U manages so many of Petaluma’s moving parts. In fact, the First Street, 101 Crossings, and Caulfield Bridge projects featured in this issue all fall under the PW&U umbrella. We are so grateful to all of our hard-working team and community members who make Petaluma both a full-service city and a wonderful place to call home!

Thanks, as always, for reading Petaluma! We’ll see you in your inboxes in June with more helpful info from around your City.

IT’S NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK!

This week, we are proud to honor the men and women of our Public Works and Utilities Department as we celebrate National Public Works Week. Public Works and Utilities (PW&U) plays a very important role in keeping our City functioning, providing services that are essential to our quality of life.

The PWU staff are responsible for operating, maintaining, and continually improving our airport, marina, transit system, water delivery system, wastewater collection system, water recycling plant, parks, pools, community facilities, environmental services, streets, paths, sidewalks, and public spaces. As you can imagine, we keep them pretty busy! Thank you to all our hard-working PW&U staff who serve our community every day.

To learn more about Public Works and Utilities, please visit: https://cityofpetaluma.org/departments/public-works-utilities/.

CLICK HERE to check out a video about the power of Public Works

WORK HAPPENING ON FIRST STREET

The City of Petaluma is committed to providing clean, safe water and sewer services to our community. As part of our work to provide the most reliable service possible, we will be replacing and upgrading water and sewer piping on First Street between F and H Streets, as well as G Street between First and Second Street.

We will replace existing water and sewer pipes on and around First Street with new, heavy duty plastic pipes. This new plastic material provides increased reliability and ensures the lines hold strong for years to come. We will take special care to preserve the historic railroad tracks that run along First Street.

We will make every effort possible to minimize traffic and parking impacts; however, please plan for some delays in the area and travel carefully through the work zone.

Some buildings may experience a temporary water shut off. If your water service is scheduled to be impacted, you will be notified via a “doorhanger” flyer 24 hours prior to the shut off. Your water will not be shut off for longer than 6 hours.

To learn more, please visit, cityofpetaluma.org/firststreetwaterwork.

JOIN US WEDNESDAY MAY 29 TO DISCUSS NEW WAYS TO BIKE, WALK, & ROLL ACROSS TOWN

Interested in new or better routes to walk, bike, or roll across town? We are currently studying how to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and access when trying to travel from one side of town to the other – and we want to hear from you!

Using community input provided in the March online survey and at the first Community Meeting, we have developed new ways to enhance crosstown travel for those walking, biking, and rolling at Corona Road, Rainier Avenue, Lynch Creek Trail, and the Pedestrian Overcrossing at McKenzie Ave. (catwalk).

Please join our next meeting where we will:

Review the public input received
Share and gather feedback on improvement concepts for each crossing location
Seek input and answer questions from the community

When: Wednesday May 29, 6pm – 8pm
Where: Council Chambers at City Hall, 11 English Street, Petaluma

Spanish interpretation will be available upon request. Please email [email protected] to arrange interpretation services.

This Study is made possible by funding from Measure M, the 2004 Traffic Relief Act for Sonoma County.

Learn more and sign up to receive project updates at cityofpetaluma.org/101crossings.

RESOURCE LISTS FOR FAMILIES & SENIORS

In 2020, Petaluma joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Cities as part of our commitment to creating livable communities for people of all ages. This week, we added new Resource Lists to our Age-Friendly Petaluma home page to help identify local nonprofit and community resources for Petaluma Families and Seniors. Looking for resources? Check these lists out at cityofpetaluma.org/Age-Friendly-Petaluma.

If you are a nonprofit or community partner who offers free resources for families or seniors, please let us know! Reach out to [email protected] and we may add your resource to our community list.

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING FOR CAULFIELD BRIDGE, THURS MAY 30, 6PM

The City of Petaluma is planning and designing the Caulfield Bridge Crosstown Connector Project which will create a new 500-foot moveable bridge (similar to the D Street drawbridge) over the Petaluma River connecting east and west Petaluma via Caulfield Lane to Petaluma Boulevard South.

This bridge will provide a safe, convenient route for people walking, bicycling, and driving across town and will help to reduce traffic congestion on existing crosstown connectors, such as D and E. Washington Streets. We want to design the bridge in a way that best serves the needs of the community, particularly the Riverfront neighborhood which is directly adjacent to the project.

Please join us for a neighborhood meeting on Thursday, May 30, to:

Get an update on the project, including bridge design and aesthetics, amenities, and traffic circulation.
Learn how the City is planning to minimize impacts to the Riverfront neighborhood.
Ask questions and discuss project details with City staff and the design team.

WHEN: Thursday, May 30, 6pm – 8pm
WHERE: Courtyard Marriott, 700 Caulfield Lane

Spanish interpretation will be available upon request. Please email [email protected] to arrange for interpretation services.

To RSVP and learn more about the project, visit the website: cityofpetaluma.org/caulfieldbridge.

We look forward to seeing you there!

EMERGENCY PREP HELP FOR SENIORS

Attend a special two-part workshop on emergency preparedness for seniors. Hosted by the City of Petaluma.

Workshops are spaced two weeks apart:

Part 1 – Monday, June 3, 2pm-4pm
Part 2 – Monday, June 17, 2pm-4pm

Learn how to create a plan, what an emergency go-bag should include, earthquake preparedness, how to evacuate with pets, what you’ll need in an extended power outage, and much more. All participants at Part 1 receive a free emergency go-bag and supplies!

TAKE A STROLL INTO PETALUMA’S PAST

The Petaluma Historical Library & Museum invites you to join costumed docents dressed in period attire as they guide you through the historic downtown Petaluma business and residential districts. Petaluma has a unique and fascinating history as a bustling river town post Gold Rush, the “Egg Capital of the World” after the turn of the century, and now a town that loves its history. Learn about Petaluma’s incredible architecture (including eight sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and other important and interesting facets of Petaluma’s history. You’ll be informed by their historical knowledge and entertained by their characters’ stories.

The walking tours are FREE (donations welcome) to the public and occur most Saturdays and Sundays between May and October. Check the website to confirm tour dates. Meet on the steps of the Museum at 4th and B Street at 10:30am to embark on your trip back through time.