Point Defiance Park's Outer Loop To Close To Traffic Permanently

TACOMA, WA — Drivers who want to do one final lap around Point Defiance Park will want to do it sooner, rather than later, as the outer loop of the Five Mile Drive will be permanently closed to car traffic by the end of the week.

Metro Parks Tacoma posted an update confirming the change Tuesday, saying that a recent geotechnical report had confirmed erosion was making the slope unstable, and rather than risk heavy motor vehicles getting caught up in a landslide and rolling into the bay, they'll be closing the path to all motorized traffic effective Friday.

That said, the path will still be usable, just not by cars: bicycles, pedestrians and any other non-motorized traffic will be able to use the road. Walking trails and restrooms will also remain open, Metro Parks said.

The closure is effective for roughly 2.25 miles of roadway, from the Owen Beach entrance to the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum. That means the Vashon Island, Dalco Passage, Gig Harbor, Narrows and Bridge viewpoints will no longer be accessible by car.

"The closure comes after thoughtful review of a recent geotechnical slope assessment commissioned by Metro Parks, that confirms ongoing erosion and encroaching instability on the bluffs edging the road around the point," Metro Parks said in a news release. "Climate change is a global phenomenon that is having a clearly visible effect on shorelines and slopes in the Pacific Northwest, as heavier rain and sea level rise accelerate erosion and landslides. Metro Parks has been monitoring climate change impacts for years and working to make parks more resilient, including recent renovations to prepare Owen Beach and Dickman Mill Park for sea level rise."

Vehicles weighing over 8,000 pounds — like school buses— have already been barred from using the roadway.

Metro Parks Tacoma says it has also contacted a third-party group to review and certify its findings.

“Metro Parks’ decision to close the Five Mile Drive Outer Loop was not undertaken lightly,” said Joe Brady, deputy director of regional parks and attractions. “We know how deeply our community feels about this tranquil, forested space. But we also take public safety and environmental protection very seriously. This decision is a direct response to the acceleration of erosion caused by multiple forces of nature, and we must respect that inevitable power.”

The agency says it is considering the possibility of creating another drive-through route using an existing service road. That road is currently closed to the public, but if opened would allow drivers to take a 1.5 mile tour to the tip of the peninsula. Organizers say, hopefully, opening that road to more drivers would not require extensive construction or modifications, but they're still in the middle of reviewing all potential traffic impacts.

>> Learn more from Metro Parks Tacoma.