Pierce County 2025-2026
This partnership is the beginning of a new relationship that will link UW students and faculty with projects that advance the Department of Planning and Public Works’ goals of housing, public infrastructure, environmental resilience, and economic development for Pierce County.
B Street Corridor Complete Streets
Pierce County Project Leads: Alon Bassok
Faculty: Jess Zimbabwe and Ray Gastil
UW Department: Community, Environment and Planning
Quarter: Autumn 2025
This project aims to reimagine B Street in Spanaway, WA, as a safe, accessible, and vibrant community connector that accommodates residents’ and commuters’ needs. The goal is to develop a set of community-informed design and engagement recommendations for the B Street corridor that advance Pierce County’s goals for safety, multimodal mobility, and placemaking, in alignment with the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan and Vision 2050.
Parkland Visioning
Pierce County Project Leads: Alon Bassok
Faculty: Jess Zimbabwe and Ray Gastil
UW Department: Community, Environment and Planning
Quarter: Autumn 2025
Pierce County is working to update the community plan for Parkland, WA, which will also serve as an incorporation framework for the eventual annexation of Parkland. As a historically underserved community, Parkland is subject to the consideration of annexation. This project aims to understand the desires of the community regarding both the future of Parkland and the existing strengths and opportunities for the town through two surveys.
South Hill Mobility Plan
Pierce County Project Leads: Alon Bassok
Faculty: Jess Zimbabwe and Ray Gastil
UW Department: Community, Environment and Planning
Quarter: Autumn 2025
This project aims to create and suggest a transportation management proposal for improvement to South Hill’s Meridian Ave as well as the surrounding areas that would have major impacts on Meridian’s congestion. The team will create a detailed proposal containing recommendations on how to reduce congestion along Meridian using various strategies. The proposal will also include recommendations on how to improve mobility within South Hill by improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and options to better connect neighborhoods to the central spine of Meridian, to schools, and to each other.
South Hill Engagement Strategy
Pierce County Project Leads: Alon Bassok
Faculty: Jess Zimbabwe and Ray Gastil
UW Department: Community, Environment and Planning
Quarter: Autumn 2025
This project aims to understand the situation in South Hill, an unincorporated part of Pierce County, including how to navigate community engagement in the absence of distinct community groups. The project will provide recommendations on how to best engage the community and find people who may lack representation in current initiatives. The findings from the project will help to develop action items that are feasible and can help move community engagement initiatives forward on behalf of the county.
