State officials took another step towards building a new ferry terminal at the end of the road in Juneau. They say it could shave more than an hour off the trip from the capital city to the road system in Haines.
Last week, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities put out a request for proposals for a contractor to design and build the first phase of the project beginning this summer.
State officials have talked about building a new ferry terminal at Cascade Point for at least two decades. DOTPF spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said the project is finally moving forward now.
“This is another investment in the Alaska Marine Highway,” she said. “We’re looking at the whole system, and we’re going to keep on pushing until this is modernized and really convenient for Alaskans, and very stable in terms of scheduling.”
State officials say the new terminal isn’t meant to replace the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal, but to add to it. A ferry leaving from Cascade Point instead of Auke Bay could shave 30 miles off the trip from Juneau to Haines and Skagway, reducing travel time on the ferry by an hour and a half or more.
The first phase of the project includes extending the end of Glacier Highway onto land owned by Goldbelt Inc., an Alaska Native corporation. Goldbelt agreed to partner with the state on the project in 2023.
The phase also includes designing and preparing the area for development, along with purchasing the materials for construction. McCarthy said the state will put out a separate request for contractors for the terminal’s construction soon. That’s expected to start next summer and finish in 2027.
“It really does come down to the customer in terms of we can turn vessels around faster, we can provide more service and we can provide it cheaper,” McCarthy said.
DOTPF Commissioner Ryan Anderson said in a statement that the terminal reflects “the Governor’s clear direction to improve access and service reliability for Southeast communities.”
Gov. Mike Dunleavy drastically cut ferry funding during his first term and the system has been struggling to recover since.
In total, the project is estimated to cost about $77 million. Some members of the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board have questioned whether the benefits are worth the price tag.
McCarthy said the first phase will be paid for using state funds previously appropriated for the Juneau Access project, an effort to improve road and ferry service in Juneau. However, lawmakers this session clawed back that funding to help curb the state’s budget deficit. It’s unclear if or how that move might impact the project.
The state is accepting proposals from contractors until June 13.
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