Parkland Community Trail Design

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Project Updates


Thanks to everyone who joined our virtual presentation on April 29, 2020 where we gave a short presentation and answered some questions. You can watch the recording of the presentation if you were not able to join us.

Your feedback has helped us refine the proposed route and identify key design and safety features. We have refined the concept design based on you feedback. Check out the design below:


We’re excited to be at the concept design milestone, but there will be more opportunities to share your feedback with us as the project moves forward! We will continue working with property owners and residents as we finalize design through 2021 and during future construction.

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About the Project

The Parkland Community Trail will connect Parkland neighborhoods to five schools, three Pierce County parks, and Pacific Lutheran University. The Parkland Community Trail will provide a safe route for people of all ages to get around in an area that currently has few sidewalks or bike lanes.


The proposed route connects 129th St S along the south edge of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), heads south along 8th Avenue South, connects to Yakima Ave S via 135th Street South, then travels down Yakima Avenue South to connect to Sprinker Recreation Center and Bresemann Forest. The trail design combines on and off-street trail types, depending on the location along the route. We are designing the trail on public right-of-way to minimize property impacts. 


The proposed route will follow either 8th Avenue South from 129th Street South to Spanaway Regional Park area and will connect the following schools and parks:

  • Washington High School
  • Keithley Middle School
  • Gates Alternative High School
  • Brookdale Elementary School
  • Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) 
  • Parkland Prairie
  • Gonyea Playfield
  • Spanaway Regional Park (Sprinker Recreation Center, Bresemann Forest, and Spanaway Park)

Public outreach for this project began the summer of 2019.

Where will the trail take me?

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Parkland Community Trail proposed route | Click to enlarge


Outreach Summary

Pierce County Parks is working to bring a bike and pedestrian pathway to connect Parkland families to schools and parks. The project team completed a variety of outreach efforts from January through May of 2020 to inform people about the project and solicit feedback which is detailed in the following Community Feedback Summary:

Project Contact

Brianne Blackburn
Trails Coordinator
(253) 798-4261 | email