A rendering drawn by Robert Frank for Heritage Homes of Petaluma in January 2016 of what a rehabilitated trestle would look like based on designs prepared by GHD in 2011
It has been two years since I wrote an extensive feature article on the 100th anniversary of Petaluma's Historic Downtown Rail Trestle on the southwest bank of the Petaluma River turning basin. An update has been in the works for a while. However, the subject of the deplorable state of the Trestle and the complex, precarious bureaucratic framework which had prevented its rehabilitation from moving forward at any definitive pace is a formidable local issue to report on.
Good news this first week in June, 2024, however, is that the City of Petaluma has newly revised its budget for the Trestle Project to fund at least the design phase of its rehabilitation/reconstruction through construction drawings and environmental permit applications.
"Staff recently retained a consultant, Foth, for the design-phase work . . . with a kick off planned in June," responded Gina Benedetti-Petnic, Interim Director of Public Works and Utilities for the City, in response to my recent email querie as to the current status of the project.
Foth is based in Petaluma in the Marina and according to the company's website, suitably prides itself on solving its clients' toughest science, engineering and infrastructure problems. The Trestle certainly fits the bill. Foth will be working with Senior CIP Engineer, Steven Worrell, who is assigned to the Trestle project in Petaluma Public Works.
This is encouraging indeed. As each month, the Trestle surface sinks closer to collapse. Many community groups, business owners and members have demanded progress on fixing up what has become a private amusement park for the colony of Norwegian river rats that call it home. Public patience had waned to the point of despair for the City of Petaluma and the Trestle's owner, Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit to figure out a strategy and funding avenues for the realization of the construction of a genteel public promenade, long-since envisioned.
Hot off the press as I readied to post this update, the email from Benedetti-Petnic further outlined that the design services will include planning, limited additional studies, design alternatives and options analysis and, ultimately, the final design of a rehabilitated Trestle. The design phase is expected to take approximately one year and include a robust public outreach component to seek community feedback and inform the design.
Petaluma City Council Member Karen Nau reiterated: "The City of Petaluma is helping with design funding this year & next! $675,000.00 being appropriated for the Trestle Project. We just decided at last night's meeting. City "found funds" in unspent Appropriations in another Capital Improvement Project. Hopefully, more projects and the Trestle can get funded in the future. I will continue to advocate to spend CIP Budget Appropriations on these much needed projects that are assets to our community and enhance the quality of life."
Further notes from the Interim Director of Public Works and Utilities, speaking in her role and also on behalf of the City Manager, Peggy Flynn, who is on vacation at this time, instruct that the budget will fund the design phase through construction drawings and environmental permit applications. The trestle has been at the top of the City Council's list of "Goals and Priorities" since City Manager Peggy Flynn established the program.
"With the project shovel-ready at that point, it will be much more competitive for the grant funding that will be needed to move the project forward into construction," explained Benedetti-Petnic.
Thank heavens. After more than a quarter century of neglect, the ruin that is the dilapidated 1922 Petaluma Trestle is turning 102. And to borrow a quote from the New York Times on majestically moldering rail stations and historic rail structures, the Petaluma Trestle, has, until now, been: "slowly crushed by the boot of time".
It's a political and civic hot potato. Transfer of ownership title from SMART to the City is, consequently, a remaining hurdle, even at a potential bargain sale of a single dollar. It's the City's lot to prepare contract documents for bid and confirm all permits and entitlements so as to not miss the boat on critical grant funding opportunities. SMART, for its part, is reportedly enthusiastic about the potential hand over, especially since there is no rail component in the plans. And SMART has pledged to provide some financial support for the grant process once the City has its game plan in place.
However: "Until the City comes to an agreement with SMART and obtains rights to the trestle structure (currently owned by SMART), we do not have authority to perform alterations of any kind nor want to assume the risk of doing so. As we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental risk and liability, staff will be better informed for our discussions with SMART regarding future ownership. There are several precedents required before staff can begin negotiating ownership with SMART, including a complete updated environmental analysis (amended EIR) so that the City understands the environmental liability and cleanup requirements. The City is better positioned to partner with SMART to apply for grants than assume ownership and go it alone."
The Trestle's story is entrenched in the pioneer history of Petaluma. Three decades before the advent of the interstate highway and trucking industry, the structure was built on the banks of the busy Petaluma River, to link the bustling water and rail-based forms of travel and goods movement.
The structure itself is the original redwood members. It originally carried the weight of a freight line that transferred fresh produce and other goods from the agricultural fields north and west of Petaluma to heavily-laden steamers and schooners that traveled the slough waters into San Francisco Bay. It was these tracks and Trestle that enabled Petaluma to serve as the "Egg Basket to the World".
