JUNEAU — The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is planning to launch major renovation projects for a number of highway segments and ferry terminals next year.
The DOT is planning to launch a $20 million to $30 million renovation of Egan Drive in Juneau early next year, The Juneau Empire reports. A number of other highway projects including a $10 million reconstruction of Glacier Highway in Auke Bay and a $4.5 million renovation of Glacier Highway from Point Lena and Tee Harbor are also planned.
Bidding on the 8-mile Egan Drive project opened Nov. 20 and is expected to close Dec. 15. According to state documents, the project will be based at Salmon Creek, where the Egan Drive bridge will be widened. Other portions of Egan Drive will be resurfaced. The last resurfacing of the road took place 15 years ago.
The Auke Bay project will resurface portions of Glacier Highway. Farther north, SECON has been selected to widen Glacier Highway near Point Lena. The developer estimated the project would cost between $3.5 million and $4.5 million.
On the Marine Highway, the DOT is asking for bids on a new terminal building in Kake.
Ferry system manager John Falvey says the Kake project will also install sanitary sewer and water lines. Construction will take place in the summer, with work completed by fall. A similar projected is expected in Angoon next summer.
In Ketchikan, DOT is planning a $2.5 million to $5 million effort to replace mooring dolphins and passenger bridges at the ferry terminal. The project is out to bid through Dec. 3, with work to be done during the summer.
In Skagway, where the ferry terminal's boarding float sank in the spring, a replacement is expected to go out for bid in March 2016.
Haines and Gustavus are also being eyed for major shoreside ferry projects, but construction is not scheduled to begin before 2017.
According to state documents, funding for all significant Marine Highway terminal improvements is coming from the Federal Highway Administration.