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Trestle Promenade

The Trestle Promenade project aims to adaptively reuse the historic railroad trestle spanning the Petaluma River as a pedestrian and cycling promenade. The City describes the project as currently blocked by unresolved ownership and a $12.16 million unfunded construction gap.4

Design and environmental assessment work has been underway since the project was added to the City's Capital Improvement Program around 2022. By approximately June 2025, life-to-date spending on design, planning, and environmental work had reached $905,000. In May 2025, the City Council received a presentation on four design alternatives—timber or steel structures with parallel or perpendicular decking—prepared by Foth & Van Dyke and Associates, Inc., but no formal vote or action was recorded at that meeting.5,6,7

At a May 11, 2026 budget workshop, the Council expressed unanimous support for community visioning, and $375,000 was allocated in the FY2026–27 CIP for visioning, ownership and title research, and permitting pathway analysis. A nine-member steering committee called Trestle Promenade Now, led by Mayor Kevin McDonnell, held a public kickoff event on May 28, 2026 at River Front Cafe. The records do not confirm whether the community visioning process formally began as planned in July 2026. Resolving ownership is noted as a prerequisite for any construction funding.1,2,3,8

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8 recorded milestones

Complete project timeline

Each entry links the meeting and documents it comes from.

  1. Trestle identified as community priority9

    Trestle rehabilitation first appeared in City planning discussions as a community priority for adaptive reuse as a pedestrian and cycling promenade.

  2. CIP project C16502022 initiated5

    The Trestle Rehabilitation Capital Improvement Program project was initiated, with funding allocated for design and environmental assessment.

  3. City Council receives design alternatives update7

    The City Council received a progress update on the Trestle Rehabilitation Project, including four design alternatives and preliminary cost estimates prepared by Foth & Van Dyke and Associates, Inc. Residents offered public comment; no formal vote or action was recorded.

    City Council, May 19, 2025, item 10 →Staff Report, p. 1 →

  4. Environmental and planning assessment complete; $905,000 spent to date6

    Life-to-date spending on design, planning, and environmental work reached $905,000. No construction funding had been identified at that point.

  5. Council budget workshop — visioning funded, ownership unresolved1

    The Council expressed unanimous support for community visioning, and $375,000 was allocated in the FY2026–27 CIP for visioning, ownership and title research, and permitting pathway analysis. The Trestle Promenade Now steering committee was formed.

    Petaluma Voice, May 27 2026 →

  6. Trestle Promenade Now public launch8

    A nine-member steering committee led by Mayor Kevin McDonnell held a kickoff event at River Front Cafe. The immediate goal is to hire a consultant for community outreach and visioning before committing to a design direction.

    Petaluma Voice, May 27 2026 →

  7. Community visioning process planned to begin2

    Staff was to begin public engagement and ownership and title research using the FY2026–27 CIP allocation. The records do not say whether this work began as planned.

  8. Construction funding — pending3

    A $12.16 million construction funding gap remains with no funding path identified pending ownership resolution. Councilmember Barnacle committed to pursuing a bond measure if no other path emerges.

Money

  • The total project estimate has grown from $7,223,000 in the FY2023 budget to $13,664,000 in FY2025, then to $13,640,000 in FY2026; the FY2027 budget carries a separate environmental and project scoping line (CIP C16502022) with a total estimate of $1,269,000. Annual CIP allocations have been $0 (FY2023), $0 (FY2024), $675,000 (FY2025), $75,000 (FY2026), and $375,000 (FY2027). Life-to-date spending on design, planning, and environmental work reached approximately $905,000 as of June 2025, and a $12.16 million construction gap remains unfunded.4,6,10,11,12,13,14

Not in the record yet

  • Who owns the trestle, and what is the status of efforts to resolve the ownership and title question?
  • Did the community visioning process begin in July 2026 as planned?
  • Has a consultant been hired for community outreach and visioning?
  • What are the results or findings of the environmental and planning assessment completed around June 2025?
  • Has the Council formally selected a preferred design alternative from the four options presented in May 2025?
  • Why does the FY2027 budget carry a separate CIP line for 'Environmental & Project Scoping' with a different total estimate than prior years?
  • What permitting agencies or environmental constraints apply to construction on the trestle?
  • What is the timeline for resolving ownership before construction funding can be pursued?

Sources

  1. City project record: Council budget workshop — visioning funded, ownership unresolved
    Petaluma Voice, May 27 2026 →
  2. City project record: Community visioning process begins
  3. City project record: Construction funding — pending
  4. The City's description of the project
  5. City project record: CIP project C16502022 initiated
  6. City project record: Environmental and planning assessment complete
  7. City Council, May 19, 2025, item 10: Recommendation to Receive an Update on the Trestle Rehabilitation Project (C16502022), Including Design Alternatives, and to Provide Feedback on Next Steps
    Meeting → Staff Report, p. 1 →
  8. City project record: Trestle Promenade Now public launch
    Petaluma Voice, May 27 2026 →
  9. City project record: Trestle identified as community priority
  10. FY2023 adopted budget, CIP E16502022 (Trestle Rehabilitation): $0 budgeted that year; total project estimate $7,223,000.
  11. FY2024 adopted budget, CIP C16502022 (Trestle Rehabilitation): $0 budgeted that year; total project estimate $9,353,000.
  12. FY2025 adopted budget, CIP C16502022 (Trestle Rehabilitation): $675,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $13,664,000.
  13. FY2026 adopted budget, CIP C16502022 (Trestle Rehabilitation): $75,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $13,640,000.
  14. FY2027 adopted budget, CIP C16502022 (Trestle Environmental & Project Scoping): $375,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $1,269,000.

This page is written with AI from the City's meeting records, staff reports, minutes and adopted budgets, and reviewed before it's published. Every statement links to its source. Last updated Oct 8, 2026. Report a problem.