The updated findings report for the Beach Road landslide area won’t be released until early March—more than a month later than scheduled.
“The original goal was to complete the subsurface drilling during last summer and to prepare an internal draft updated findings report by January. However, there were delays in obtaining funding for drilling, which impacted the timing of all remaining tasks. Due to geologic complexities, we were not able to shorten the remaining evaluative tasks to make up for the two months delay, which ultimately meant adjusting the work schedule,” reads a statement from geotechnical firm Landslide Technology. Alaska Department of Transportation technical engineer Travis Eckhoff forwarded the statement to the CVN.
Eckhoff said there will be a public meeting and presentation of findings upon completion of the report.
The report will provide analysis of surface and subsurface geotechnical data and slope stability. Local and state officials say the findings will be helpful for understanding the risk of future landslides on Mount Riley as well as for borough applications for FEMA funding.
Still, some have questioned whether the report will provide conclusive information about the stability of the slope and the level of hazard for Beach Road residents who live in the “red zone” beneath the landslide crack.