Link to Remain Fare Free

This past Thursday, the Sound Transit Board voted unanimously to defer the implementation of per- ride fees for the Tacoma Link.  The postponement of fee collection was made possible through a $29,000 annual donation made by the Tacoma Business Improvement Area.  In order to keep customer foot traffic and business patronage in the downtown area high, the BIA has offered this donation to offset Sound Transit’s projected lost net revenues for the year. 

Without the BIA’s donation, the transit agency would have begun charging $1 per adult ride on the Link to offset the cost of running the 1.5 mile line.  Both Mayor Marilyn Strickland and the BIA believe the implementation of a per-ride fee makes more sense once the planned Link expansion in the Hilltop and Stadium districts is complete (estimated for a 2022 completion).  The current arrangement will allow hundreds of thousands people to continue riding the Link for free in the foreseeable future.

For additional information, visit the Tacoma News Tribune here, view the Sound Transit's press release here, or read the Business Examiner's coverage here.

Keeping Link Fare Free (for now)

Without getting into too many details, Sound Transit is considering allowing the Downtown Tacoma BIA an opportunity to continue annual payments to keep the Link free until the extension is complete.  (Details if you really want them.)  This will avoid a potentially significant drop in ridership that would impact all of downtown.

Under previous agreements, a fare of $1.50 per ride is planned for implementation later this fall.  Should no adjustments be made, Sound Transit's projections suggest an approximate 25 percent drop in ridership.  Meanwhile, Atlanta began charging for its similarly sized downtown system in January and has seen an average 48 percent drop in ridership during the first quarter (link: Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

Can you imagine how much downtown Tacoma would change if somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000 trips were by car instead?  Or what if those trips never happened at all?  Would you still head down the street for lunch at Indochine or Savor? Would someone attending a concert at the Tacoma Dome still decide to stay at the Marriott or Murano?  Both history and projections say that hundreds of thousands of people will say "no."

Once the extension of the Link is complete it will look and feel more like a standard transit line having more than doubled its length and connecting multiple neighborhoods.  Unfortunately, some people feel the Link should be charged for now in part specifically to reduce the number of riders (link: The News Tribune ).

Celebrate Spring and Downtown with the Walk Tacoma 2016 Kickoff

Following the success of the 2015 Walk Tacoma series, this year’s walking series of downtown Tacoma is scheduled to begin on National Walking Day, April 6^th, 2016 at noon on the south side of Wright Park.

Starting with a 1.7 mile historical walking tour of Tacoma’s Historic Schools, the seven-event series aims to provide an easy and active way for Tacoma residents to enjoy downtown Tacoma on foot. With events scheduled at noon and just after five p.m., the 1.5 to 2.0 mile walks provide the perfect opportunity for downtown students, workers, and residents to take a break during or after work and explore new walking routes and attractions with a guided tour.

This year’s themes for the free walking tour series include a Theatre Walk, a Cultural History Walk, a Museum Walk, a Scavenger Hunt, and more.  For a complete list of themes, times, and locations, click here.

You'll Like Tacoma

I have spent roughly the last four years of my life in Downtown Tacoma. Previous to that, I had only driven by Tacoma on my way to other places and was told that Tacoma is not where I wanted to be. As I have come to find, those sentiments were completely false. Tacoma is exactly where I want to spend the rest of my life. I don’t know about all the other Tacoma transplants but I fell in love immediately and claimed Tacoma as my home. 

As someone who grew up in an unincorporated town, I never really had a city to call my own. Without ever moving, my address changed four times due to re-configuring of city lines - I was in no man’s land.  On top of that, the developing suburbs popping up don’t offer the community that I have come to find in Tacoma. There is not an art community.  There are no museums.  There is no night life or wonderful Barre classes to enjoy on Sunday mornings. Coffee is limited to Starbucks and there is seriously only one grocery store. Rather than limited choices and opportunities, Tacoma is full of life and vibrancy.  

