Washingtoner - City of Tacoma Secures Over .6 Million in Grants for Critical Infrastructure Projects

Trending...

~ Tacoma, Washington - The City of Tacoma has recently announced that it has secured over $10.6 million in grants for six critical infrastructure projects. These projects aim to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility for individuals with disabilities, and overall transportation in the city.

The grants, awarded by the Puget Sound Regional Council, Transportation Improvement Board, and Washington State Department of Transportation, will support the City's Vision Zero Action Plan goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2035.

Mayor Victoria Woodards expressed her excitement about the news, stating that these grants will enable the city to make significant progress towards its transportation goals. "We are committed to investing in infrastructure that supports our community's needs and priorities," she said. "These grants will create a safer, more accessible, and more livable city for all residents."

The funded projects include improvements to the Puyallup Avenue corridor with pedestrian access to Fife. This project will reconstruct Puyallup Avenue with complete street elements such as sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, signals, lighting, landscaping, bus stops, and upgraded utilities. It will also add a shared HOV/transit lane and bike lanes to provide pedestrian access from Fife to Tacoma.

More on Washingtoner

Another project is the 6th Avenue and Tacoma Avenue Pavement Preservation which aims to improve pavement conditions and pedestrian accessibility on 6th Avenue from South Yakima Avenue to St. Helens Avenue and on Tacoma Avenue South from South 5th Street to South 7th Street.

The City also plans to develop a loop road in the Tacoma Mall Neighborhood as part of its Active Transportation Plan. This loop road will enhance pedestrian and bicycle connections in the area.

In addition to these projects, there will be improvements made at the intersection of South 11th Street and South Sprague Avenue to enhance pedestrian safety. This includes constructing ADA-accessible curb ramps, accessible pedestrian signals, leading pedestrian intervals, high-visibility crosswalk markings, and upgraded signal heads.

The East Roosevelt Avenue Arterial Improvements project will reconstruct or overlay pavement from East 38th Street to East Sherman Street and close sidewalk gaps. This project also aims to improve pedestrian safety by constructing missing link sidewalks and supporting Safe Routes to School.

More on Washingtoner

Lastly, the South 56th Street Crossing Improvements project will enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety at the intersection of A Street and South 56th Street. This is a step towards the City's vision for a traffic-calmed neighborhood greenway on A Street that will provide an alternative for pedestrian and bicycle travel parallel to Pacific Avenue.

The City will provide an estimated $3.7 million in matching funds, as required by the agreements, unlocking a total of $10.6 million in grant funding. These matching funds will primarily come from Streets Initiative I revenue sources approved by voters in 2015. Combined with state and federal funds, this brings the total investment in the City's transportation system to $14.3 million.

Updates on the progress of these projects can be found on the City's website at cityoftacoma.org/capitalprojects. The City is committed to keeping residents informed as these projects move forward.

This is yet another example of the City's strategic use of local dollars to leverage significant outside funding for important infrastructure projects. With these grants, Tacoma is taking steps towards creating a safer and more accessible city for all its residents.

Filed Under: Government, City

0 Comments

Latest on Washingtoner

_catLbl0 _catLbl1