Strong opinions pro and con – mostly con – were voiced Wednesday night when Highway Department officials held a hearing on the proposed Chilkat River crossing.
Eight possible routes using six possible crossings were shown on maps.
According to the officials, crossings would include 34-foot roadbed, gravel surfaced, bridges which would not obstruct navigation by boats of the type presently used on the river, and causeways.
Forty local people were present to express their views to Schuyler Stevens, District pre-construction engineer, Juneau district; Harvey Golub, chief bridge designer Wallace Williams, chief road design engineer, all of the department of highways, and Walter Perkins, area manager for the Federal Highway Administration.
The plan, as outlined by Stevens, envisions a crossing probably from mile 5 to Pyramid Harbor where it would link up with the proposed to St. James Bay. Shuttle ferry service to Berner’s Bay to meet the highway to Juneau would complete the route.
Once the highway is completed, Stevens said, main line ferry service Prince Rupert would terminate at Juneau; Haines and Skagway would be connected by smaller ferry service.
Strongest objections came to the elimination of Haines and Skagway from main-line ferry service. Both Skagway and Haines have pointed out that the two towns based much of their economy on the tourist trade which would be seriously affected by the ferry change.