You can feel it in the air that Tacoma is the place to be, this is the time that you want to invest and put roots down in the City of Destiny. Tacoma is about to launch into another golden era. 

As our art community grows, as our population diversifies, and as the housing market explodes, Tacoma is sure to become one of the best cities in the country to live in. Whether you are out on your own, happily married, in the middle of growing your family, or entering retirement, our city has so much to offer. We are reaching new medical hub heights, our transportation system is set to expand greatly, and graduation rates are rising. 

While all of this may sound lofty and like a daydream because of the glacial pace that the city is moving, I believe Tacoma will be the next big thing because they are trying to be very intentional on how Tacoma grows. Tacoma cannot just grow for growth sake, it needs to be well thought out and managed otherwise we will be running into problems of the past. Tacoma is ready to launch and I am so honored that I get to be a part of it. 

Rare daytime ramp closures scheduled amongst usual night closures in Tacoma

Many commuters have been aware of the congestion and construction that has been taking place on I-5 through Tacoma and Fife. The Washington State Department of Transportation did a press release last week to address some of the closures that will be occurring this week that are out of the ordinary. Some of these closures will be occurring during the day and at regular commuting times. While this is may be inconvenient, this could also be the perfect opportunity to try out an alternative transportation option. Due to the daytime closures, it would be the ideal time to try out bus lines or take the sounder to get to work. If these options are not available it is advised to change your usual route.

Posted below is the official Washington State Department of Transportation Press Release: 

Washington State Department of Transportation 

Olympic Region – PO Box 47440 – Olympia, WA 98504-7440 – 360-357-2600

TRAFFIC ADVISORY                                                                                                               

March 11, 2016

Contact: Doug Adamson, WSDOT communications, 360-357-2716

                 

TACOMA – Work on adjoining Interstate 5 HOV projects in Tacoma and Fife will require a series of normal night lane and ramp closures during the week of Monday, March 14. In addition, rare daytime ramp closures will occur, weather permitting, in the latter half of the week and over the weekend. Detours will be posted for all ramp closures.

Lane closures:

·         Northbound I-5 between L Street and Puyallup River Bridge will be reduced to a single lane during overnight hours Monday and Tuesday, March 14-15. Single, double and triple-lane closures will begin at 9 p.m., 11 p.m. and 12:01 a.m. respectively. Two lanes will reopen by 4 a.m., with all lanes opening by 5 a.m. each following morning.

·         Northbound I-5 between L Street and Puyallup River Bridge will also be reduced to a single lane during overnight hours Friday, March 18. Single, double and triple-lane closures will begin at 11 p.m. and 12:01 a.m. Two lanes will reopen by 5 a.m., with all lanes opening by 7 a.m. the following morning.

Drivers can also anticipate additional night single- and double-lane closures on both northbound and southbound I-5 between L Street and the Port of Tacoma Road throughout the week.

Ramp closures

Monday, March 14

• Bay Street/East 28th Street on-ramp to northbound State Route 167 (River Road) will close from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.
• Southbound I-5 exit to State Route 7 will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound SR 7 exit to northbound Interstate 705 will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound I-5 exits to 20th Street East and Port of Tacoma Road (Exits #136 A and B) will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.

Tuesday, March 15

• Bay Street/East 28th Street on-ramp to northbound SR 167 will close from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.
• Southbound I-5 exit to SR 7 will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound SR 7 exit to northbound I-705 will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound I-5 exits to 20th Street East and Port of Tacoma Road (Exits #136 A and B) will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.

Wednesday, March 16

• Bay Street/East 28th Street on-ramp to northbound SR 167 will close from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.
• Southbound I-705 on-ramps to northbound I-5 and southbound SR 7 will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.

