Improvements to pedestrian crossings citywide
The city broke ground Monday on rebuilding the four corners of the intersection at South 39th Street and Yakima Avenue to help walkers cross more safely.
The busy corner in front of the recently reopened Hong Kong Supermarket can be difficult to cross in the thick of mealtime or weekend traffic. The new intersection will include handicap accessible ramps on the two south corners and a “bulbout” on the two north corners.
The bulbout extends the curb and sidewalk farther into the roadway, which gives pedestrians a better view of oncoming traffic and allows drivers to see them before they start to cross, said Mark D’Andrea, the city’s project manager for the pedestrian improvements.
“If you’re a mom or a dad with a stroller, it’s easier to cross,” D’Andrea said.
The Lincoln District project’s start came a day after city crews striped 45 crosswalks at 22 sites across Tacoma. Some were existing but faded crosswalks. Others were spots where ramps existed but crosswalks did not.
By sometime next year, the city will have spent at least $3.3 million on improvements to pedestrian crossings citywide. Some intersections will just receive new stripes. Others will include a flashing beacon or new curbs and ramps.
The work comes more than a year after the city removed several illicit crosswalks painted by anonymous Tacoma residents — called vigilantes by some — in the Stadium District.