Engineering
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Engineering efforts include construction improvements, school zones and crosswalk striping, and school zone beacons.
SRTS Infrastructure Improvements
The City of Tacoma uses the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Action Plan’s school prioritization analysis to make physical improvements in order of priority and based on available funding. The school prioritization analysis uses safety and equity data to determine school priority and locations for investments. This analysis is updated every five years.
Find the SRTS construction projects that are planned, underway, or completed using the drop-down options below. Learn more about Capital Projects on the Public Works’ Capital Projects web page.
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We are happy to announce the following projects have received funding through the Safe Routes to School Program or through partnership with other City of Tacoma departments’ efforts.
School Project Description Estimated Start Estimated Completion Funding Source Baker Middle School This project includes:
- New sidewalk with curb and gutter, ADA compliant curb ramps, bulb-outs, marked crosswalks with advanced stop bars, a rectangular rapid flashing beacon, and a hybrid beacon (HAWK).
- Speed bumps to lower vehicular speeds. - Bicycle safety improvements, including green pavement marking and a separated bike lane at the Yakima/S 80th intersections.November 2026 March 2027 WSDOT SRTS Grant, Streets Initiative Stewart Middle School This project includes:
- Traffic calming measures, including traffic circles and speed humps.
- Pedestrian improvements, including curb extensions, high-visibility crosswalks, signal improvements, illumination, and ADA compliant curb ramps.
- Bicycle enhancements, including intersection crossing markings and a new median diverter for multi-stage crossings at S 52nd Street and Pacific Avenue, bicycle markings and wayfinding signs for bicycle facilities.
- Multimodal infrastructure improvements, including buffered sidewalk and a shared-use path.Winter 2028 Fall 2029 WSDOT SRTS Grant, City Council (REET) Fern Hill Elementary Project is in design phase, and will include missing link sidewalk, a raised school crossing, and traffic calming along Park Ave. 2027 TBD Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) Grant, City Council (REET) Giaudrone Middle School Improved school crossings at S Alaska & 49th, including new curb ramps and RRFBs. TBD TBD City Council (REET) -
The following schools have received City of Tacoma and grant funded Safe Routes to School infrastructure improvements:
School
Completed Improvements
Year Completed
Funding
Edna Travis Elementary Pedestrian refuge island, curb ramps, and crossings along J St.  2016 City Council (REET) Sheridan Elementary Bulb outs, curb ramps, and sidewalk infill along E. McKinley Ave. and E I St.  2018 City Council (REET) Lister Elementary Bulb outs and curb ramps, and new School Zone flashing beacons along E 44th St.  2020 City Council (REET) Blix Elementary Bulb outs, curb ramps, and RRFBs along E 38th St; raised crossing and bulb outs along E 40th St (in partnership with Environmental Services).  2020 City Council (REET); Department of Ecology grant First Creek Middle School HAWK signal installation and new school crossings along Portland Ave. E.  2020 City Council (REET); WSDOT SRTS grant Stanley Elementary New school crossing, bulb outs, and RRFBs at S. 15th St. and Grant. Curb ramps at S. 17th St. and S. Ridgewood Ave.  2020 City Council (REET) Mary Lyon Elementary Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) crossing Pacific Ave. and sidewalk infill with curb ramps along S 46th St.  2021 City Council (REET); WSDOT SRTS grant Whitman Elementary  Add bulb outs and pedestrian flashing beacons (RRFBs) at S. 40th and M St. Install raised crosswalks at the school's crossings on S. 39th St and S. 40th St. View planned improvements.  2023 City Council (REET); TIB grant Edison Elementary Improve school crossings and infill sidewalk along S. 60th St. Add bulb outs and pedestrian flashing beacons (RRFBs) at S. 60th St and Oakes. Install speed hump on S. Pine St. View planned improvements.  2023 City Council (REET)  Lincoln High School Add raised crossing on S. 37th St. with accessible curb ramps and traffic circle on S Tacoma Ave.  View planned improvements.  2023 City Council (REET); TIB grant Larchmont Elementary School* Green infrastructure project adding continuous sidewalks and traffic calming along A St and E B St. Winter 2024 Dept. of Ecology Grant*
Manitou Elementary School
Install raised crosswalk and pedestrian flashing beacons at school crossing on S. 66th St. Add protected bike lane from Tyler St. to Cheyenne St. View planned improvements and learn more on the Capital Projects web page.
Spring 2024
WSDOT SRTS Grant
Birney Elementary School Add bulb outs and pedestrian flashing beacons (RRFBs) at S Yakima Ave and S 76th St. View planned improvements and learn more on the Capital Projects web page.Â
Spring 2024 City Council (REET) iDEA High School* Infill missing sidewalk, construct bulb outs, and add pedestrian flashing beacons (RRFBs) at S Yakima Ave and S 68th St. View planned improvements and learn more on the Capital Projects web page. Spring 2024 TIB Grant* Boze Elementary School Construct sidewalk along E L St between E 64th St and E 65th St, connecting the school to the improved E. 64th Street Phase 2 improvements. Summer 2025 City Council (REET) Roosevelt Elementary School Construct new sidewalk and curb ramps along E. Roosevelt Avenue from E. 38th Street to E. Gregory Street. E. Roosevelt Arterial Improvements- Project Webpage Spring 2026 City Council (REET); TIB Grant -
A School Zone is determined by several factors, including a legal maximum distance from the designated school crossing or the school property line. The maximum distance a school zone may be is determined by Washington State law (RCW 46.61.440).
The City of Tacoma operates school zone flashing beacons at various public and private schools to indicate to drivers that the 20 MPH school zone speed limit is in effect. School zone beacons are installed on arterial roads only and operate during predetermined arrival and dismissal times. Some flashing beacon locations are associated with automated traffic enforcement cameras, sometimes referred to as school zone speed cameras. These cameras are active when the school zone flashing beacons are active.
The City of Tacoma established a new school zone beacon policy in 2022 that extends the school zone flashing beacon times to 40 minutes each morning and afternoon when schools are in session. Learn more about these schedules and factors in the School Zone Flashing Beacons policy.