Thursday, March 17 (NOTE UNUSUAL DAYTIME RAMP CLOSURE)

• Northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to southbound SR 7 will close at 10 a.m. The ramp will remain closed around the clock through 9 a.m. Saturday, March 19.
• Bay Street/East 28th Street on-ramp to northbound SR 167 will close from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.
• Northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to northbound I-705 will close from 11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.

Friday, March 18

• Northbound I-5 exits to 20th Street East and Port of Tacoma Road (Exits #136 A and B) will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning.

NOTE UNUSUAL WEEKEND CLOSURE:

Northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to northbound I-705 will close around the clock from 11 p.m. Friday, March 19, to 5 a.m. Monday, March 21. (This closure is weather-dependent and could be rescheduled.)

Saturday, March 19

• Northbound I-5 collector/distributor exit to southbound SR 7 will close from 11 p.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, March 20.

Stay informed

Drivers can stay informed about lane and ramp closure information on Tacomatraffic.com and the Olympic Region Weekly Construction and Traffic Updates web pages. Real-time information is available at the Tacoma traffic and cameras web page and WSDOT on Twitter.

Hyperlinks within the release:

• Project web pages: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/MStToPortland/   

www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/PortlandToPortNB/

• Tacomatraffic.com web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/pugetsound/tacoma.htm
• Olympic Region Weekly Construction and Traffic Updates web page:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Olympic/Construction/#pierce

• Tacoma traffic and cameras
• WSDOT on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wsdot_tacoma

###

WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 511.

Lace Up!

Record rain isn't going to stop Tacoma from their eighth annual St. Paddy's Day Run! This run is friendly for all skill levels that range from a 5K all the way to a half marathon option. 

The race will be held March 12, 2016 and begins at 8:00am 

Registration ends Tuesday March 8th at Midnight and there will be no day of registrations so be sure to register here

The Forum will be hosting the post race party with Bud Light Specials and live music! 

For those with children there will be a kid friendly 1K race after the awards ceremony where parents can cheer on their little ones. 

Tacoma Bike Share Open House

The City of Tacoma is hosting a public open house on February 25th to discuss the prospects of introducing a public bike share system to Tacoma. The City launched an investigative study to explore the viability of bringing a bike share program to Tacoma. The bike share program would be put in place to increase the use of bikes for short-range travel, decrease the use of single occupancy vehicles traveling to Tacoma, and shift to more sustainable transpiration options. 

The open house will teach those who are interested in the types of bike share systems that will work for Tacoma. There will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on the viability, station locations, and the types of technology being proposed. 

The public open house will be held on February 25th, 5:00-7:00pm at 

The Evergreen State College in the Main Hall. 

For additional information you can contact 

Diane Wiatr at dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org or at 253-591-5380.

Read more on the City's work and plans on the bike share program here.

Rad more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/politics-government/article26287957.html#storylink=cpy

I-5 Ramp and Lane Closures taking place February 1st-7th

Take caution this week if you plan on taking I-5 in the evening or early morning during this week's commute. As crews are continuing to improve the interstate around the Tacoma Port and Fife, drivers can now expect an increase in lane and ramp closures. 

The Department of Transportation as reported the following for this week (02/01-07/2016): 

Monday, February 1st:
The on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound state Route 167 will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday, February 2nd:
The exit from southbound I-5 to southbound state Route 7 will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Also, the on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound SR 167 will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Wednesday, February 3rd:
The exit from southbound I-5 to southbound SR 7 will close at 11 a.m. and reopen at 6 a.m. Thursday. Also, the on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound SR 167 will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. Thursday.

Thursday, February 4th:
The on-ramp from South 38th Street to northbound SR 7 will close at 11 p.m. and reopen at 6 a.m. Friday. Also, the on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound SR 167 will close at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. Friday.

Friday, February 5th:
The on-ramp from South 38th Street to northbound SR 7 will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. Also, the on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound I-5 will close from 11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday. The on-ramp from East 28th Street to northbound SR 167 will close at 11 p.m. and not reopen until 7 a.m. Saturday.

