D-to-M Street Commuter Rail Bridge Design Workshop
The City of Tacoma will host a bridge design workshop for the D-to-M street commuter rail project on Thursday, July 16th from 5 until 6 p.m. This is the second of two public meetings regarding the proposed rail bridge that will cross Pacific Avenue in south downtown. At the meeting, the project team will present conceptual renderings of the ideas that were discussed during the first meeting.
The D-to-M street project will include a 1.4-mile section of rail corridor connecting the Tacoma Dome Station to the existing rail right-of-way. The new rail line will cross a lowered Pacific Avenue on a railroad bridge, which will give traffic unimpeded access north and south of the rail line. The City Council previously approved a low-profile bridge and the workshop on July 16 is to discuss options and architectural features to enhance the bridge design.
We know that a lot of you have opinions about this project. Well, time is running out so let yourself be heard.
If you are interested in learning more about the proposed bridge or have bridge ideas you would like to share, you are encouraged to attend the workshop. The meeting will be held at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St., Room 708. For more information, contact Chris Larson at (253) 591-5538.
Filed under: Events
4 comments
M michael buchanan July 13, 2009
I attended the first workshop. The three alternative designs are awful. The enhancements are akin to putting lipstick on a pig. Probably worst of all is the berm which will carry the tracks from Freighthouse square. This will effectively sever the Dome District. This will be another case of when it is built everyone will say, how did this happen. It looks to me like this is like trying to stop a freight train. The Council has been intimidated by Sound Transit and we are again getting the short end of the stick. This is a 100 year decision. Sound Transit has no trouble spending massive amounts of money in Seattle on the Link to the airport. We are left with crumbs. I will not vote for another Sound Transit sales tax despite our obvious need for more public transit options.
D Douglas Tooley July 14, 2009
Though technically the Dome District isn’t a mixed use center this planning ‘process’ sets a bad tone for future efforts.
The alternative plan put together with the guidance of Jim Merrit is being totally ignored with this decision was already made stuff.
Evaluate both designs while holding the ST design to the same comp plan, critical areas, and permitting regs you’d hold any project to – and see who wins.
Anything else is just another boomer fraud where everybody who disagrees with you obviously has some sort of problem.
M Michael M July 16, 2009
This project has taken far to long and City and ST have dragged their feet so damn long it’s ridiculous. They should decided on a trench like Reno put through their downtown core.
GET OFF YOUR FAT ASSES TACOMA AND LETS GET ER DONE!
I won’t be able to attend the design meeting but I would like to suggest they have trees along each side of the berm and bridge (if this not already one of the ideas) to help block the views of the tracks.
Severing the Tacoma Dome District? LOL You can still drive down 25th or Puyallup and get to the TDome district.
I too, will not vote for any ST projects again due to the politics, slow moving staff/engineers etc.
And then I hear ST’s last measure on the ballot is going to give Tacoma monies for street cars? Is this true? They sure didn’t let us know that did they…
We have infrasture problems in this town, they can’t fix the streets, our sidewalks are crumbling or non existent, not ADA compliant. They can’t even fix a street TWO years after it’s been dug up (Pine St going south from South Tacoma Way).
I will vote NO for property tax increase of 180 million they are talking about. We can give millions to bribe a business to stay in Tacoma, yet we don’t have monies to fix our streets.
M michael buchanan July 16, 2009
of couse you can drive parallel to the tracks on 25th or Puyallup the trick will be going north/south.