A picture of a person on a scooter and e-bike riding past a car with the caption 'tired of waiting in traffic? Lime will get you there.'

Author: Rubén Casas

Tacoma’s Almost Reality as an Olmsted-Designed Park City

In 1873, Tacomans considered laying out their fledgling city according to a unique Frederick Law Olmsted plan. The city ultimately discarded most of the plan, walking away from a greener, more park-oriented Tacoma.
An aerial photo shows Tacoma's waterfront separated from its downtown towers by its elevated I-705 freeway.

New Tacoma Waterfront Park Begs for I-705 Freeway Removal

Melanie LaPlant Dressel Park opened on April 11 as a beautiful park far away from the rest of the city. An elevated, wide ribbon of concrete — the roaring I-705 freeway — separates the park from its users. Tacoma should remove this barrier.
A four-story historic brick apartment building with a blossoming tree out front.

More than Zoning Reform: Home in Tacoma and the Prospect of Real Change

Zoning has created urban forms that are expensive, exclusionary, and unsafe — Tacoma’s attempt to reform zoning stands to create more livable and complete neighborhoods by tackling the many secondary effects of zoning.

Op-Ed: What’s in a Name? Tacoma Town Center and the Future of Downtown

The stalling out of major downtown redevelopment offers a chance to finetune goals. The Tacoma Town Center, a $300-million project that is to be developed...

Two Visions for South Tacoma’s Future and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice

How a proposed (and now permitted) large industrial development intersects with plans to engage South Tacoma Way in community-led planning. Residents of South Tacoma who...
Green street trees shade Tacoma sidewalks. Colored dots on the sidewalk represent the values of the cooling effect.

A Tree Grows in Tacoma, But Will It Be There in 10 Years?

Tacoma has the least tree canopy in the Puget Sound Region. Residents experience this reality in higher average temperatures and poor air quality. On a...

Pierce Transit Shelves Pacific Avenue BRT, Pivots to Delivering Express Bus in 2024

Scuttling bus rapid transit plans, Pierce Transit is moving ahead with a scaled back express bus shadowing Route 1. Bus rapid transit (BRT) along Pacific...

Tacoma Hilltop Streetcar Extension Opening Set with September 16 Celebration

Sound Transit has announced a “celebration” marking the opening of the Tacoma Link Hilltop Extension for September 16th. The agency does not stipulate that...