More than 50 people turned out at a public meeting last week to hear the Department of Transportation’s explanation for pursuing the Juneau Access Road project, with dozens of residents rebuking the state for not listening to Haines’ opposition to the plan.
DOT has been holding open houses throughout Southeast for the past several weeks to get comments for its draft Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan. The document, which outlines the region’s transportation infrastructure for the next 20 years, includes a recommendation to build a 50-mile road from Juneau to Katzehin, also called the East Lynn Canal Highway.
According to the plan, two day boats would run routes from Katzehin to Haines and Katzehin to Skagway. The plan also calls for a Haines-Skagway shuttle ferry.
DOT estimates the road will cost about $500 million. The terminal at Katzehin is estimated to cost another $20 million, the two day boats $57 million each and the shuttle ferry $22 million.
Residents packed into the assembly chambers Sept. 10 to listen to a presentation by DOT’s Southeast regional planning chief Andy Hughes. The room was so crowded, people crouched in the aisles and stood in the doorway.
Following the presentation, speakers ridiculed the road project as “a boondoggle,” “a disaster in the making” and “a big long road to nowhere.”
Several people inquired about how the road and switch to day boats would affect foot passengers, including Alexandra Feit, who asked how she was supposed to get from the Katzehin terminal to Juneau if she didn’t take her vehicle on the ferry.
DOT’s Hughes seemed caught off-guard by the question, which he said he hadn’t been asked before. “That is not covered in our plan,” Hughes said. “The commercial sector will fill in the gap,” he said.
Heidi Robichaud echoed Feit’s comments, saying she was “shocked and appalled” by DOT’s complete lack of regard for foot passengers.
Katya Kirsch asked how DOT intended to keep the road open during winter, especially when the road would cross dozens of avalanche chutes and other geological hazards. “What’s going to happen when somebody gets stuck on the other side?” Kirsch asked.
Others also expressed concern about getting trapped on the Katzehin side if an avalanche closes the road, especially because the Katzehin terminal will be unmanned. There will, though, be heated restrooms, Hughes said.
George Figdor scoffed at the idea of heated restrooms as some sort of refuge for stranded passengers, advising Hughes to “supersize” the facilities.
In addition to criticizing the road project as an environmental, public safety and financial disaster, residents also expressed frustration about having to repeatedly attend public meetings and submit public comments only to have the state ignore their opinions.
“It’s very frustrating for us to say the same thing over and over and over again,” said Nancy Berland.
No one spoke in support of the road at the meeting.
The estimated total capital funding for the plan’s implementation over the next 20 years is nearly $2.6 billion.
DOT has been postponing release of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for months, and Hughes still couldn’t say when it will become available and only said it would be released “soon.”
The supplemental document will include a new traffic forecast report and updated project costs, as well as reports on avalanches, user benefits, environmental and engineering updates, and socio-economic benefits.
The SEIS will have another public comment period before a Record of Decision is issued.
Comments on the draft plan are due Sept. 30 and can be submitted to [email protected].
The plan can be viewed online at www.dot.alaska.gov/satp.