New walking path coming to Pierce County. First, 394 trees must come down
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- WSDOT begins constructing a 1.3-mile walking path linking Tillicum and Lakewood.
- The $31.5M project is part of a broader I-5 corridor improvement initiative.
- Crews plan to complete the 14-foot-wide trail by fall 2026 with minimal tree removal.
Work is underway to build a new paved walking path that will connect Tillicum and Lakewood by foot for the first time.
Crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation started construction on the 1.3-mile Gravelly-Thorne Connector on Monday, according to WSDOT. Once complete next fall, people will be able to walk, bike and roll between the cities for the first time. The 14-foot-wide trail will run parallel to southbound Interstate 5.
As a result of the project, 394 trees will be removed, WSDOT spokesperson Doug Adamson told The News Tribune on Tuesday. Adamson said the trees are in the way of the path and that WSDOT tries to remove as few trees as possible when planning projects. About 35% of the trees being removed are classified as dead or in poor condition, WSDOT said.
“This is something that we worked with in concert with the city of Lakewood,” Adamson said. “With it being right next to Sound Transit, this will also benefit the [Amtrak Cascades] train that goes through there as well.”
Funding for the project totals $31.5 million, which will come from the Washington State Legislature’s $495 million fund for the I-5 Mounts Road to Thorne Lane Interchange Corridor Improvements project.
The Gravelly-Thorne Connector project is part of a suite of improvements that adds a new HOV lane on I-5 in both directions between DuPont and Lakewood, according to WSDOT. Construction has begun on building a new Steilacoom-DuPont Road interchange with a shared use path between the city of DuPont and Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s DuPont Gate.
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 5:15 AM.
