Changes are coming to this popular Tacoma waterfront park. Here’s what’s on the table
Editor’s note: This article previously reported the wrong day for the workshop. The article was updated on Aug. 2 at 11:05 a.m. to report the correct day.
On Sunday, people have a chance to discuss the newest steps in a years-in-the-making vision for Tacoma’s Titlow Park.
In 2010, Metro Parks worked with partners to develop the Titlow Park Master Plan, outlining potential improvements for the 75-acre waterfront park. On Aug. 6, the district will host a community workshop at Titlow Lodge from 1-3 p.m. to highlight proposed projects guided by the plan.
At the workshop, people can learn about three upcoming projects: restoring the park’s lagoon and trestle, replacing the Hidden Beach bridge and improving stormwater management. The projects are early in the planning process, allowing the public to shape the path forward with their questions and feedback, said Kristi Evans, Metro Parks program manager for community and neighborhood parks.
“If we can create something together, that makes the whole ecosystem work much better for the community,” said Evans, noting Metro Parks’ partnerships with the City of Tacoma and South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group that have informed the process thus far.
The proposed lagoon restoration – which received a $990,000 state Commerce grant for its design – seeks to restore fish habitat and improve fish passage for migrating salmon by deepening the lagoon and replacing a culvert and tidal gate with a new railway trestle bridge. People can provide feedback on two different proposals for the restoration which will be used to create a final design. Metro Parks will also lead a tour of the lagoon following the workshop.
The Hidden Beach bridge project – which received a $339,500 Washington State Department of Transportation grant for its design – would replace the current bridge, which is no longer structurally sound or up to BNSF standards, with a prefabricated steel truss bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists. The proposal includes plans to widen and reroute the path to North Beach to be ADA-compliant.
Stormwater management improvements, which include adding bioswales to 6th Avenue to improve stormwater drainage, are overseen by the City of Tacoma. Evans said Metro Parks has coordinated carefully with the city to help create a smooth planning process.
“They’re integrating with our designs, and we integrate with what they’re proposing, too, so it all works together,” she said.
Because the lagoon restoration and bridge replacement projects are still in their early phases, Metro Parks has not yet identified their costs or secured funding for construction, Evans said. Until then, Metro Parks will work with project managers at Parametrix, Inc. to incorporate feedback from the Aug. 6 meeting into their designs.
Those interested in learning more about the upcoming workshop can visit Metro Parks’ website. Metro Parks will publish a web-based survey following the workshop for those who cannot attend.
This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
