Dangerous roads and intersections in Pierce County

This list of articles highlights dangerous roads and intersections in Pierce County, concentrating on safety issues and proposed solutions.

In Gig Harbor, visitors express anxiety about accessing the Haven of Rest cemetery due to its perilous entrance on state Route 16. A lack of an on-ramp forces drivers to merge quickly with fast-moving traffic.

In Tacoma, a section of Interstate 5 is deemed the deadliest in the state, with fatal crashes highlighting persistent dangers. On the Tacoma Tideflats, a lawsuit alleged that a known hazardous intersection led to a fatal crash.

Meanwhile, a Puyallup neighborhood demands safety measures after what residents describe as persistent traffic issues.

NO. 1: THESE ARE TACOMA’S FIVE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS, ACCORDING TO LOCAL LAW INJURY ATTORNEYS

Ladenburg Law Injury Attorneys reviewed WSDOT crash data between 2017 and 2021, and created a list of the most dangerous roads in Tacoma. | Published October 25, 2023 | Read Full Story by Rosemary Montalvo

Drivers say it’s difficult and unsafe to merge onto SR-16 from Haven of Rest cemetery, on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Gig Harbor, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 2: DRIVING TO THIS PIERCE COUNTY CEMETERY, SOME FEAR THEY’LL HAVE THEIR OWN BRUSH WITH DEATH

Some say the stress of accessing the cemetery, right off a busy highway, deters them from visiting loved ones’ graves. | Published January 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

The site of a memorial for a July 16 car crash that left six people dead at WA-509 and Alexander Ave E., as shown on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Tacoma, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 3: TACOMA TIDEFLATS CRASH THAT KILLED 6 PROMPTS LAWSUIT THAT WARNINGS WENT IGNORED

The mother of one of the victims has sued over alleged inaction to address a dangerous intersection. | Published June 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shea Johnson

NO. 4: TACOMA HAS WA’S DEADLIEST 10-MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY, REPORT SAYS. WHERE IS IT?

The Tacoma area has the deadliest 10-mile stretch of highway in Washington, according to a new report. | Published October 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sara Schilling

Residents say that a residential section near 5th St NW & W Main Ave has become dangerous as cars use it as a cut though to avoid backups, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Puyallup, Wash. By Brian Hayes

NO. 5: TRAGEDY HIT A DANGEROUS PUYALLUP STREET. NEIGHBORS PUSH TRAFFIC-SAFETY CHANGES

Traffic wasn’t a problem when Greg McGough moved into his Puyallup neighborhood in 2021. | Published October 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alexis Krell

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.