The state of Alaska has amended a federal disaster declaration to add a funding request to repair Girdwood roads damaged by a late October storm.
From late October to the first days of November, a heavy rain system brought a downpour to Southcentral Alaska. In late November, Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster in the Kenai Peninsula Borough in order to get federal funding to address damage from the storm and resulting landslides in the area, including damage to the Sterling Highway.
During the same storm, the Girdwood area reported more than 16 inches of rain, while Portage Valley reported more than 23 inches.
Anchorage emergency management officials say Girdwood’s Ruane Road, which is the only road to the area’s water utility facility, was damaged by the storm as were the Loveland and Echo Ridge Roads. In a statement, Mayor Dave Bronson said damages from the storm will cost an estimated $2.3 million to repair.
If approved, the federal government could cover 75% of total costs related to the Southcentral Alaska storm. The governor’s current damage estimate, including Anchorage’s request, totals more than $5.3 million.
[Sign up for Alaska Public Media’s daily newsletter to get our top stories delivered to your inbox.]
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
