Prairie Line Trail design open house July 17

The City of Tacoma will host a public meeting this month to discuss the final design plans for the Prairie Line Trail segment that will connect Pacific Avenue to the waterfront.

The project, which converts a portion of a former rail corridor into a pedestrian/bicycle trail and linear park through the heart of downtown, reached conceptual design with extensive public participation last year. Now that the conceptual ideas have been translated into buildable engineering designs for the Pacific Avenue-Waterfront segment, there are a few changes, according to City of Tacoma Engineering Manager Chris Larson.

“Most changes are minor, but some, such as an added retaining wall along Hood Street, will create a different look,” said Larson. “This is an opportunity for people to find out what’s new and learn about the future trail.”

Pending a Burlington Northern Santa Fe land donation, the City of Tacoma will construct this section of trail by summer 2015. It will connect to the University of Washington Tacoma campus trail segment, currently under construction, resulting in two-thirds of the planned trail’s completion.

The community is invited to learn more about the project during a public meeting and open house on Thurs., July 17, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., at the Tacoma Art Museum, located at 1701 Pacific Ave., in downtown Tacoma.

More information is available online here.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of the Prairie Line Trail, click on the following links:

City Hall News: Foss Waterway children’s park, strategic plan update, and Tacoma Dome Wi-Fi (Tacoma Daily Index, May 9, 2014)
Tacoma, BNSF reach agreements on Prairie Line Trail, North Access Road projects (Tacoma Daily Index, April 28, 2014)
Tacoma City Council to discuss TPU finances, Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, May 31, 2013)
Tacoma to host Prairie Line Trail design open house (Tacoma Daily Index, March 6, 2013)
Tacoma City Council to discuss utility rates, BNSF property agreements (Tacoma Daily Index, January 25, 2013)
Tacoma City Council to discuss Tacoma Link expansion, UWT Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, January 18, 2013)
Walk Tacoma’s artistic, historic Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, November 4, 2011)
$465K boost for historic Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, April 1, 2011)
Tacoma seeks artists for Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, February 1, 2011)
City of Tacoma seeks artists to design bike racks for Prairie Line Trail (Tacoma Daily Index, January 12, 2011)
Prairie Line Trail design workshop Aug. 9 (Tacoma Daily Index, August 5, 2010)
City, railroad deal could open downtown Prairie Line trail (Tacoma Daily Index, June 19, 2008)

The City of Tacoma plans to develop a segment of the Prairie Line Trail in downtown Tacoma to connect Pacific Avenue to the waterfront. When completed, it will connect to the University of Washington Tacoma campus trail segment, currently under construction. (PHOTO BY TODD MATTHEWS)