There are people figuratively camped out at the cautionary wire fencing waiting to give money to the Trestle project. Historic Petaluma Woman's Club, for one, has been poised to help with support for widespread community engagement and fundraising for the past two years. The 150-member strong club has firmly committed to providing support for grant writing efforts, hosting community input meetings and eliciting support from numerous community partners and the public at large.
Outgoing President of the Woman's Club, architect Colleen Mahoney, wrote to the city in February of this year: "It is evident that this project will be one that will bring everyone in our community together. We look to you, City of Petaluma to wholeheartedly support this project that is a win win for everyone in Petaluma."
However, Mahoney does not mince words in reminding city officials that: "The continued deterioration is an embarrasement to our community."
David Rabbitt, County Supervisor, Second District and Chair of the SMART Board of Directors informed Mahoney this week that SMART has indeed offered to sell the Trestle to the City for one dollar, so the ball is in the City's court regarding ownership. As far as grant funding goes, it does not appear any more advantageous who owns it.
Rabbitt indicated that the City wishes to move further along in design and understanding of the total cost of the project before committing to its purchase. This would include demolition related environmental remediation.
"Understandable, but either way, SMART and Petaluma need to partner on finding the resources to finish the project. SMART has made that commitment," he said.
Mahoney pointed to cities around the country that have reoriented toward their river pathways in recent years for leisure and recreation, including neighboring Napa. Riverfronts were the industrial warehouse districts of the early 1900s, whereas today, we celebrate our urban waterways as places to gather and entertain. Petaluma River Park is an extraordinary example of what can be done when we set our minds to it as a community.
"This has the potential to be a shining example of how a community can come together and rehabilitate its riverfront as a world class promenade," Mahoney added. "Time is money and we need to get this done. It's non-controversial and everyone will benefit."
Our community understands that the Petaluma General Plan, The Central Specific Plan and the River Access and Enhancement Plan all emphasize the importance of reorienting toward the river. Rehabilitation of the trestle will improve public access, recreation, education and enhance the character, history and identity of Petaluma.
Katherine Gregor, of Gregor Communications spoke with me on June 5th. Gregor has been active in the Time to Trestle campaign at the Petaluma Woman's Club. She has attended a series of meetings with the PWC committee members and City staff for more than a year.
"I also helped craft and submit the pre-application for a State Coastal Conservancy grant," she said. The Coastal Conservancy grant may be revisited once shovel ready plans are in place. "It's such great news that the City has finally allocated significant funds and hired a consultant to complete the design and engineering work. Yay! But it's important to understand that those professional services are just one leg of the three-legged stool. On a parallel track, the City absolutely needs to pursue all possible grants to fund the construction — once it's a 'shovel-ready' project. Construction will require some $7-12M of outside funds, from the estimates I've seen. So, the project can't get done without millions in State or other funds."
The essential third leg is assuming legal ownership or hammering out a cross-agency maintenance agreement with SMART, Gregor added. "That has dragged on forever, for some sticky reasons. Understandably, the City doesn't want to assume liability for unknown future issues. And SMART doesn't really want it either. So it's complex. City and SMART leadership need to be motivated to devote the time, sustained energy, resources and political moxie to get an agreement signed. Advancing on all three fronts at once, over this next year won't be easy but with enough drive at the City, it can be done."
Bill Rinehart, who serves on the city's Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee, wrote to the City Clerk, Mayor McDonnell and council members on May 20th, 2024. In his letter, he expressed to the mayor and council members that although it was good to see that the Historic Waterfront Trestle rehabilitation project remains on the City's project list, he was sad to see so little progress at that time. All this pressure on the City seems to have helped, given the more recent initial fund-finding news.
"It's been ten plus years since plans, specifications and estimates were completed and now to be 'back to the drawing board' is a shame," he'd written.
The 2013 engineer's estimate for construction costs was $4,328,324. "The current C.I.P. lists it at $13,664,000. What does this tell us?" asked Rinehart.
"This structure is the character defining feature of our city. Its current condition is unacceptable, yet its potential as an economic catalyst, a community hub and source of pride for generations is undeniable," Rinehart stressed. "Not to mention its importance to the history of our town and the successes of our regional economy. Please take action and get this funded and done. It can be your legacy."
Previous to the June 3rd funding announcement, I'd reached out in May to the Mayor of Petaluma, Kevin McDonell and Vice Mayor, John Shribbs with regards to the current status of the Trestle project, as well as the city clerk. I was encouraged to hear back from both the Mayor and Vice Mayor the following morning.
