Multiple Petaluma roads and areas closed Monday morning due to flooding

Petalumans awoke Monday morning to several flooded and closed roads throughout the city, as well as a suggested evacuation of a mobile home park on Stony Point Road.

As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, Petaluma police were warning drivers of the following road closures:

• Petaluma Blvd North between Corona Road and US 101
• Old Redwood Hwy between North McDowell and US 101
• Stony Point Road between Petaluma Blvd North and Pepper Road
• Lakeville Hwy (SR-116) between Stage Gulch Road and Frates Road
• Westbound Lakeville in the 100 block, near Madison Street
• Northbound North McDowell at Redwood Way

“Avoid flooded roads and use a detour,” police said in a news alert. “The rain is currently subsiding, but runoff from the Petaluma River watershed will continue for the next few hours.”

To detour on Lakeville Hwy, police say to use Adobe Road; to detour around Stony Point and Rainsville, use Old Redwood Hwy or Liberty Road to Skillman.

Police also advise residents to “Please drive slow. Watch out for standing water in the roadway. If you think a roadway is flooded, do not attempt to drive through it.” They added that “Several drivers have become stranded by driving into flooded roads.”

The Petaluma Fire Department confirmed this, making at least six weather-related rescues Monday morning, most of them for people who drove their cars into standing water on roads such as Redwood Way and North McDowell Boulevard, said Petaluma Fire Captain Kevin Burris.

They also made one rescue of a homeless person who was surrounded by flood waters on Corona Road where it crosses over the Petaluma River. None of the rescues resulted in injuries.

Meanwhile, authorities issued a flood advisory for the area around Leisure Lake Mobile Home Park in the 300 block of Stony Point Road. “Residents of the area should consider evacuating due to road closures,” police stated. “Please note: the only way out is southbound on Stony Point Road from Denman.”

The Petaluma Community Center at Lucchesi Park, 320 N McDowell Blvd., is open as a shelter for any who need it. Those requiring immediate assistance are urged to call 707-762-2727 or 911.

Police also noted that traffic signals in Petaluma have been going out, such as those on Ely Road and Sonoma Mountain Parkway and on East Washington Street. Petaluma Public Works have placed temporary stop signs at those intersections, and police remind drivers that they should always be treated as 4-way stops.

Firefighters, forced to rescue stranded motorists and others, said they made all of their rescues on foot Monday, without the use of the swift water rescue boat.

Burris said localized flooding is normal, and that the city had yet to see any major flooding leading into homes.

“The waters go up and down fairly quickly here,” he said. “I would imagine we should be doing better by this afternoon.”