Commentary: D Street bike lanes good for safety, climate

As a city committed to reducing emissions, Petaluma is adopting policies that promote walking, biking, and public transit. Unfortunately, cracked sidewalks create trip hazards, long lead times make buses inconvenient, and if you have ridden a bike in Petaluma, you know how treacherous it can be.

If we are serious about our climate goals, our city leaders should do everything possible to make walking, biking, and transit safe and convenient. Making our streets safer is not a new issue; in fact, residents in every part of the city have been demanding action for years.

But when the city does take action, we learn there’s something residents hate more than speeding cars and distracted driving: change.

Currently, this phenomenon is playing out on D Street. In 2021, a neighborhood group called the D Street Coalition was formed to address the speeding and lack of pedestrian safety on that street. As noted in an Argus-Courier article dated July 29, 2021, the Coalition called for “quick build” projects to address safety concerns while the city worked out a long-term plan for repaving and replacing a water main.

Happily, the long overdue project is coming to fruition, featuring new bike lanes and safer street crossings. Unfortunately, some neighbors have turned against the project, mainly due to the loss of parking on one side of the street.

D Street is used by recreational cyclists, and by children and adults riding their bikes for normal daily activities like getting to school and commuting to work. With a new entrance to Helen Putnam Park coming to D Street at Windsor Drive, and the rapid proliferation of e-bikes in Petaluma, we will only see more people riding their bikes on D Street in the future.

With that in mind, an improved bike lane is absolutely a safer alternative. Safer bike lanes mean safer roads for all, including pedestrians, and they reduce the overall speed of vehicles on the street, making it a more pleasant and inviting environment for everyone.

With a repaving and water main replacement project coming soon, the city’s proposal for a quick build makes perfect sense. We can test the new design, and if it works, we can incorporate it into the long-term plans for D Street. If it doesn’t work, we can revert back to the current, less safe design.

As a parent who rides this area regularly with children, it is maddening to think that a few loud neighbors can undermine the interests of the larger community. The D Street Coalition neighbors may own property along D Street, but the street itself belongs to the entire community.

The Petaluma City Council needs to represent the interests of the whole community. They should move forward with safe crossings, traffic calming, and bike lanes on D Street and state that public safety is more important than opposition to change. The long-term benefits, including improved safety, increased connectivity, and traffic calming, will contribute to the overall well-being of our community. By prioritizing the safety and accessibility of alternative transportation modes, we can create a more sustainable, vibrant, and connected Petaluma for current and future generations.

Nicole Camarda is chair of the Petaluma Pedestrian and Bicycle and Advisory Committee.