402 Tacoma 1019 Pacific Avenue, Avenue S., Suite Suite 1216 200 PO Box 1303, TACOMA, WA TACOMA, 98402 WA 98401 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013
Vol. CXXIII, No. 235
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
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LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com
Walking the length of downtown Tacoma's PaciďŹ c Avenue Streetscape Project
Photos By Todd Matthews, Editor On Saturday afternoon, City of Tacoma, Business Improvement Area and Downtown Merchants Group officials will invite the public to downtown Tacoma to celebrate substantial completion of the $10.2 million, 10-block Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project. The major infrastructure upgrade project, which stretches the entire Pacific Avenue right of way from
South 7th Street to South 17th Street, includes beautification and innovative storm water improvements that aim to help revitalize and reinvigorate the downtown core in order to provide business investment opportunities, and enhance livability, according to City of Tacoma officials. Among the brand-new amenities visitors will notice: sidewalks, street lighting, paving, shared roadway bicycle markings (sharrows), wayfinding signage, and 14 rain gardens that intercept and filter storm water along Pacific Avenue. A notable feature of the rain gardens is 16 public art sculptures by Elizabeth Conner. When rain falls, the sculptures will create engaging water ripples. The rain gardens also feature more than 100 decorative green tiles, reused granite street curbs, and trees and plants designed to withstand urban, drought, and flood conditions. The project's storm water elements include approximately 930 feet of storm piping, 30 catch basins, 1,660 cubic yards of permeable topsoil and compost, and 5,200 plants and trees.
Officials held a ground-breaking ceremony in early-November to mark the beginning of the project's first phase. A few final project elements, such as road striping and the installation of bike racks, benches, and a few remaining sidewalk public art pieces, will be competed next month, after the holidays. On Thursday, the Tacoma Daily Index walked the length of the project and photographed some of the new features downtown visitors will encounter.