Howard Street Improvement Project

Project Description

Howard Street is a busy road connecting Petalumans to City Hall, the downtown area, schools, churches, and more. Pedestrian and traffic safety on this popular corridor is of utmost importance.

In the coming months, we will be making upgrades to the underground water and sewer pipes on Howard Street and some nearby side streets. Once the utility work is completed, the timing will be excellent to make improvements to the surface of the road, as well. Our goal is to improve safety and accessibility for all road users while smoothing the surface of the roadway.

Some community members have let us know about specific areas and items of concern on Howard Street like:

• Calming/slowing down traffic
• Improving intersection safety and operations
• Enhancing existing crosswalks and installing new crosswalks

And we want to hear more! Please see below for upcoming opportunities to have your voice heard and your concerns addressed as we work on the design for this important project.

Community Engagement Opportunities

We are committed to working closely with the community to understand the concerns and needs for everyone who uses Howard Street. Your input will be a valuable part of our design process and will help shape the future of this important corridor.  

Please take a moment to review upcoming opportunities to have your voice heard and be sure to sign up to receive project updates using the form on this webpage. We will promote these upcoming community engagement opportunities through our Community Update email, social media channels, and via direct email to those who have signed up to receive project updates.  

We look forward to working with you! 

JOIN US APRIL 10 TO DISCUSS PROPOSED HOWARD/LIBERTY STREET CHANGES

Through the feedback we have received so far, we have heard that safety at the intersection of Liberty/Howard/A Streets is a high priority for the community.

At our February community meeting, we shared two concept plans for the Liberty/Howard/A intersection. Thus far, we have received positive feedback regarding both, with most favoring conversion of Liberty Street to one-way (northbound) between the A Street and Western Avenue intersections (the block that houses St. Vincent’s Church). Potential benefits include improved safety and increased church parking.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A MEETING TO:

• Learn more about the potential changes on Liberty Street, including benefits and impacts
• Ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed improvements

WHEN: Wednesday April 10, 6pm
WHERE: Council Chambers at City Hall, 11 English Street, Petaluma

Spanish interpretation is available upon request. To arrange for interpretation, please email: [email protected].

Over the coming weeks, we will also be reaching out to the neighborhood to hear their thoughts.

PREVIOUS UPDATES

PRESENTATION TO PEDESTRIAN & BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 6:30 PM

Our project team sought feedback on proposed pedestrian and bicycle improvements at the Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee's regular meeting on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 PM in City Hall (11 English St.).

COMMUNITY MEETING #2: FEBRUARY 20, 2024

We met with the community on February 20 to provide a brief project overview, recap what we’ve heard so far, share and seek feedback on proposed safety and accessibility improvements, and answer questions.

Through our review of the corridor and feedback received to date, it is clear that improvements to the Howard/Liberty/A Street intersection are a top priority for the community. At the meeting, we shared and sought feedback on two potential conceptual design options that we believe would address concerns at that intersection (see slides 27-29 in the presentation linked below). Over the coming weeks, we will collect additional traffic data to fully understand the impacts of these proposed changes and reach out to the neighborhood to solicit additional feedback.

Meeting Materials

• Presentation Slides

COMMUNITY MEETING #1: SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

The City held a community workshop on September 13, 2023 to introduce the project, seek ideas on how to improve Howard Street, and answer questions.

Meeting Materials:

• Presentation Slides

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING FOR STANLEY/HARRIS/POST STREETS

Thank you to all who took time to attend our listening session regarding Howard Street parking concerns May 16, 2023 at City Hall. We learned a lot from each of you and sincerely appreciate your feedback. Your input is an invaluable part of our process, and we are taking it to heart as we work to find solutions.

In response to your feedback, we have identified a series of steps we plan to take in order to improve Howard Street for all who use it.

Short-Term Solutions – Signage & Communications

To start, we are focused on easing concerns around parking by:

Parking Signs & Communications

• Signs will be place in and around City Hall parking lots to alert the community of available public parking there.
• A communications campaign will alert the community of available public parking in the area.
• “Local Traffic Only” a-frame signs will be placed at Stanley and Harris Streets to discourage parking in those areas.

Speed Limit Signs

• The City will install 2 speed limit signs between Bodega and B Street to encourage a reduction in traffic speed.

Engaging with Crooked Goat

• City staff has been in touch regarding the 2 blocked spaces in their lot and large-truck deliveries. They have assured us they will address both.
• Instructing employees and encouraging customers to “be good neighbors” and utilize public parking outside of the busy Howard Street corridor.

Mid-Term Solutions – Howard Street Improvement Project

A road project designed to upgrade underground utilities (water, sewer, etc.), repave the road surface, and implement traffic calming and parking upgrades through road design and striping is anticipated to begin in spring/summer 2024. Public engagement for the project will begin later this year.

Long-Term Solutions – Day Laborer Gatherings

We heard several concerns regarding the gathering of day laborers at the Shell gas station located at the corner of Bodega Avenue and Howard Street.

In the long-term, the City is looking for solutions on how to support our day laborer community while having fewer impacts on the neighborhood. For now, the Petaluma Police Department recommends taking the following actions if you are experiencing concerns:

• Report problems as they arise to the Police Department at 707-778-4372 for non-emergency situations. In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1.
• Listed below are the district officers for the area. Please contact them directly to report long-term issues:
  • Sergeant Ryan Suhrke (supervisor) - 707-781-1214, [email protected]
  • Officer David Arvizo – 707-781-1218, [email protected]
  • Officer Jared Rebizzo – 707-781-1226, [email protected]