The Real Exit 133 - What Do You Think?

Received via email from Mike in Tacoma:

I think it is time to discuss exit 133, the actual I-5 interchange. In the five years that we have been living here we have enjoyed the renaissance that this city has been experiencing and have not regretted our choice to move here. However, we have been seeing some troubling trends in the area around exit 133. Obviously, the exit to 705/ downtown is the showcase entryway into (and out of) our city. The exit and immediate areas help form the first impression that visitors will take home with them after visiting our area. Lately it seems that the homeless and graffiti problem has worsened around the interchange. This is causing concern on several levels.

First is the condition that these unfortunate people are living in. Under the Pacific Ave bridge are what often appear to be several individuals in sleeping bags. Scattered around the area people have set up campsites with tents and makeshift tarps. I have heard that church groups have food donation events in the area to help feed these people but is the city or are other organizations helping to get there people into shelters/ assistance programs? The interchange was not designed for human habitation and the current state of affairs presents significant safety concerns. More than once I have been startled by a homeless person about to run across an on/off ramp that has a limited line of sight for drivers. My wife narrowly avoided an accident along 705 when someone jumped over a wall to cross the freeway. Last weekend a man was killed while trying to cross I-5 near the Dome. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed.

Along with the deplorable conditions that these people are living in comes the unsightly effect on the area. Granted, the focus should be on helping these people get out of the situation they are in. Joblessness, lack of mental health care and substance abuse are some of the problems preventing them from becoming productive members of society.  But one cannot deny that graffiti, destruction of landscaping, trash and unsightly campsites affects our city as a whole.

Why the sudden increase in homeless in the area of exit 133? Is I-5 construction causing the homeless to “relocate”? Is the homeless problem in Tacoma just becoming more visible? Does/ will the Winthrop issue factor into the problem? Your thoughts?

Thoughts?