Bicycling in Tacoma can be dangerous. Here are some of the worst spots in the city
Between 2016 and 2020, an estimated 26,693 people were involved in traffic collisions on Tacoma’s streets, according to a crash-analysis report. Bicyclists make up only 1 percent of that number, but they are disproportionately involved in crashes that cause serious injury or death.
Two recent crashes where teenagers riding bicycles were injured or killed in the Tacoma area has drawn attention to the vulnerability of people trying to navigate city streets without a car, whether it be riding a bicycle or walking.
During a Tacoma City Council study session Tuesday, July 26, where the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan was discussed, deputy mayor Catherine Ushka addressed one crash that seriously injured a young bicyclist, saying the victim’s family was in her thoughts, and that she was praying for a smooth recovery.
“As an avid cyclist myself, I hope that this plan can end the deaths and serious injuries by 2035 if not sooner, as city staff and the council work together to ensure our community’s safety,” Ushka said.
A report submitted to the city earlier this year analyzed five years of crash data in Tacoma, identifying trends for drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists in serious injury and fatal collisions. It was done by Toole Design, a transportation planning group with offices across the United States.
The report found 16,852 total traffic crashes, 384 of which caused serious injury or death. Out of the thousands of crashes, bicyclists made up only a small fraction of people involved, the report found, but when it comes to serious injury and fatal crashes, they are over-represented, making up about 8 percent of victims.
Twenty-seven bicyclists were injured in serious crashes, and one bicyclist fatality was recorded in 2019, on state Route 509 near the intersection of Taylor Way. Another bicyclist was killed in 2020, but that crash was not included in the report; city officials said that person struck a fixed object.
Pedestrians fared worse, with 15 deaths.
Carrie Wilhelme, senior transportation planner for Tacoma, told The News Tribune that better infrastructure is needed to improve bikeability. She said the city is working to build a network of streets where people can use things like bicycles, skates or scooters to get around safely. For now, local bicyclists have described that network as an “unconnected patchwork.”
According to the city’s budget for 2021-2022, $1.45 million was allocated for capital projects surrounding active transportation. Also allocated were $1.925 million for transportation safety projects and $2.2 million for traffic signals and lighting on roads.
Wilhelme said Tacoma opened its first protected bike lanes on East 64th Street last year, and the city has applied for grants to install more on East and South 84th Street, South 11th Street and Earnest Brazill Street. Protected bike lanes use a physical barrier to separate bicyclers from traffic. Bike lanes protected by parking could also be installed on Washington Street.
“The more we can separate the driver from the non-driver, the better the outcome,” Wilhelme said in an email.
Separation isn’t everything, Wilhelme said. Also important are well-lit facilities, trimmed vegetation and bike racks. While funding is on its way, she said, most cities are not properly staffed for design and implementation of those projects.
“We need to fundamentally shift the way we think of pedestrian and cycling projects,” Wilhelme wrote. “They are not amenities, they are the mobility network for an estimated 25 percent of people who don’t or choose not to drive.”
Included in the crash report were roads and intersections in Tacoma that pose a high risk to pedestrians and bicyclists. During Tuesday’s study session, Michael Hintze, director of planning at Toole Design in Seattle, said 75 percent of the network of high-risk streets is located in areas with low or very low access to opportunity, based on Tacoma’s equity index.
Twenty cross streets were named “high crash intersections” for bicyclists based on a score weighing how badly someone was injured in a crash. Wilhelme said intersections had a low bar to clear to be included. Most are included because one serious injury collision occurred there.
The report cautioned that some areas of the city known to be risky areas for cycling might not appear among the high-crash intersections due to the relatively small sample size of bike-crash data. Bike crashes happen about half as often as often as pedestrian crashes.
20 of the worst intersections for bicyclists in Tacoma
Pacific Avenue and South 11th Street, downtown
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found two serious injury crashes happened here.
East D and 25th streets, Dome District
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash and one crash without serious injuries happened here.
Tacoma Avenue South and 38th Street, South End
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
North Vassault and 37th streets, West End
This Google Street View is from October 2018. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South Cedar and 19th streets, Central Tacoma
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South Cushman Avenue and 25th streets, Hilltop
This Google Street View is from August 2018. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South G and 25th streets, Hilltop
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
Pacific Avenue and South 38th Street, Eastside
This Google Street View is from December 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
North Winnifred and 43rd streets, West End
This Google Street View is from October 2018. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
East Mckinley Avenue and 85th Street East, South End
This Google Street View is from October 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South Grant Avenue and South 9th Street, Hilltop
This Google Street View is from May 2019. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South G Street and Court G, Hilltop
This Google Street View is from Aug. 2018. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
Hosmer Street and state Route 16, South Tacoma
This Google Street View is from Oct. 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
North I and 2nd streets, North End
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
East L and 28th streets, Eastside
This Google Street View is from Nov. 2018. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
Pacific Avenue and South 25th Street, Downtown
This Google Street View is from Nov. 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
Portland Avenue East and East 66th Street, Eastside
This Google Street View is from Aug. 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South Tacoma Way and South 37th Street, South Tacoma
This Google Street View is from May 2019. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
Stadium Way, North C and 4th streets, Stadium District
This Google Street View is from May 2019. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
South Union Avenue and South 26th Street, Central Tacoma
This Google Street View is from July 2021. The report found one serious injury crash happened here.