The response from Mayor, Kevin McDonell was: "Alas funding continues to be a challenge. The City has a very limited amount of discretionary funding available. It was always conceived that the construction funding (90%ish of total cost) would be from grant sources. However, the City is finding it difficult to fund the investigations and design necessary for grant applications. The City is still trying to pull the needed funding for investigation and design. Regarding the details of status that would be useful to your article, staff is the best source. If you ask a Council member you will get opinion, enthusiasm, optimism and filtered status. Only staff can give you facts. Let me reiterate my enthusiasm, optimism and hope."
And the reply from the Vice Mayor, John Shribbs, also prior to the funding announcement: "At the last city council meeting, Peggy (Flynn) said we are going to pursue a joint grant from SMART and the city assuming we can find a source of grant funding. The only other option is to buy the trestle from SMART for $1 and take on all responsibility and liability ourselves. Going for grant funding jointly is the better option."
Marie McCusker, Petaluma Downtown Association and Visitors Program Director commented on the subject this week: "The dilapidated, decaying trestle is an embarrassment to our city, yet we have the perfect opportunity to preserve its hardworking roots by creating an open space for the community. It is important to recognize the crucial role that parks and open spaces play in making our downtown more welcoming. Our history sets Petaluma apart as a Rivertown. Imagine Petaluman’s and visitors alike enjoying a park-like setting in the heart of our downtown, a place to gather, enjoy events, and create an authentic sense of place. The financial investment is critical to move this much-needed project forward and the time is now!"
Trestle Preservation advocate Historian Katherine Rinehart reports: "As many may know from watching the May 20, 2024, Petaluma City Council budget workshop, the trestle rehabilitation project remains a priority within the FY 2024-2025 Capital Improvement Program Budget."
The Rinehart's are among many residents and activists who have urgently called for the rehabilitation of the historic Trestle. No other couple more so than Christopher and Elaine Stevick, pictured below.
Christopher Stevick is an award winning preservation and restoration contractor and a recipient of the Petaluma "Good Egg" award. Elaine, a retired speech pathologist, choir member of numerous local choral groups and a prominent board member of Petaluma Woman's Club and its Time to Trestle Campaign. Together they have dedicated decades of their life and more recently, an entire room in their historic west Petaluma Victorian home to campaigning for the saving and restoration of the Trestle.
Stevick has hands-on experience in significant restorations on numerous historic structures in Petaluma, including St. Vincent's Church, Hotel Petaluma, the Carnegie Library and Museum and the removal of the fake facade of the Sienna Antiques building, downtown. He has refused to back down in his support for the restoration of the Trestle and has spearheaded numerous events and demonstrations over the years, including a prominent "This Place Matters" campaign and photo opportunity which led to a $500,000 grant from California Coastal Conservancy for environmental analysis.
His extensive and formidable stack of documentation dates back to 2010 and contains email exchanges, council presentations, city-based studies, correspondence and council-approved goals, including inspections last spring when the team from Porter & Associates worked with the city’s structural engineering consultants GHD, to complete the detailed “timber assessment” of the Trestle.
Though many long-time Petalumans fondly remember the last of the trolley-era along the Trestle and as an outdoor gathering space for boating and river festivals, there is no longer any push to bring back trains along the historic structure.
Interestingly, Stevick's research showed that reinforcement of the structure would, in fact, be substantial enough to carry the weight of a trolley (and this was his dream for many years). In its heyday, The Petaluma Riverfest attracted thousands of visitors to the Trestle. Imagine that now? As a compromise, the Stevick's realization of a pedestrian promenade would be enough of a dream come true at this point.
I called the Stevicks on their vacation in Tahoe with news of the June 3rd funding announcement. Elaine Stevick is especially enthusiastic as a spokesperson for the Woman's Club in that the club has been encouraging of more public input on the Trestle project for some time.
"We have the meeting space in our beautiful Brainerd-Jones' designed craftsman clubhouse on B Street," she reiterated. "And we look forward to hosting many public input conversations at the Woman's Club going forward."
As for Christopher Stevick: "This will make national news! The Trestle will draw a great deal of money to support our merchants and possibly help with continued dredging. Inch by inch, we're getting there." He added that he's looking forward to the project gathering momentum and the snowball effect of plans coming together after so long.
The Historic Petaluma Mill fronts most of the length of the Trestle and has been converted through adapted reuse from grain processing and warehousing to a mix of retail and business services. The Trestle structure begins on the south end at the Petaluma Yacht Club and ends at the north end at the Water Street Plaza. Completion of the Trestle project would double the riverfront open space in the historic downtown area.
