A Safer Ride Through Hilltop
- leon3451
- Aug 15
- 2 min read
The New J Street Bike Boulevard is Here!
We’re thrilled to celebrate a major win for Tacoma’s cycling community—the completion of the J Street Bike Boulevard (Neighborhood Greenway)! This newly engineered, two-mile route stretches from North 3rd Street to South 27th Street, creating a safe, designated space for people biking, walking, and rolling through our city. Even better? It now gives us at 2nd Cycle a clear, comfortable route right to our door.
Why This Matters
If you’ve ever biked through Tacoma, you know that sharing the road with impatient or aggressive drivers can be nerve-wracking. I’ve personally experienced more honks than I can count and more than a few dangerously close passes. This project is a direct answer to those concerns, slowing down traffic, making cyclists visible, and creating a space where all road users can feel safe.
What’s New on J Street
The J Street Bike Boulevard isn’t just paint on the pavement. It’s been carefully designed with:
Traffic Diverters to prevent high-speed cut-through driving while still allowing emergency vehicle access (a big challenge here, given the proximity to two major hospitals).
Bulb-outs and Pedestrian Medians that shorten crossing distances and make everyone—on foot or on wheels—more visible.
ADA-Accessible Signals and Ramps to ensure the street works for people of all abilities.
Daylighting with Public Art to keep intersections clear and beautiful.
Separated and Shared Bike Lanes connecting directly to the T-Line Link Light Rail and key destinations like the Hilltop Business District and People’s Community Center.
A First for Hilltop
This is the only north-south bikeway through the Hilltop Neighborhood (with Fawcett Avenue being the first through downtown). For our neighborhood, that’s a big deal. It means safer routes to school, work, local businesses, and cultural hubs.
My Invitation to You
This project wasn’t easy. It required balancing infrastructure changes with emergency access, navigating city planning hurdles, and earning community buy-in. But now that it’s here, I couldn’t be more excited to ride it.
So grab your bike, roll down J Street, and experience the difference. You’ll feel it in the calmer traffic, the smoother crossings, and the way this street now welcomes everyone not just cars.
Advocacy Matters Too
While we celebrate this local win, it’s important to remember that bicycle infrastructure funding is still under debate at the national level. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy recently stated that Congress and the DOT should not fund bike lanes, claiming they increase congestion by reducing vehicle lanes.
We know the opposite is true a safe, connected bike networks benefit everyone by reducing car dependency, improving public health, and creating more vibrant communities.
If you disagree with Secretary Duffy’s position, now is your chance to speak up. The U.S. DOT is accepting public comments on transportation priorities through August 20. The League of American Bicyclists has made it easy to share your opinion.
Let’s celebrate progress, ride together, and keep pushing for a city—and a country—where getting around by bike feels safe, easy, and joyful.
