Reopening of SMART Pathway Section
and
Ground Breaking for New SMART Pathway Section
On October 22, 2022 Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopening of a 1.7 mile section of the SMART Pathway from Payran St. to Southpoint Blvd. in Petaluma. The pathway was closed shortly after it was constructed in April 2022 due ironically to construction on additional lanes on the Highway 101 bridge over the pathway. The new lanes will add more cars to the traffic while the pathway is intended to encourage alternate means of travel.
SMART Board Chair and Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbit kicked off the ceremony with a short encouraging speech followed by an equally upbeat speech by SMART Board Vice-Chair Barbara Pahr who also serves on the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District which runs ferries on the San Francisco Bay. Board member Lucan also participated and Petaluma Council Member Kevin McDonnell also weighed in with a few comments. After the speaches, Mayor McDonnell together with SMART Board members Damon Conoley and David Rabbit cut the ribbon across the trail with a giant pair of scissors. The crowd of about fifty adults and children then rode and walked the wonderful new pathway.
Also celebarated was the start of construction of an additional ssegment linking Payron St to Lakeville Blvd. This segment is expected to be completed by end of fall, 2022.