I strolled the riverfront Saturday morning, May 24th and stopped for breakfast at Water Street Bistro. There, I watched as a yacht was stuck in the mud in a super low tide. A line of yachts was moored at the foot of the trestle. While it's great that funding finally came in for the dredging of the river, I wondered what the sailing community make of this unsightly and shocking scene in the heart of our downtown?
The decaying Trestle certainly smelled as bad as it looked, especially in low tide and it wasn't a particularly warm morning. A fellow diner was observing the commotion of the stuck yacht. "Am I dumb or what?" she asked. "But I just don't get this Trestle situation."
"Don't worry," I reassured her. "You're not alone."
I walked back down to the river on the morning of June 4th, 2024 and took a video of the Trestle in its current condition, stopping in for a coffee at the River Cafe. Along with Waterfront Bistro's Stephanie Rastettter, Riverfront Cafe owner, Ellias Ghattas must be two of the most patient business people in this part of town. Each have watched the Trestle's decay, day after day, week after week, for years, from their vantage points closest to the fenced off structure.
"Please continue to write about it," he urged. "I heard the pilings are okay after the engineering report came in. I saw them out there," he said. "The Trestle fixed-up would be big news for everyone."
I asked Gina Benedetti-Petnic about the report on the pilings. Her response is technical, but it's important to include the Interim Director of Public Works and Utlities response with regards to a complete structural component of the Trestle that was performed in 2023 by the City's consultant, GHD Engineers and their subconsultant, Porter & Associates:
"The assessment was designed to provide information about the condition, species, and grade of the structural members. After more than a century of service, the condition of timber pilings, pile caps, sway braces, stringers, and decking that make up the Trestle varies broadly, from poor to excellent. Prior to the assessment, the species and structural grade of the various member types were unknown. The species and grade, along with condition, determine the amount of load each member can support. This assessment provides a more reliable means of determining the allowable stresses and identifying structural members requiring reinforcement or replacement. These determinations from the assessment about wood species and member grading are also essential to identifying suitable repair materials in compliance with the Secretary of the interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. In other words, this assessment is a critical foundation for the design work that we are now undertaking.
That study determined the wood species for various member types, visual assessments of the structural members (piles, pile caps, stringers, braces), moisture content measurements, and resistance drilling to quantify internal deterioration. The high level summary of that assessment concluded that the timber piles showed significant deterioration and almost all piles were found to require repair or replacement: 170 piles were determined to have moderate to severe wood decay damage. The upper framing members (pile caps, stringers, and ties) are generally in better condition and can selectively be replaced where needed (mostly rated in the Fair to Excellent range)."
Sign up here for the Time to Trestle Facebook Group for community updates.
The 150-member-strong Petaluma Woman's Club was founded in 1896 t0 take on positions of issues in Petaluma of the day. The establishment of a non-profit endowment fund last year makes it possible for the modern-day club to spearhead community fundraising for the Trestle Project once the City has established exactly where these monies will go.
In the meantime, if you'd like to see this keystone project move forward, please comment on the City of Petaluma's General Plan Update Policy Frameworks to ensure that the trestle rehabilitation remains a priority for current and future city councils. Input is due by June 20th, 2024. If you have trouble with the online comment process for the city, email your support for the Trestle to [email protected].
Katherine Rinehart has identified three frameworks where the trestle rehabilitation should be noted:
Economic Development
Policy ED-4.5 Invest in Downtown
Policy ED-6 Attract Visitors to Downtown
Parks
Goal P-3 Petaluma River Recreation
Policy P-4.1 Develop an Interconnected Public Space Network
Historic Resources
Guiding Principle #10
Policy HR-1.6 Prevent Demolition by Neglect
Policy HR-5.3 Promote Heritage Tourism
Watch out for more frequent update articles on the Trestle by independent journalist Frances Rivetti. Frances trained as a newspaper reporter in the UK. Based in Petaluma, Sonoma County, she writes on a wide range of lifestyle topics, with a special interest in history, natural history, travel, culture and food. Frances is the author of four books set in Northern California: Fog Valley Crush; Fog Valley Winter (Non-fiction); Big Green Country and The House on Liberty Street (Fiction). She is at work on a third novel, set on the Sonoma Coast, which she hopes to release in 2025. Find Frances' author pages at francesrivetti.com and on Facebook here. Her blog Southern Sonoma Country Life has been in circulation for over a decade, providing a platform for her to publish and share her feature articles widely via social media.
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