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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2014
Vol. CXXIII, No. 136
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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Tacoma's East 11th Street Bridge will close Friday Posted online Tues., July 15 File Photo By Todd Matthews, Editor City of Tacoma officials citing safety concerns announced Tuesday they plan to close the 103-year-old East 11th Street Bridge (pictured) spanning the Puyallup River on Fri., July 18. The bridge will remain closed indefinitely to all vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. “This is going to inconvenience some drivers, but our top priority is to keep people safe,” said Tacoma Public Works Director Kurtis Kingsolver earlier this month. “I wish we could say it was going be shortterm, but that’s not known and bridge infrastructure costs are difficult for many local communities, not just Tacoma, to absorb.” Kingsolver added deterioration to joints, beams, and trusses on the 103-year-old bridge warranted the bridge closure in the interest of public safety. The City of Tacoma took ownership of the bridge from the Washington State Department of Transportation in 1995. A previous 10-ton weight limit went into effect in 2005. However, about 2,000 vehicles per day have continued to use the bridge. Drivers may use one of four other Tacoma-area Puyallup River bridge
crossings, though similar issues triggered weight restrictions on the Puyallup Avenue area bridge earlier this year. Long-term, the bridge and viaduct’s replacement would cost an estimated $40 million with a demolition alternative estimated at $10 million, according to Kingsolver. The East 11th Street Bridge is one of several local bridges that needs or has undergone rehabilitation work. The City is currently accepting bids on a project to rehabilitate the Tacoma Avenue South Bridge. In May,
City officials cited safety concerns when they reduced maximum vehicle weight restrictions from 18 tons to 10 tons on the 87-year-old Puyallup River Bridge linking Tacoma to Pacific Highway in Fife; the City previously reduced load limits on the bridge five years ago. The 101-year-old Murray Morgan Bridge re-opened to vehicles and pedestrians last year following a $57 million rehabilitation project. Finally, in May 2012, the Hylebos Bridge spanning Blair Waterway on East 11th Street near the Port of Tacoma tide flats re-opened after a failed drive shaft left the double-bascule bridge platforms upright for more than a decade.
City Budget: Web site, community meetings aim to engage Tacoma residents Posted online Mon., July 14 The City of Tacoma has launched a Web site to provide information on how its budget is structured, offer updates on the 2015-2016 Biennial Budget development process, and share ways for Tacoma residents to engage with the City online throughout the process — including a survey and a tool that enables visitors to create, visualize and submit different budget scenarios. The new Web site is online at budget.cityoftacoma.org. As the City of Tacoma develops its 2015-2016 Biennial Budget, members of the community are invited to participate in the following upcoming budget input meetings: — Mon., July 14, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tacoma
Nature Center, 1919 S. Tyler St., Tacoma, WA 98405; — Thurs., July 17, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wheelock Library, 3722 N. 26th St., Tacoma, WA 98407; — Thurs., July 24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Birney Elementary School, 1202 S. 76th St., Tacoma, WA 98408; — Mon., Aug. 4, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Lincoln High School, 701 S. 37th St., Tacoma, WA 98418; — Thurs., Aug. 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Stadium High School, 111 N. E. St., Tacoma, WA 98403. Revenues are projected to grow at two percent, but expenses are projected to grow at a faster rate, according to City of Tacoma staff. In order to maintain the levels of service provided by the City's General Fund today, the difference
between revenues and expenses is projected to be approximately $6 million in 2015-2016. This shortfall increases substantially if the City were to address deferred maintenance issues that have been delayed and provide funding for other capital and services, according to City of Tacoma staff. The City is looking for ways to close the gap between revenues and expenditures by balancing the need for savings with the effective delivery of core services. Additionally, the City is working to prioritize funding between existing services, deferred maintenance, and new and expanded services, according to City of Tacoma staff. A second series of Budget Input Meetings is anticipated to begin in mid-October, shortly after the proposed 2015-2016 Biennial Budget has been sent to Tacoma City Council.