More ‘slow streets’ added to city

Petaluma is poised to add several new slow streets, bringing to 5 miles the total of pedestrian and bike-friendly streets in the city’s program.

The city implemented a slow streets program in April amid the coronavirus pandemic. The program allows city officials to close certain streets to through traffic, opening up the roadways to cyclists, walkers and joggers seeking a socially distant place to get some exercise.

Ken Eichstaedt, the city’s senior civil engineer, proposed adding Rio Vista Way and Vallejo Street in the Payran neighborhood, Sonoma Avenue and North Fair Street as well as Post Street on the west side, and east side streets Bond Avenue and Zinfandel Drive.

Several streets that were added in the first two phases of the program are proposed to be removed, Eichstaedt told the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee last week.

“I feel like we are getting to an effective program that balances the capacity and the cost for implementation,” he said, adding that some residents, like those on Zinfandel Drive, sent in a petition for inclusion in the program. “You can’t easily ignore those things.”

The third phase of the program is expected to be discussed by the city council on Sept. 21 with a goal of making permanent some of the slow streets.

Marja Tarr, chair of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, said she was in favor of keeping the program.

“I love this concept. I think this is a real bonus,” she said. “I’m seeing more people work from home. They need to get out. They need to stay safe.”

Committee member Bjorn Griepenburg asked about turning 5th Street into a so-called bike boulevard, with traffic calming measures similar to a slow street. City staff said that this solution was being considered as part of the Petaluma Boulevard South road diet set to begin next year, but wouldn’t be ready until that construction was finished.

“We’ll look at it again,” Eichstaedt said. “The construction impacts are pretty significant.”

Councilwoman D’Lynda Fischer said she wanted to see staff look at longer streets for inclusion in the slow streets program. The longest currently in the program is 1,500 feet on Lombardi Avenue.

“If I want to go for a three mile run, I could actually go for a three mile run and not worry about being on the sidewalk with pedestrians,” she said. “I’m finding that’s the biggest issue right now. When people are exercising, one doesn’t want to wear a mask and one doesn’t want to be on the sidewalk.”

Eichstaedt said staff would look at adding longer sections. Fischer said the slow streets program is more than a temporary solution.

“It looks like we are in this for the long term and we really want to accommodate our residents in terms of getting out and being able to get to a destination,” she said. “Looking at these streets (currently in the program) it doesn’t seem to be meeting that criteria.”

Committee member Blake Hooper said he wanted to see more streets included in the program around schools, giving students a safer route to school once campuses reopen.

“We need more emphasis on proximity to schools, especially on the east side,” he said. “I remember meeting after meeting with our Youth Commission when students would talk about their daily walk or ride to school like it was a bit of a death trap.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)