The City's Safe Routes to School program did a tremendous job this summer bringing pop-up traffic gardens to Manitou Park, NE Tacoma Playground, and Verlo Playfield, in partnership with Parks Tacoma's Free Summer Meal Program. The temporary traffic gardens were installed using spray chalk and can last three weeks to three months, depending on weather conditions. In the picture, you can see them practicing hand signals. 

Although the pop-up events have wrapped up, families can still visit the locations and practice traffic safety skills while the markings remain. 

More Automated Speed Enforcement Cameras Coming 

The City is activating two new automated speed enforcement cameras on September 14. One of my top priorities on City Council is the implementation of our Vision Zero Initiative, which aims to improve traffic safety and eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes on our roads. We know that automated speed cameras are a proven tool for slowing drivers down, and we are not going to stop taking action until we are confident that all our community members, especially our kids, are safe on our roads.

The first cameras to become operational are located at:

• Norpoint Way NE (one camera monitoring the uphill direction)
• SR-509 / Marine View Drive (one camera monitoring the southbound direction)

A one-month warning period will begin when the cameras are activated. During this time, drivers traveling above the posted speed limit will receive warning notices instead of citations. Following the warning period, violations captured by the cameras will result in $145 civil infractions.

An additional six new speed cameras will be activated in phases beginning January 2027 at these locations:

• South Sprague Avenue (two cameras, one in each direction)
• Pacific Avenue (two cameras, one in each direction)
• Portland Avenue (two cameras, one in each direction)

Automated enforcement is one tool the City is using – alongside roadway design improvements, education, and traditional traffic enforcement – to encourage safer driving behaviors and reduce crashes. The City's Automated Enforcement Program also includes school zone speed cameras and red-light cameras located throughout the city.

I hope you will join me in making a commitment to safe driving and reducing your speed on our roads. To learn more, visit: Automated Enforcement Cameras | City of Tacoma.

Don't miss your chance to participate in Beyond the Bin!

Beyond the Bin is an effort to benefit Tacoma’s residents, environment, and local economy by providing opportunities drop off usable items at a weekly Community Donation Event at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center. All the items are donated to local nonprofit partners who will reuse, repurpose, and redistribute them back into the community. It’s a simple way to reduce waste, support neighbors, and keep valuable materials in use and out of the landfill.  Events will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until the collection truck is full. 

Collection events will run through September, and you can access the calendar here: BB Calendar and Accepted Items Flyer.

While the City has made great strides in recycling and composting, many useful items still end up in our landfill every day. Beyond the Bin is yet another one of Tacoma’s efforts to extend the life of our stuff through reusing, repairing, repurposing, and sharing as many valuable items as possible. I hope you will check it out!      

Time to Recycle Your Styrofoam

I was also thrilled to have a chance to see our Styrofoam densifier machine in action while I was at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center. Thanks to the hard work of our Solid Waste staff members, residents can once again drop off accepted Styrofoam items for free at the Tacoma Recycle Center.

Styrofoam is lightweight but bulky, meaning it takes up significant landfill space and is difficult to manage through traditional curbside recycling programs. By offering this service, Tacoma provides residents with a responsible disposal option and helps divert a challenging material from the landfill. Tacoma is one of only a handful of locations in the Puget Sound region offering Styrofoam recycling.

Residents can drop off empty and clean block Styrofoam, including rigid packaging blocks, Styrofoam coolers, and packaging sheets. To learn more, visit: Recycling in Tacoma | City of Tacoma.