Our communitys limited access to gravina island and the ketchikan. Sarah palin visited ketchikan to express her support for the gravina island bridge project. Coast guard and the alaska department of transportation and public facilities, has issued a gravina access project draft environmental impact statement eis on august 6, 2003. Maneuvering simulations an application to waterway. In accordance with title 24 of the alaska statutes and a special request by the legislative budget and audit committee, we have conducted a performance audit of dotpf and their progress in achieving the goal of gravina island access. Appendix t tunnel report alaska department of transportation. Access between ketchikan and its airport is currently accomplished via a short ferry crossing at location c4 in figure 1. The access road has a tunnel under the airport runway. The highway was part of a project that would connect gravina island. Gravina island is an island in the gravina islands of the alexander archipelago in southeastern alaska. The agencies will jointly hold two public hearings to. After decades, gravina access project reaches milestone. The purpose of the gravina access project is to improve transportation between ketchikan and saxman on revillagigedo island and the ketchikan international airport.
The primary public access to gravina island from revillagigedo island is a borough operated ferry that transports vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians from a terminal on revillagigedo island, located approximately 2. Revillagigedo revilla island and gravina island,1 yet prior to the bridge proposal, there. Gravina access project supplemental environmental impact. Gravina access project alternatives evaluation summary report public comment summary june 2002 2 3. The ketchikan gravina island access project, as it. To save the pdf to your pc right click on the link and select save target as.
The purpose of the gravina access project is to improve surface transportation between revillagigedo revilla island, home of the ketchikan gateway borough, city of ketchikan and the city of saxman, and gravina island, the location of the ketchikan international airport and adjoining lands that offer recreational and development potential. Mccain blasts the move, saying, the gravina island bridge is the. Project proponents tell the public that the bridge is a transportation necessity, though the ferry system adequately handles passenger traffic between the. Notice of final federal agency actions on proposed gravina. While not an action item during this weeks meeting, the ketchikan gateway borough assembly on monday talked about the longawaited gravina access project a stateled project to improve access to gravina island, where ketchikans airport is. A plan to improve access to gravina island and the ketchikan. The project involves examining ways to link revilla island to gravina island, the location of the ketchikan international airport and adjoining lands that offer recreational and development potential. Subscribe by rss or email to all new notices, or just those matching specific search criteria. New plans to connect ketchikan by ferry to its airport on gravina island make sarah palin look completely right about the bridge to nowhere in 2007 when she canceled the project due to its expense. The gravina bridge would replace a 7minute ferry ride from ketchikan to ketchikan airport on gravina island.
Biological opinion construction of the tongass narrows. State agencies now have the ability to accept comments online. Currently, a small ferry provides the only regular access to gravina island with a terminal at ketchikan international airport. Alternative c34 is a 200foothigh bridge crossing located near the airport. Alaska abandons controversial ketchikan bridge project. Althought the alternative bridge project was cancelled, the gravina island highway, a 3.
Borough pushes for better gravina access plan krbd. The current level of available project funding is insufficient to complete construction of the preferred gravina island bridge access alternative f1. Notice is hereby given that fhwa has taken final agency action subject to 23 u. Palin administration still pursuing nowhere project propublica. Dotpf, gravina island access project gia, october 30, 2009. The gravina island bridge, commonly referred to as the bridge to nowhere, was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of ketchikan, alaska, united states, with gravina island, an island that contains the ketchikan international airport as well as 50 residents.
Project contractors aver that gravina access project would serve to improve surface transportation between revillagigedo revilla island and gravina island, 1 yet prior to the bridge proposal, there had been few complaints on record from local residents about the sevenminute ferry ride to gravina. To save the pdf to your pc right click on the link and select save target as or, save link target as, or save link as. Here is a link to a 2017 krbd story about the gravina access project, including a pdf of some of the improvement. Planning division ketchikan gateway borough, ak official website. The gravina island bridge, commonly referred to as the bridge to nowhere, was a proposed.
This is the largest fee simple parcel in the area and it has road and water access. Niblack project and the potential mill facilities at the gravina island industrial complex giic with the ketchikan gateway borough kgb. Currently, six build alternatives are being considered for the gravina access project. Local leaders have said access to gravina island also is needed to grow the town and the economy. So with the bridge project shelved, dot will look for a more affordable answer for gravina island. The road will eventually increase access to hunting, fishing and other uses. This map set depicts the proposed vallenar bay project located on gravina island in township 74 and 75 south, range 89 and 90 east, copper river meridian.
New plans confirm palins 2007 decision to scrap ketchikan. Table 1 shows that of the five projects, only the gravina island access project has over of the funding needed. Representatives from the alaska department of transportation gave an update monday to the ketchikan gateway borough assembly. The gravina island highway was completed in september 2008.
