Which Tacoma I-5 Crossing Would You Fix First?

For people traveling through Tacoma, I-5 is a major connection. For people trying to get between neighborhoods, it can be a substantial barrier. The City’s Tacoma I-5 Crossings Study is examining that everyday divide, looking at the streets, bridges and underpasses people use to reach destinations on the other side. Public input opened October 1, with an online survey available through November 6, 2026.

The City wants to hear from residents, workers, students, business owners and visitors. The survey asks which crossings people use most often, where they’re going, what safety or accessibility problems they encounter, and what they would improve. That gives people who regularly navigate these routes a chance to describe the difficulties firsthand and explain how those conditions affect their trips.

The study covers a 6.5-mile stretch of I-5 through Tacoma that includes 14 crossings. Tacoma announced a $1.3 million federal planning grant for the work in 2024, through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities program. The project addresses a lasting consequence of freeway construction: a transportation route serving the wider region can also separate nearby communities and make local connections harder to navigate.

The federal project description calls for evaluating existing crossings and developing concept designs, cost estimates, and recommendations for improvements. It also includes opportunities for more trees and more welcoming public spaces around those connections. Community input will help inform priorities alongside technical analysis, while the study will prepare documentation to support future funding applications. The work is a planning step toward improvements, rather than an announcement that construction is beginning.

This survey is the first opportunity to weigh in, with community events, school outreach and other conversations planned as the study progresses. You don’t need to arrive with an engineering solution; knowing which route feels difficult and why is useful information. To participate before November 6, visit the City’s I-5 Crossings Study announcement, which includes the survey link and access to project updates.