North McDowell Boulevard Improvement Project

During construction, traffic control measures will be implemented for safety. Every effort will be made to minimize impacts to traffic, however delays may happen and should be expected during heavy commute hours.

Concrete work will begin in December 2022 and is expected to last through March 2023. This work includes improvements to:

• Sidewalks
• Americans with Disabilities (ADA) ramps
• Some driveways

Concrete work for sidewalk improvements may impact irrigation with the potential need for irrigation relocation on some properties. If you have a contractor who handles irrigation for your property, please email their contact information to: [email protected]. We would like to work with your irrigation team to ensure the work being done causes the least amount of disruption and meets the needs of your property.

As the project progresses, you may notice some trees being removed. Our community has clearly expressed a desire for more trees along the McDowell corridor and we wholeheartedly agree mature tree canopies are essential and offer valuable climate and aesthetic benefits to our community. We are working with certified arborists to ensure our work is done in a way that will best support tree retention and health.

Keeping Trees Safe & Healthy During Construction
Every effort has been made in the design of this project to retain all existing, healthy trees. A tree survey was performed by a certified arborist for the entire corridor. The survey identified tree types, health, and structural integrity. This helped us create the following strategies to minimize removal, primarily for the sidewalk installation and creating a safe path of pedestrian travel:

• Using a thinner sidewalk section
  • RESULT: Reduces excavation; thus, minimizes root exposure and damage during construction
• Moving sidewalk placement
  • RESULT: Shifts construction away from trees to limit impact
• Use of retaining walls
  • RESULT: Limits excavation needed; thus, minimizes potential damage to roots during construction

Tree Removal
We have worked closely with an arborist to identify which trees require removal and to identify areas to replant in the future. Any tree removal required for the street-sidewalk-bike path right of way will be mitigated with the planting of trees in several locations identified along the North McDowell corridor.

Only unhealthy trees or those with roots interfering with utility lines and/or sidewalks will be removed. Our contractor, Team Ghilotti Inc., and City staff will have arborists on-site to observe during any tree removal process to make sure it’s done thoughtfully and correctly.

Paving work is scheduled to begin June 15, 2023 and expected to last through fall 2023. We are using a method of rebuilding in which we recycle and reuse the existing asphalt. Not only is this a more environmentally-friendly method, it creates a stronger roadway foundation that will support heavy North McDowell traffic for years to come.

Listening to the needs and concerns of our community is an important step in any project – and is essential when making changes to a street as impactful as N. McDowell. We engaged with our community through meetings, workshops, and more to help shape the vision for the future of this important roadway.

VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING

We held a Virtual Community Meeting on Wednesday May 10, 2023 to:

• Share the status of the project and upcoming work
• Discuss potential traffic impacts
• Receive feedback and answer questions from the community

CLICK HERE to view a recording of the meeting.

VIRTUAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING

On September 28, 2022 we held an informational meeting to review:

• An overview of the project and planned improvements.
• How community feedback is factored into our final design.
• What to expect in regard to construction and traffic impacts.
• Answers questions and responses to concerns.

Nearly 40 community members attended the meeting and Spanish interpretation services were available.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can watch a recording HERE. Please note, approximately the first 40 minutes of the meeting are a presentation by City staff with the remainder dedicated to discussion.

VIRTUAL COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

On January 26, 2022, the City of Petaluma held a community-wide public workshop to discuss plans to reconstruct and repave North McDowell Blvd. between Old Redwood Highway and Sunrise Parkway. Our City team shared a presentation outlining the purpose of the project, ideas for improvement, and available funding, then opened the session up to the public to share their perspective.

We were pleased to have over 50 community members attend the meeting and share their concerns, ideas, and hopes for project. We have taken this important feedback into consideration and have updated our designs to reflect many of your ideas (see images on right of page).

We have presented these designs to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. Thank you to all who took the time to engage in this crucial conversation with us. McDowell is one of the most traveled roadways in Petaluma and our goal is to make it the best it can be for all users.

• CLICK HERE to view notes recapping the workshop and input from the public.
• CLICK HERE to view a recording of the workshop.