Prince Memorial Greenway

Prince Memorial Greenway is a ½-mile long linear park and creek restoration project within Santa Rosa Creek in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa. Part park and restoration project, the park and trail system incorporate a multi-use trail, bridges, and connectors to provide a vital link between the Santa Rosa business and historic Railroad Square districts.

The once concreted and denuded creek channel was a 1960s Soil Conservation Service Flood Control project, where it was concreted, channelized and stripped of vegetation, making it inhospitable for fish, wildlife, and people.  Restoration included removal of all concrete within the channel bed, recontouring the banks, anchoring felled trees for fish habitat, and planting of trees to recreate the riparian canopy.

Hydraulic engineering of the channel required the design team to maintain the creek’s 100-year flow capacity while adding trails and vegetation to the channel.

Carlile • Macy and the City of Santa Rosa received the American Planning Association Planning Project Award for the planning and design of the Prince Memorial Greenway.

Project Details

Client: City of Santa Rosa
Date: 1997-2003
Location: Downtown Santa Rosa, CA

  • Multi-modal paths for ADA accessibility, bicycles and pedestrian
  • Re-creation of riparian and fish habitat, including naturalized creek bottom
  • Hydraulic and civil engineering to maintain creek 100-year flood capacity while adding path and vegetation to channel
  • Incorporated parks, public sculpture, bridges, and adjoining businesses in overall design

Services Provided

  • Master planning, including facilitating public workshops
  • Lead consultant and project management for consultant team
  • Civil and hydraulic engineering
  • Land surveying, including design survey and right-of-way