The Alaska Department of Transportation has applied for a permit allowing for construction in wetlands and tidal areas along the preferred route of the controversial Juneau Access Improvements Project.
In a public notice Monday, the state said the application had been submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The nearly 51-mile road would go up the east side of Lynn Canal to a new ferry terminal at the Katzehin River. From there, ferries would transport vehicles and passengers to and from Haines and Skagway. The total estimated cost of the project is more than $570 million. The Federal Highway Administration would pay for the bulk of the road construction, and the state would pick up the cost of the new ferry terminal and vessels.
Transportation Department spokesman Jeremy Woodrow said the permit is contingent on a final environmental impact statement and record of decision from the Federal Highway Administration, due in fall 2015.
“No work would move forward until a record of decision is made on one of the alternatives,” Woodrow said.
Since the permit can take over a year to process, Woodrow said the state is applying now to allow work to move forward once a record of decision is issued.
“If that record of decision is made in favor of the preferred alternative, Alternative 2B, then we aren’t delaying the process of the project any further by having to then wait for the permit to go through,” Woodrow said.
Woodrow said the permit would be unnecessary if another alternative is chosen, and department would then have to apply for other permits.
The permit application is for proposed construction along Lynn Canal in 61 acres of wetlands, 32 acres of unvegetated inter-tidal or sub-tidal habitat, and 3 acres of stream channels. Woodrow said a good example would be the proposed ferry terminal at Katzehin.
“That would be some fill work and dredging work that would be required in the Katezhin Delta area,” Woodrow said. “That would be one of those areas that the Corps is going to review and either approve or deny as part of the permit process.”
Former Gov. Sean Parnell consistently supported the Juneau Access project. A spokeswoman for new Gov. Bill Walker issued a statement saying “Gov. Walker is assessing all projects, including the Juneau Access project. It’s too soon to say exactly what his decision will be on those projects.”
