Tacoma City Council voted Tuesday to receive nearly $4 million in grants to complete the funding need to begin work on the Pacific Avenue streetscape project downtown.

One grant, awarded by the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), totals $978,300. Another grant, awarded by the 2012 Jobs Now Act and administered by the Washington State Public Works Board, totals $3 million.

The Pacific Avenue streetscape project aims to improve Pacific Avenue between South 7th Street and South 17th Street by incorporating innovative stormwater management design, complete streets concepts, multimodal transportation and wayfinding. The new streetscape will also be designed to attract and encourage new business in downtown Tacoma. The project also aims to complement the existing streetscape along Pacific Avenue between 17th and 21st Streets, including the upcoming streetscape and plaza/entrance improvements currently under design for the Tacoma Art Museum.

The project plans and specifications are awaiting final review by WSDOT. City officials expect to advertise the project next month and begin construction this fall.

More information about the project is online here.