Tacoma Wins Over $3.5 Million in WSDOT Grants for Safer School Routes and South Tacoma Way Improvements

Tacoma's commitment to safer and more connected streets has resulted in the securing of two grants that promise significant improvements, with an emphasis on pedestrian safety and traffic reduction. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has awarded the City two grants, the Stewart Middle School Safe Routes to School Grant and the South Tacoma Way Vision Zero Project - Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Grant, which collectively amount to over $3.5 million dedicated to enhancing Tacoma's infrastructure for increased safety and community engagement.

According to a report from Tacoma's official news release, the Stewart Middle School Safe Routes to School Grant provides $2.04 million from WSDOT plus an additional $443,000 match from the City of Tacoma, to address SRTS initiatives around Stewart Middle School and this grant will facilitate permanent improvements where currently only temporary safety measures exist, including intersection murals painted by students which represent a collaborative effort between the youth and the city to ensure safer routes for students commuting to and from school. These permanent upgrades, expected to begin construction in 2028, will include features such as safer intersections, a new pedestrian signal, sidewalk connections, traffic calming, and a neighborhood greenway.

In a statement shared by Tacoma Public Schools, Superintendent Josh Garcia stated, “We’re thrilled about this significant investment from the Washington State Department of Transportation, which, combined with the City’s investment, will make critical, permanent safety upgrades around Stewart Middle School.” Council Member Sandesh Sadalge also highlighted the project's importance, saying, “The top neighborhood concern I hear in District 4 is the need for traffic safety investments. This is a major step toward creating safer streets and healthier communities for our youth," as noted by the city's website.

The second initiative, the South Tacoma Way Vision Zero Project, received $1.5 million in funding from WSDOT, which will be directed towards the planning and early design for safety improvements along a stretch of South Tacoma Way the grant also underpinned by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, illuminates the city's dedication to achieving its Vision Zero objective of eliminating fatal and serious crashes by 2035, The project, which spans from Pine Street to South 60th Street, involves extensive community engagement to plan design alternatives and address traffic diversion and with the kickoff scheduled for early 2026, it promises to enhance not only the safety but also the livability of South Tacoma Way, responding to both pedestrian needs and community feedback regarding the neighborhood plan.

Council Member Joe Bushnell and Council Member Jamika Scott, in a co-signed letter of support for this grant, expressed their enthusiasm, with Bushnell adding, “This grant makes a tremendous investment not only for local residents in South Tacoma, but also for the local businesses that are the core of the South Tacoma Way Neighborhood’s cultural vitality. Together, we are creating the livable, walkable city we all want to live in,” as noted by the city's official announcement.