Interstate 705
Encyclopedia
Interstate 705 is a short Interstate Highway spur route
of Interstate 5
located entirely within Tacoma
, Pierce
, Washington, United States
. I-705 serves as the connector between Interstate 5, Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma's waterfront, North Tacoma, and the Tacoma Dome
. I-705 was the last portion of the Interstate Highway System to be constructed in Washington, and has been disparagingly referred to as "the road to nowhere".
in Tacoma
, and has a posted speed limit of 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s) for the entire length (1.5 Miles).
Traveling northbound as a continuation of SR 7, the first exit is for South 26th Street, which provides access to the Tacoma Dome
and the Tacoma Amtrak
station. A single-point urban interchange
(SPUI) with SR 509 (South 21st Street) provides access to the University of Washington Tacoma campus, as well as the Port of Tacoma. The left two lanes of I-705 separate, providing access to A Street, as well as South 15th Street / Pacific Avenue, however travelers merging onto northbound I-705 can not access this exit. The Bridge of Glass
, linking the Museum of Glass on the shorefront to downtown Tacoma, passes over I-705 as it continues north, paralleling the Thea Foss Waterway
to the east, and Firemans Park to the west. A signalized at-grade intersection with Stadium Way marks the end of I-705 northbound.
Traveling southbound towards I-5, I-705 begins with on ramps from Stadium Way South and from Schuster Parkway. Passing Firemans Park on the south, traffic from South 9th Street and A Street merge onto I-705. Traffic coming from Bates Technical College
and South 13th Street join the freeway, as well as traffic from South A Street. A SPUI with SR 509 (South 21st Street) is the only exit in Tacoma, before either exiting onto I-5 southbound towards Portland, Oregon
, I-5 northbound towards Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia
, or onto SR 7.
Every year the Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2009, WSDOT calculated that as few as 27,000 cars used the spur at the continuation point from SR 7, and as many as 71,000 cars between the onramp from I-5 and SR 509. The entire Tacoma Spur is listed on both the WSDOT List of Highways of Statewide Significance, which marks the highway as a critical to connecting major communities in the state, and the National Highway System
, a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.
in 1979, however due to federal budget cuts, construction on the freeway was not completed until 1990. The highway was the last Interstate to be completed in the state of Washington. The Tacoma City Council in 1992 proposed to name the freeway Martin Luther King Way, however that name was finally applied to nearby K Street. Work on the single-point urban interchange, costing $29.4 million (equivalent to $ million in ), was completed in 1993 to accommodate the changes that were made to SR 509 through Tacoma.
Residents from the nearby Seattle have disparagingly referred to the Tacoma Spur as "the road to nowhere" and likened the exit ramps to tentacles.
Spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
of Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in Washington
Interstate 5 in Washington is a highway in the U.S. state of Washington that extends from its border with Oregon to its border with Canada...
located entirely within Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
, Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. I-705 serves as the connector between Interstate 5, Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma's waterfront, North Tacoma, and the Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...
. I-705 was the last portion of the Interstate Highway System to be constructed in Washington, and has been disparagingly referred to as "the road to nowhere".
Route description
The Tacoma Spur begins as a continuation of Washington State Route 7 (SR 7) underneath I-5Interstate 5 in Washington
Interstate 5 in Washington is a highway in the U.S. state of Washington that extends from its border with Oregon to its border with Canada...
in Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, and has a posted speed limit of 60 miles per hour (26.8 m/s) for the entire length (1.5 Miles).
Traveling northbound as a continuation of SR 7, the first exit is for South 26th Street, which provides access to the Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...
and the Tacoma Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
station. A single-point urban interchange
Single-point urban interchange
A single-point urban interchange , also called a single-point interchange or single-point diamond interchange , is a type of highway interchange...
(SPUI) with SR 509 (South 21st Street) provides access to the University of Washington Tacoma campus, as well as the Port of Tacoma. The left two lanes of I-705 separate, providing access to A Street, as well as South 15th Street / Pacific Avenue, however travelers merging onto northbound I-705 can not access this exit. The Bridge of Glass
Bridge of Glass
The Bridge of Glass is a pedestrian covered footbridge in Tacoma, Washington. It was opened in 2002 as a gift to the city. It links the Museum of Glass on the shorefront to the downtown area of the city, across Interstate 705, and is decorated with the artworks of Dale Chihuly....
, linking the Museum of Glass on the shorefront to downtown Tacoma, passes over I-705 as it continues north, paralleling the Thea Foss Waterway
Thea Foss Waterway
The Thea Foss Waterway is a waterway running roughly north-south immediately east of downtown Tacoma, Washington. It is an inlet of Commencement Bay.Tacoma was the site of an early sawmill in 1853.The deepwater port began to boom in the 1870s, sailing...
to the east, and Firemans Park to the west. A signalized at-grade intersection with Stadium Way marks the end of I-705 northbound.
Traveling southbound towards I-5, I-705 begins with on ramps from Stadium Way South and from Schuster Parkway. Passing Firemans Park on the south, traffic from South 9th Street and A Street merge onto I-705. Traffic coming from Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College
Bates Technical College, located in Tacoma, Washington, is the state’s largest public technical college. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, it offers two-year Associate of Technology degrees, academic certificates, and industry certifications, and maintains...
and South 13th Street join the freeway, as well as traffic from South A Street. A SPUI with SR 509 (South 21st Street) is the only exit in Tacoma, before either exiting onto I-5 southbound towards Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, I-5 northbound towards Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, or onto SR 7.
Every year the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
(WSDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2009, WSDOT calculated that as few as 27,000 cars used the spur at the continuation point from SR 7, and as many as 71,000 cars between the onramp from I-5 and SR 509. The entire Tacoma Spur is listed on both the WSDOT List of Highways of Statewide Significance, which marks the highway as a critical to connecting major communities in the state, and the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense and mobility.
History
The Tacoma Spur was first codified into law by the Washington State LegislatureWashington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators.The State Legislature...
in 1979, however due to federal budget cuts, construction on the freeway was not completed until 1990. The highway was the last Interstate to be completed in the state of Washington. The Tacoma City Council in 1992 proposed to name the freeway Martin Luther King Way, however that name was finally applied to nearby K Street. Work on the single-point urban interchange, costing $29.4 million (equivalent to $ million in ), was completed in 1993 to accommodate the changes that were made to SR 509 through Tacoma.
Residents from the nearby Seattle have disparagingly referred to the Tacoma Spur as "the road to nowhere" and likened the exit ramps to tentacles.