Traffic Q&A: Tacoma commuter rail bridge will improve, officials say
ROB CARSON
Question: I’m writing about the new commuter railroad bridge across Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. I can’t believe they spent so much money on something so ugly.
This is supposed to be the new gateway to Tacoma? Give me a break. It looks like any old elevated railroad crossing in the Midwest. – Dean, Fox Island
Answer: Folks at Sound Transit say you’re not yet seeing the bridge at its best.
“The bridge work is not complete,” says Sound Transit spokeswoman Kimberly Reason. “There are more components yet to be installed.”
For example, those battleship-gray sides? They’ll be painted blue. Railings and landscaping will be added, as well as an “art project” that is yet to be announced.
“Any assessment of the bridge’s final appearance while construction is under way is premature,” Reason said.
The $162 million project is scheduled for completion late this year. Meantime, if you’d like to see an artist’s conception of how the bridge is going to look, check out Sound Transit’s projects website (
projects.soundtransit.org). Look for the “D-to-M Street” project and find the before-and-after pictures – particularly the ones looking north up Pacific Avenue.
Have a question about traffic? Send it to traffic@thenewstribune.com.
We’ll answer as many questions as we can.
Rob Carson: 253-597-8693
rob.carson@thenewstribune.com
