Tacoma residents have submitted more than 14,000 requests for street and sidewalk repairs over the past decade. A map accompanying a News Tribune’s report highlights thousands of pothole-related complaints and shows where reports have clustered across the city.
Some of the higher concentrations since mid-2022 are along the western stretch of Sixth Avenue, North Orchard Street and McKinley Avenue in southeast Tacoma. Those are busy arterial roads, which Tacoma’s pavement manager says have seen deterioration over the past decade.
The city’s 311 records include a range of issues—from potholes and sinkholes to damaged sidewalks and medians—and some locations may have multiple reports. The records help flag trouble spots, but the city also considers pavement condition, street use and other information when deciding whether a road needs a lasting repair, surface treatment or a larger reconstruction.
Residents can report a pothole or other street issue by calling 311 within Tacoma or 253-591-5000 from outside city limits, according to the City of Tacoma. The map raises a useful question: when a stretch of road keeps generating complaints, what does it take to move it from a patch to a bigger fix?
See the map and read the original News Tribune story here.
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