Prairie Line Trail Update

The Prairie Line Trail will connect the south end of downtown to the Foss Waterway, as a multi-modal corridor, with resting places, green space, artwork, and historic content. The trail is being developed in part by the University of Washington Tacoma and in part by the City of Tacoma. For more information on the trail's redevelopment click here. To take a look at some of the design through the UWT portion click here.

City Council met on Tuesday to discuss property donations and exhange agreements with BNSF Railway. The city will recieve 20-foot strips of land from S. 26th to 25th St., 23rd to 21st, and Pacific to 15th. This falls under a donations agreement, which also includes 80-foot right of way width from S. 25th to 23rd and at street intersections.

The exchange agreement shares that the city will obtain easements from BNSF allowing for the crossing of the rail line at 15th St. for furture widening of the I-705 overpass, and BNSF agrees to allow construction of a future pedestrian overpass near E. 23rd St. right of way. All of this is in exhange for the city vacating a portion of A St. for permanent closure of railroad crossing; a connection that has already been barricaded for sometime.

The council hopes to have resolutions transactions approved by early march, with a closing date approximately 90 days after approval.

For more information on the terms and visuals of these agreements see the City Council's January 29th Study Session for the handouts.