In addition, the northbound collector-distributor lanes from I-5 to northbound Interstate 705 will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Feb. 8.

Lastly, the northbound I-5 collector-distributor exit to southbound SR 7 will be closed from 3 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday and from 11 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/traffic/article57613438.html#storylink=cpy

A New Location for the Old Spaghetti Factory

Walking into the new Old Spaghetti Factory on Pacific Avenue is just how their management describes it, with such an eye for detail it feels as though you are "stepping into another world." It doesn't matter if you are walking in from the bar entrance or the main dining area, you are immediately surrounded by beautiful rich colors. large area rugs, Victorian inspired lighting, and of course the historical dining trolley.

The Old Spaghetti Factory can now be found in their new home at 1250 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA 98402. People trying to get to their old location will find that it is currently fenced off and the University of Washington Tacoma has already begun construction for their new Urban Solutions Center.

The staff was extremely kind as I interrupted their morning setup before opening for the lunch rush. They welcomed me in, gave me a quick tour, and allowed me to snap some photos. I look forward to coming back during their operating hours to grab a tasty bite to eat with family and friends.

Check out their new website here. 

A Facelift for Freighthouse Square

After two years of strenuous conversations over the location of the new Tacoma Amtrak station, the Washington State Department of Transportation is happy to announce that the new location will be located at the historic Freighthouse Square. 

The new station and construction will be necessary because passenger trains will now be using new routes starting in 2017. Instead of the existing station on Puyallup Ave, the new location with be at the to-be renovated Freighthouse Square. The new location will cut eight minutes off travel time for those going to and from the Seattle-Portland stations and will relieve congestion on the waterfront line. Along with these improvements, Amtrak will be increasing the number of passenger trains traveling from Seattle to Portland from five daily trips to seven in 2017. The Washington State Department of Transportation are putting the final touches on the plans and will be advertising for bids in February and are hoping that construction will begin mid-spring. 

So far the plans for Freighthouse square include the middle portion of the building to be demolished and replaced with the new station, on the original footprint. Currently WSDOT is still negotiating details and selling price with the building’s owner, Brian Borgelt. While the process has been rather long and drawn out, Borgelt is hopeful that everything will be settled soon. 

One thing that comes to mind when talking about Freighthouse is all the small business located within the building. Borgelt has made it one of his goals to keep the businesses in the non-demolition location open and viable for business. The businesses located within the breakdown sight have already been moved out in preparation. 

For more information click here.

University Y One Year Later

One year ago on January 4th, the University of Washington Tacoma and the YMCA opened a student center unlike any in the country. The University-Y Student Center is so much more than the run of the mill student center. First off, one thing that is very unique about this facility is that it is open to not only students but to the public and regular YMCA members as well. As of today the University Y has 4,406 members, with roughly 80% of membership being represented by the UW Tacoma student population. 

People from all walks of life are able to come together under one roof to workout, play volleyball, come to an event, or be introduced to a college setting for the first time in their lives. 

For the students, this is a place to have fun, workout, build relationships, start a club, or go to work. UW Tacoma has all of their clubs housed at the student center along with programs from student involvement and student government. In the Student Center you can find the Associated Students of the University of Washington Tacoma, Student Activities Board, and others. All of these resources are provided for students and open for all students to join or apply to. The University Y is also proud to offer students a reflection room, where any member can come and take time out of their day for quiet reflection, prayer, or meditation. 

The University and the YMCA are big supporters of giving back to the community and are proud to offer services such as the Juvenile Justice Program, clothing and toy drives, health awareness months, and supporting shelters and soup kitchens in the Tacoma area. 

Some of the exciting things that are going on this month at the Y are that they are having their January promotion that waives their joining fee until January 18th, intramural registration is open January 4-18th, and the New Year will bring the new Jillian Michael’s BODYSHRED classes that are sure to ramp up your workout routine.

To find out more on their website here.