State Route 16
Washington State Route 16 connects Interstate 5 in Tacoma with SR 3 between Port Orchard and Bremerton. SR 16 crosses the Tacoma Narrows Bridge between Tacoma and Gig Harbor. Tolls are charged along the span in the eastbound direction. With the exception of the northernmost section of SR 16 between SR 3 and SR 166, and two driveways along westbound near milepost 13, the 27.00 mile long route is a limited access highway.
Washington State Route 16 Guides
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened to traffic on July 1, 1940. The suspension bridge remained in service for just four months due to a physics design flaw that did not properly account for aeroelastic flutter. This resulted in the bridge collapsing in a dramatic engineering failure. Regular vibrations and undulations of the span during windy weather were known in the four months leading to the collapse on November 7, 1940 ("Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)", 2010)
The replacement bridge opened to traffic on October 14, 1950. Explosive population growth of the area west of Pugeot Sound strained the span's capacity and by 1998, a plan to add a second parallel bridge was approved. Construction on the new suspension bridge began in October 2002. Carrying eastbound traffic, it opened in July 2007 ("Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1950)", 2010).
The original Nalley Valley Viaduct along SR 16 between I-5 and the exchange with Sprague Avenue in Tacoma was constructed between 1969 and 1971. Supports for the elevated highway utilized four-legged columns known as a tetrapod, which negated the possibility of expanding the viaduct. A second elevated roadway was instead built for SR 16 west by Summer 2011, with the older viaduct repurposed for SR 16 east.
Underway from 2000 to 2022, the I-5 - SR 16 Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program also reconstructed the Nalley Valley Interchange. Redesign of the exchange separated movements to Sprague Avenue from the respective I-5 ramps to eliminate weaving traffic.
scenes
Looking at Tacoma Narrows Bridge during construction of the eastbound span from the view area off Lucille Parkway NW. Sections of the eastbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge deck awaited placement on a ship near the north tower.
08/29/06
The Narrows connect Colvos and Dalco Passage of east Puget Sound with Carr Inlet and Nisqually Reach of south Puget Sound.
08/29/06
Stone Drive NW southbound parallels SR 16 before becoming Lucille Parkway NW to Tacoma Narrows Park.
08/29/06
24th Street NW west at Jahn Avenue NW near SR 16 at Exit 8. The eastbound ramp to SR 16 and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge was added in 2007 to coincide with construction of the new bridge. The westbound ramps between SR 16 and 24th Street NW opened in 2005. Originally motorists were directed onto Jahn Avenue north to the entrance ramp at Exit 9.
08/29/06
24th Street NW east at the westbound on-ramp to SR 16 for Gig Harbor and Bremerton.
08/29/06
Olympic Drive NW west at the eastbound ramp to SR 16 for Tacoma. Olympic Drive winds west from the freeway to Midway.
08/29/06
SE Burley Olalla Road west at the diamond interchange (Exit 20) with SR 16 near the unincorporated community of Burley.
09/27/25
References:
Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940). (2010, October 15) In https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1940)&oldid=390860875
Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1950). (2010, October 26) In https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1950)&oldid=393006501
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 08/29/06
- Alex Nitzman: 09/27/25
Connect with:
Page Updated Sunday October 12, 2025.