Alaska's ports, harbors challenge engineers: consultants join state, corps in keeping facilities functional.

• Author: West, Gail
• Position: TRANSPORTATION/CONSTRUCTION

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Landlocked states can never fully comprehend a budget that has to include the ports and harbors of a place such as Alaska. From the wind-and wave-battered Aleutian ports to the river docks of the Kuskokwim and the Yukon, the State of Alaska, the Corps of Engineers and the communities with the ports and harbors shoulder the responsibility of keeping ports safe and commercially useful.

The state, an owner of many of those ports, through the Alaska Marine Highway System and the state's Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has the responsibility to keep the ferries in docking space and terminals.

"Most of my projects involve the marine highway system," said Bern Savikko, marine engineering manager for DOT's Southeast region, harbors and marine highway section. Among the many projects currently in the planning or construction phases, are the new $14 million Kodiak ferry terminal and the Gustavus causeway replacement.

"The original Gustavus dock was built a long time ago," Savikko said. "It's a single-lane dock, and it's at the end of its useful life. We're going out to bid, I hope in August, for a new, approximately $20 million, dock."

Also set for improvements is the ferry terminal at Hoonah--a $3.5 million project that's going through the state's environmental process. Savikko said the project is currently scheduled to advertise in March 2009, but added the date is subject to change. The Juneau/Auke Bay ferry terminal is also going through the "scoping process," Savikko said, as part of the Southeast Alaska Regional Transportation Plan.

"There's a $2.14-million project currently under way in Haines to add three new dolphins to the existing facility. That will let vessels dock port side, too," Savikko said. "The contractor on that project is Western Dock & Bridge Inc. of Ketchikan."

The other project the State has planned for Haines will replace the State-owned portion of Lutak dock with a riprap slope and individual mooring dolphins. Eventually, it will add a dual stern-berth facility, Savikko added. This new facility will service mainline and shuttle vessels through either stern or side doors, and is anticipated to cost $20 million to $22 million.

Kirk Miller, project manager for the state DOT/PF Southeast region, added another project to the list--a new ferry terminal in Annette Bay at Metlakatla, which should net out at close to $6.5 million.

"We've put about $75 million into ports and harbors around Southeast in the last six years," Miller said.

DESIGNING PORTS, HARBORS

Working alongside the state at Haines, the borough has contracted with PND Engineers, a Juneau-based engineering firm, to design the inner harbor...