The Haines Borough’s Third Avenue improvements project could be getting some add-ons, including the potential paving of Oslund Drive and a small “U”-shaped drive connecting the administration building and library parking lots.
The borough planning commission at a recent meeting asked staff to look into the cost of connecting the library and administration building parking lots. Public facilities director Carlos Jimenez has been investigating what the price would be.
Jimenez said there has been talk in the past of connecting the two lots, and work on the adjacent Third Avenue project resurrected the topic.
During the partial closures of Third Avenue, motorists started accessing the borough lot by driving into the library lot and over the grassy area behind the administration building.
“They’ve always done that anyway, but the traffic increased,” Jimenez said.
The rainy weather muddied the area, and Jimenez put down 20 cubic yards of gravel for traction. “Some people were quite upset and said it was like building a road back there,” Jimenez said. “The next thing I know, the planning commission was asking me to look into it.”
Manager David Sosa said connecting the lots was discussed during a recent “work group” session about replatting the borough’s property behind the administration building. “The goal of the working group was to ensure that the parcel was reviewed to provide for appropriate development in accordance with our code, charter and comprehensive plan,” Sosa said.
Heather Lende, who represented the planning commission at the work session, said the group was generally in favor of connecting the lots. “We were just sort of the first step in the process, so people will have plenty of time to weigh in,” Lende said. “I think we all thought it was a good idea.”
It’s unclear how the paved connection would navigate the borough’s recently-installed trailer, though those details will likely get hammered out at the next planning commission meeting, Lende said.
Jimenez also is seeking to pave Oslund Drive while the equipment is mobilized for the Third Avenue project.
In 2013, about 1,200 feet of Oslund Drive was dug up during the replacement of asbestos cement pipe there. The project was largely funded by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, which agreed to return Oslund Drive to “the state it was in or better by resurfacing the road.”
Jimenez asked ADEC project engineer Frank Toth if the agency would cover the cost of chip sealing the road if the borough picked up the tab for paving.
“ADEC will fund the cost of replacing the existing surface. If the community wants to upgrade, then they will need to pay the differences on their own,” Toth said.
Jimenez received a quote from Southeast Roadbuilders for chip seal ($71,820) and asphalt ($89,500). “The difference is approximately $19,000 and will be a much better material, lasting much longer. This indeed is the best deal we could hope for,” he said.
Jimenez anticipated the project would encounter contaminated soil near the intersection of Third Avenue and Old Haines Highway where an old filling station was located. Crews removed 210 cubic yards of soil and, with ADEC approval, stored it at the wastewater treatment plant.
“This stuff was pretty hot and talking to DEC, the best thing to do is get rid of it and ship it to a licensed landfill down south,” Jimenez said. Shipping the contaminated soil will cost about $45,000, he said.
Crews are pouring the curb on the west side of Third Avenue and soon will start building sidewalks. The road will then be brought back up to grade using sub-base material, followed by finer gravel, with asphalt placed on top.
The completion date for the Third Avenue work is Sept. 30.