Contractors broke ground on the Portage Cove Harbor Expansion Project early last week to begin constructing the uplands parking area.
Interim Borough Manager Brad Ryan said Southeast Roadbuilders, subcontracted to Pacific Pile & Marine, started dumping fill to build a containment berm for the nearly four-acre lot. Dredging in the canal was expected to begin this week, and that material also will be used as fill.
The Haines Borough Assembly approved a change order Tuesday to complete $55,000-worth of additional dredging in the inner harbor. Interim Facilities Manager Shawn Bell said a natural sloughing of organic materials off of the floats caused the area to become very shallow.
Ryan said an underwater sewer outfall line is set to be rerouted at the end of March, and the lot will be “pretty close to filled in” by then.
The assembly approved a nearly $13 million contract with Pacific Pile & Marine in November to complete the first phase of the project, paid for by about $20 million in state grant funding. Phase one also includes construction of a steel breakwater and moorage pile replacement, set to begin this summer.