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The Juneau Road/Ferry Mega-Project: Why It's a Bad Idea
What is the Juneau Road/Ferry Mega-Project? The Murkowski Administration revived an earlier proposal to link Juneau to Haines or Skagway (both communities have road connections to the Al-Can Highway). The Juneau Road/Ferry project would consist of 50 miles of new road from Echo Cove (approx. 40 miles north of Juneau) to the Katzehin River via the east side of Lynn Canal, a new ferry terminal at the river 90 miles from Juneau, and new shuttle ferries to Haines and Skagway. The project is considered a “mega-project” because it will cost at least $374 million, i.e., vastly more than most Alaska road projects and would require nearly $22 million in state transportation funding each year through 2021. The state has spent $24 million to date on the project, and all necessary permits have been issued. Governor Palin has not allowed the project to move forward until all litigation is resolved.
What is the Juneau Road/Ferry Mega-Project? The Murkowski Administration revived an earlier proposal to link Juneau to Haines or Skagway (both communities have road connections to the Al-Can Highway). The Juneau Road/Ferry project would consist of 50 miles of new road from Echo Cove (approx. 40 miles north of Juneau) to the Katzehin River via the east side of Lynn Canal, a new ferry terminal at the river 90 miles from Juneau, and new shuttle ferries to Haines and Skagway. The project is considered a “mega-project” because it will cost at least $374 million1, i.e., vastly more than most Alaska road projects and would require nearly $22 million in state transportation funding each year through 20212. The state has spent $24 million to date on the project, and all necessary permits have been issued. Governor Palin has not allowed the project to move forward until all litigation is resolved.
The coastline along the route of the proposed road.
Photo by Lois Epstein, 2007
Why is the Juneau Road/Ferry Mega-Project a Bad Idea? There are many urgent statewide transportation needs which will be cancelled, scaled back, or delayed because of the expensive Juneau Road/Ferry project. At this point, the project has only $105.6 million in federal and state funding; sources for the remaining $244.4 million have not been identified, and federal funding is in a steep decline3. Federal transportation dollars used on this project could address the enormous statewide road and bridge maintenance backlog and could upgrade those roads and bridges that will carry materials for the proposed North Slope natural gas pipeline. State general funds not used on the Juneau Road/Ferry project could pay for education, security for seniors, municipal revenue sharing, and other purposes.
Avalanche on the route of the proposed road.
Photo by Scott Logan, 2005.
What is Needed? The Palin Administration and the legislature should not allow the Juneau Road/Ferry project to begin construction until they adequately assess the project’s fiscal and other concerns. This requires:
1) A worst-case/best-case cost estimate analysis (a “cost estimate validation,4” as is routinely performed in Washington State for mega-projects and as currently is being performed for the proposed Knik Arm Bridge). Such an analysis is especially important because the December 2006 Golder Associates report5 showed numerous, serious road hazards for 22 miles of the road that will be costly to address, and
2) Legislative hearings ( one was held in Feb., '08) to analyze the financial trade-offs associated with the project, including higher operations and maintenance costs than the existing ferry system6 (largely because this project does not eliminate ferries) and safety concerns due to avalanches, rock falls, etc.
Won’t the Project Help Constituents Access the Capitol? No. The Juneau Road/Ferry project will not increase constituent access because several days of winter driving would be needed in each direction from Alaska’s population centers with over one month of anticipated road closures each year.7 Flying to Juneau is likely to remain the preferred option for Alaskans seeking to speak directly with legislators and staff, and a recent poll confirmed this.8 Better, cheaper ways to enhance constituent access include increasing the number of field hearings, web posting of hearing handouts, and improving visual telecommunications with Juneau in Legislative Information Offices.
Downloads regarding the Golder Associates Report:
ATPP Press Release: February 8, 2007 (MSWord Doc)
ATTP Report Analysis ( MS Word Doc)
The entire report is available as a VERY LARGE ( over 200 MB ) download on the AK DOT web site. There is also an option for a smaller download of selected portions of the report at the above link.
1 The Juneau Access Improvements Financial Plan, 2007 Annual Update (October 2007) is available at http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/projectinfo/ser/juneau_access/assets/07FinancialPlanUpdate.pdf. Much of the technical analysis for Zone 4 (south of the Katzehin River) still needs to be done; this portion of the proposed road includes many of the most expensive road design challenges.
2Ibid., p. 14.
3Cover letter from ADOT & PF Commissioner Leo von Scheben to Alaskans on the 2006-2009 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), May 22, 2007, p. 2 (see http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/cip_stip/assets/06_08stip/06_08amendments/06_09amd13approved.pdf).
4See http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/ProjectMgmt/RiskAssessment/CEVP.htm.
5“Lynn Canal Highway, Phase I, Zone 4 Geotechnical Investigation, Final Report, Golder Associates, December 2006.
6“Alternative 2B [the Juneau Road/Ferry project] would have a net state cost over 35 years of $122 million, approximately double that of the No Action Alternative,” Record of Decision, Juneau Access Improvements Project, April 2006, p. 4.
7FEIS, op. cit., Table 4-16, p. 4-46.
8Poll by Anne Hays research in November 2007. See http://www.aktransportation.org/documents/pollresults-11-19-07.pdf.