Reconstruct existing airport ferry terminal and associated pedestrian and vehicle upland access facilities on gravina island. Gravina access project tongass narrows separates the city of ketchikan, located on revillagigedo island, from the ketchikan international airport on gravina island. In total, the five projects listed in table 1 only have 6% of the funding needed for. Alaska kills bridge to nowhere that helped put end to.
On october 21, 2015, the alaska department of transportation and public facilities announced that it had decided to recommend the gravina access project alternative g4v as the states preferred alternative to the federal highway administration. A plan to improve access to gravina island and the ketchikan international airport is moving forward. Ketchikan asbuilts, southcoast region, alaska department of. The primary public access to gravina island from revillagigedo island is a borough operated ferry that transports vehicles, bicyclists. The gravina access project was funded under the 1998 transportation equity act for the 21st century to improve access between revillagigedo island and gravina island in the ketchikan gateway borough, southeast alaska. Don young rak earmarked for the bridge in 2005 has been set aside for the gravina access project. Known locally as the gravina island access project, it was meant to be a.
The gravina island access supplemental environmental impact statement process has moved forward now that the state of alaska has chosen its. The build alternatives include two bridge alternatives. Legislative budget and audit committee division of. Gravina access project appendix b part 1 conceptual. Assembly hears update on state gravina access project krbd. Feis for the gravina access project, a proposed action to improve public access between. Project proponents tell the public that the bridge is a transportation necessity, though the ferry system adequately handles passenger traffic between the islands, including traffic to and from the airport. The gravina island highway, or so im tolled, would have connected to the island where some of a former alaska governors relatives live. Property does have water rights from round lake and a power line easement. Please check out the bid calendar for projects currently advertising. Gravina access project, tongass narrows, ketchikan gateway.
The gravina access project proposes to improve access between revillagigedo island and gravina island in the ketchikan gateway borough, alaska. The documents below are offered in pdf format to save the pdf to your pc right click on the link and select save target as. The theoretical bridge would have connected the ketchikan international airport on gravina island to the residential communities of ketchikan and saxman on revillagigedo island. The vallenar access project area was not identified as critical habitat in the centralsouthern southeast area plan. An official website of the united states government.
Improved access between gravina island and revillagigedo island has been a community goal since 1973 when ketchikan international airport first opened. Gravina island, the location of the ketchikan international airport and adjoining lands that offer recreation and development potential. How a bridge to nowhere became a road from nowhere to nowhere. The highway was part of a project that would connect gravina island, specifically, the ketchikan international airport, to the city of ketchikan. Pdf gravina island revillagigedo island ketchikan gateway borough. Mou to assess the potential for processing, port, and tailings storage facilities at giic. Palin is asked if she would cancel the contract to build the access road on gravina island. Enter your email address below to begin receiving daily notifications of new notices. Pennock island in the narrows is also now accessible. Ketchikan comprehensive housing assessment project. Dots woodrow said that because the official purpose and need statement of the gravina access project. Bridge too far on the bridge to nowhere politifact. Gravina island access is a project that governor sarah palin cancelled in 2007 but which is still ongoing see p. Gravina access project seis scoping summary report 2 december 2008 alternative f1 as well as alternative f3 also included a 3.
The proposed project would improve surface transportation between revillagigedo island and gravina island in the ketchikan gateway borough borough located in southeast alaska. Resources biological opinion construction of the tongass narrows project gravina access february 06, 2019. There wouldnt be much more to say about gravina island, except that in 2005 it was on the receiving end of one of the most notorious cases of porkbarrel politics in u. Potential solutions to the issue have come in many permutations from underground tunnels to the bridge to nowhere but no significant improvements have been constructed to date. Ketchikan comprehensive housing assessment project power point presentation chap full report pdf chap appendix pdf forms and applications. Known locally as the gravina island access project, it was meant to be a permanent connection between ketchikan, with a population of 8,000, and gravina island, with a. Asbuilts are listed below in chronological order, search for a specific project. Palin administration still pursuing nowhere project. The road project is being funded through alaskas 20 capital budget.
The state has taken a major step toward selling timber on gravina island. The proposed gravina island highway begins as the airport access road at the ketchikan international airport parking lot on gravina island and extends south around the end of the present day runway and up the hill to an intersection with gravina island highway and lewis reef road. Members of the alaskan congressional delegation, particularly representative don young and senator ted stevens, were the bridges biggest advocates in congres. Alternatives evaluation summary report public comment. Financing andor direct investment in capital infrastructure improvements such as roads. A ferry runs to the island every 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes during the. Project contractors aver that gravina access project would serve to improve surface.
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