Building Western Alaska: DOT&PF and Department of Education projects dominate regional construction activity.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: PROJECTS

In the Alaska Construction Spending Forecast 2019, Scott Goldsmith forecasts that there will be increased public project transportation spending in 2019 statewide, including $682 million on highways and roads and $424 million on airports, ports, and harbors. This is a 6 percent and 3 percent increase over 2018, respectively. Combined transportation projects are estimated to total nearly $1 billion, which is approximately half of projected public construction project spending (excluding national defense) across the state.

DOT&PF Projects

Several Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities projects are taking place in Western Alaska.

In Aniak, the $38 million Aniak Airport Runway Shift project "will shift the entire 6,000-foot-long runway 260 feet laterally to comply with Federal Aviation Administration safety requirements," according to engineering and design firm Stantec, which designed the project. Construction began in 2018, continues this year, and has an anticipated completion date of 2020. To "shift" the runway, the scope of work includes a new runway and runway safety area, new taxiways, apron reconstruction, relocation of 1,900 feet of road, removal of obstacles and obstructions (including several buildings), drainage improvements, utility relocation, security fencing, contaminated soil remediation, and relocation of FAA NAVAIDS. "The runway-shift will 'right-size' the runway for the current fleet mix at the airport, which includes mostly Dash-8s, Beech 1900s, Saab 2000s, and Cessna Caravans," according to Stantec.

At the Dillingham airport, the Dillingham Airport Gate Improvements project is slated for completion by the end of September. This project, for which Stantec is providing design services, has a scope of work that includes new fencing, gates, access controls, roadway embankment, asphalt paving, signs, and markings to upgrade the fence gates and provide access control to Dillingham Airport. The contractor for the $2.2 million project is JJC Enterprises.

Also slated for completion this year is the $1.9 million Nome Airport Fence Installation. Knik Construction Company has been selected as the contractor and Stantec provided design services for this project to install perimeter fencing and construct new access and service roads at the airport. According to Stantec, "The project includes new chain link fencing, as well as buck and rail fence, intended to prohibit trespass by the local muskox herd. Currently, airport...