Santa Rosa staff recommend concrete swales, utility upgrades for Pearson Street; residents press for sidewalks

City of Santa Rosa staff outlined an interim reconstruction plan for Pearson Street that would replace aging water and sewer mains, repave the roadway and install 6-foot concrete swales that the city says can double as walkways.

Greg, a City staff member, said the project would upgrade an existing 6-inch water main to an 8-inch main and replace service lines from the new main to each property meter, and would add two fire hydrants. He said the sewer would likewise be upgraded from 6 inches to 8 inches and three roadway manholes would be replaced. "We will upgrade the 6 inch water to an 8 inch," Greg said.

The staff-recommended layout, described as Concept C, keeps two 10-foot travel lanes and places 6-foot concrete swales on both sides of the street; within the swales the city proposes a 4-foot usable walking surface with a 2% cross slope to meet ADA access. Greg said Concept C "stays within the 10,000 square feet of disturbance, so low impact development is not triggered," and that the city currently has funding to deliver that option with construction planned to begin in summer 2026. He presented a timeline…