PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Starting Thursday, people looking to visit North Lake Tapps County Park will be met with new restrictions.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said because there has been overcrowding throughout the summer, the number of people who can enter the park will be limited and that is due to a large number of complaints about overcrowding, hazardous parking and an extreme lack of social distancing at the park.
The park’s parking lot has reportedly been filling up during the week and weekends by 9:30 a.m. As a result of the parking lot filling up, officials said drivers have been parking along 198th Avenue, as well as Ninth and 12th streets, and walking into the park, which creates traffic hazards and pedestrian safety issues on the roads surrounding the park.
Officials said once the park’s parking lot reaches capacity, no additional visitors will be allowed in the park until a parking space becomes available.
People who want to visit the park are asked to be patient, as the new limitations are to make sure North Lake Tapps County Park can remain open and safe, officials said.
The new restrictions are being implemented by the sheriff’s department and the Pierce County Parks Department.