| Half a road – Does it make a whole
lot of $EN$E?
The Alaska Department of Transportation’s new proposal to build
half a road to Skagway, ending the asphalt at the Katzehin River
delta misses the mark. The revised road alternative will:
- Cost the State 45% more than the existing ferry system to
maintain and operate. The net cost to the State for the revised
road plan is $88 million over 30 years, as compared to $61
million to keep the existing ferry system running.
- Result in longer and less predictable travel times. DOT
estimates that it will take travelers 2.5 hours to reach Haines
and 3 hours to reach Skagway with the revised road plan, not
including the wait time for unreserved shuttle ferries. Travelers
can now reach Haines in 2 hours and 15 minutes and Skagway
in 2.5 hours aboard the Fairweather when wait times are also
excluded. DOT also estimates that avalanches will keep the
Katzehin road closed over a month each year.
- Come at the expense of other transportation improvements.
Even with the reduced capital costs for the revised road alternative,
($246 million compared to $281 million), the project still
promises to be an exorbitant expenditure. According to DOT,
“initial funding would come from the State’s Federal Aid Highways
Program.” Funding for the DOT will have to make room for the
Juneau Road by “delaying or eliminating projects” already
in the transportation budget.
In addition to projects along the Glenn, Richardson, Parks,
Alaska and other major State highways that could lose out to
the Juneau Road, nearly $55 million in improvements to Egan
Drive could also be canceled or delayed, including:
- Harbor Area intersection improvements $3.33 million
- Salmon Creek intersection improvements $14.40 million
- Whittier to Main improvements $2.3 million
- Tenth Street intersection improvements $6.4 million
- Vanderbilt Hill intersection improvements $13.78 million
- Glacier Highway Fritz Cove to Auke Bay $14.7 million
Other Juneau-area improvements like the proposed Second Crossing
that are not currently in DOT’s budget will likely go unfunded
for many years to come.
What investments make the most sense for Juneau?
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Steve Vick