Homeless camp under I-5 bridge in Tacoma to be cleared to make way for project
A large encampment on Bay Street beneath Interstate 5 in Tacoma near the Emerald Queen Casino will soon be cleared.
Notices the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said were posted at the site Tuesday gave people at the encampment 72 hours to move elsewhere.
The City of Tacoma’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) will be on site to offer alternative shelter and supportive services. Temporary storage for belongings will be offered.
“The City has identified shelter space at the City’s warming centers and capacity at the Tacoma Rescue Mission overflow shelter at Holy Rosary School,” city spokesperson Megan Snow said in an email.
Snow said the city is assessing the number of individuals at the location but did not have an immediate count to share. The News Tribune viewed more than a dozen tents at the site.
Homeless service providers told The News Tribune that there were more than 40 people staying at the site in October.
The move is needed because the state Department of Transportation, which owns the property, said contractor crews are preparing for electrical work and security fencing near the southbound I-5 exit to Bay Street in early February, said WSDOT spokesperson Stefanie Randolph.
“Once the area is safe for construction workers, Valley Electric will install conduit, junction boxes and a new pole foundation; they’ll also pull electrical wire between junction boxes and other work in the area,” Randolph said in an email.
Various construction vehicles and workers with equipment will be traveling in and out of the area.
“This work is integral to the opening of the HOV lanes on Interstate 5 later on in 2021, and this will be an active work area,” Randolph said.
WSDOT works with the City of Tacoma in responding to homelessness by prioritizing sites, ensuring social services outreach is provided to people and coordinating after encampments are dismantled to discourage them from reforming.
“It’s critical to also acknowledge the human element to this complex issue, as a lack of coordination would mean shifting people and families living homeless during a pandemic unnecessarily,” Randolph said.
Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards told members of the Tacoma-Pierce County Homeless Coalition on Monday that the camp would be cleared.
City officials say they are following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, which recommend not dispersing already congregated encampments. Cleanups on private property are still happening, as are cleanups at camps that pose a “significant public health risks.”
News Tribune video journalist Drew Perine contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 5:10 AM.
