Tacoma is pursuing changes to Portland Avenue, which the city identifies as one of its highest crash-risk corridors. The city is working closely with the Puyallup Tribe on the effort.
The road crosses Puyallup Tribe land and runs through Tacoma’s Eastside, an area shaped by redlining and underinvestment in infrastructure. The work is part of Tacoma’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and reduce traffic-related injuries by 2035.
Anthony E. Jackson, a Salishan resident who serves on his neighborhood’s homeowners association board, said traffic grows heavier in the afternoon. He described conditions along the road as hectic despite the traffic lights.
A separate transit change remains conditional. If voters approve a November measure to increase Pierce Transit funding, Portland Avenue could gain a longer bus route offering direct north-to-south service.
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