Tacoma residents, brace yourselves for a bit of construction-induced inconvenience starting soon. The city has announced that South 21st Street, nestled between Jefferson and Pacific avenues, will be shutting down for a period of six to eight weeks beginning approximately March 26, to make way for the next phase in the Prairie Line Trail Project. This slice of urban transformation is part of Tacoma's broader commitment to enhancing its active transportation network, which expertly aims to connect the waterfront with the city's pulsating downtown core by means of trails both city and regional.
As detailed on the City of Tacoma's website, the work scope for this trail-blazing endeavor includes a buffet of infrastructure improvements: trail construction, updates to the sanitary sewer system, new concrete pavement installation, and even road reconstruction. The adjacent Interstate 705/State Route 509 interchange near Pacific Avenue will continue to embrace the rush and rustle of traffic. However, drivers fixated on a westward path will find themselves ushered along a detour, either north or south, once they hit Pacific Avenue.
But it's not all reroutes and roadblocks. Dolly Roberson Loop Road, the private road that lies north of South 21st Street, will remain a bastion of accessibility throughout the construction phase. The city advises that motorists keep their eyes peeled for the posted detour signs which will efficiently shepherd traffic towards South 15th Street or down south to South 25th Street, minimizing the tumult typically brought on by such undertakings.
Curious or concerned citizens craving updates on this project’s progress have options aplenty. Real-time updates will take digital form on the city’s website, with specific project details available at cityoftacoma.org/capital-projects/PLT2.
