The Road to South Tacoma is a Muddy Mess
Business leaders complain that the main thoroughfare connecting Tacoma to its southern prairie is in such disrepair that it is throttling local trade.
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Much complaint has been made lately in regard to the condition of the driveway between South Tacoma and the business center of the city. The road was in fairly good condition once, but neglect has left it much like a backwoods trail. The road is full of ruts and mudholes and to haul an ordinary load over it is impossible. In some places the roadway is so narrow that the passing of two vehicles is difficult, especially if one is drawn by a skittish horse. This is the gateway between the business center of Tacoma and the prairie country on the south. The present condition of the road is not very inviting to trade from that direction, and it is safe to say that Tacoma merchants are losing considerable business on this account.
“The road was in fairly good condition once, but neglect has left it much like a backwoods trail.”
Infrastructure neglect as a barrier to economic vitality is a recurring theme in Tacoma's history. While today's debates focus more on transit-oriented development and arterial maintenance, the frustration over 'backwoods trails' being left to decay while commerce suffers remains a quintessential city-hall struggle.
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