Pacific Avenue Rain Gardens Combine Function and Beauty

Water defines the northwest. It sustains recreation and natural spaces. Yet, rain runs off streets, parking lots and buildings picking up pollutants along the way. A heavily used environment, such as Tacoma’s downtown lying directly above the Thea Foss Waterway, intensifies these issues. City staff began to search for a solution that would not only protect Puget Sound, but enhance downtown. Now, 11 months after construction began, the City has 14 rain gardens intercepting and filtering storm water along Pacific Avenue. 

“The rain gardens draw on natural systems to filter out pollutants,” said Lorna Mauren, environmental services surface water manager. “This project and other activities are having a positive impact on stormwater quality. People can personally see how that change is happening in this project.” 

Thanks to the Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project, which reached substantial completion today, storm water now enters the rain gardens through curb cuts at street level and seeps its way through filtering layers of plants, soil, compost and gravel until it enters a drain pipe. Once slowed and filtered, the water enters storm system pipes, which ultimately flow to the Thea Foss Waterway and Puget Sound. 

Aesthetics are an important element to the rain gardens too. On Monday, artist Elizabeth Conner placed 16 public art sculptures in the gardens where, when raining, they will create engaging water ripples. The gardens also feature 114 decorative green tiles, reused granite street curbs and trees and plants designed to withstand urban, drought and flood condition.  

The project’s storm water elements also include about 930 feet of storm piping, 30 catch basins , 1,660 cubic yards of permeable topsoil and compost and 5,200 plants and trees. The Pacific Avenue Streetscape project further includes wayfinding, pedestrian, lighting and landscape improvements. Visit the project page to learn more, including details for kicking off the holiday season and viewing the completed project in person at the “Pac the Ave” celebration from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7th on Pacific Avenue at 8th Street.