PETALUMA, CA — Construction of the new SMART station in northern Petaluma requires the closure of SMART tracks Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24, from the Sonoma County Airport station to the Cotati station.
During the partial system closure, regular weekend train service will continue to operate from the Petaluma Downtown station to the Larkspur station. All southbound trips will originate from the Petaluma Downtown station, with northbound trips from Larkspur terminating there, too. Trains will remain coordinated with Golden Gate Transit’s Larkspur Ferry, facilitating travel to and from San Francisco.
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The stations with no SMART service Saturday and Sunday are Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa Downtown, Santa Rosa North and Sonoma County Airport.
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“Given the location of the construction closure, implementing a bus bridge was deemed impractical because it would have resulted in a lengthy bus detour for SMART riders and impacts to the train schedule,” SMART officials said. “Opting for a temporary closure of a section of the system aims to minimize disruptions to transit riders while ensuring trains maintain their schedules in the southern portion of the rail line that remains open.”
Construction Activity
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Construction activities during the partial system closure Saturday and Sunday include installing a gauntlet track to allow freight trains wider than passenger trains to travel through the new station site.
“Passenger trains are much narrower than freight trains,” SMART Spokesperson Julia Gonzalez told Patch. “To not have freight trains collide with the passenger platform, there is a secondary track and as it approaches the platform, a freight train will move several feet over. That is a gauntlet track.”
During a second partial closure scheduled for April 13-14, the railroad crossing at North McDowell Boulevard in Petaluma will undergo reconstruction, necessitating the closure of North McDowell Boulevard from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. North McDowell Boulevard will be closed from Petaluma Way to Southpoint Boulevard. Additionally, the SMART bicycle and pedestrian pathway will be extended with a new pathway segment connecting Southpoint Blvd to Main Street in Penngrove, creating a continuous 4.25-mile pathway from Petaluma to Penngrove.
The new station in north Petaluma is slated to open for passenger service in December 2024. For more information, visit SMART’s construction update page and subscribe for periodic updates.
Parking
Passengers traveling southbound are encouraged to commence their journey from the Petaluma Downtown station, which offers ample free parking. Free parking facilities are available at the following SMART stations:
Trip Planning
For assistance with trip planning during the partial closure, SMART advised riders to use online services such as the Transit App, Google Maps, or Apple Maps, which integrate transit agency schedules and disruptions.
SMART encourages riders impacted by the shutdown to use Golden Gate Transit Route 101 as an alternative. Route 101 runs the length of the Highway 101 corridor, from Santa Rosa to San Francisco.
Click on the SMART stations below to find Route 101 stops and schedules for each station:
Passengers should note that Golden Gate Transit Route 101 buses have a limited capacity for bicycles and additional luggage. Further, SMART Rail & Sail passes are not accepted on Golden Gate Transit buses.
SMART staff can be reached at Customer Service by dialing 707-794-3330 or email customerservice@sonomamarintrain.org. Maps highlighting alternative transit routes are available online.
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