Comment period for Cascade Point Ferry Terminal extended to Jan. 9
- Mark Sabbatini
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
State DOT allows six additional weeks for controversial project 30 miles north of Juneau
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
This is a developing story.
The public comment period for the Cascade Point Ferry Terminal, which would relocate the docking point for Alaska Marine Highway System vessels far north of the current Auke Bay terminal, has been extended by six weeks until Jan. 9.
The extension was made on Friday — the original comment deadline — by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. DOT officials could not be immediately reached on Saturday for an explanation of why the deadline was extended.
The long-discussed terminal is being advocated by the Dunleavy administration as part of a revived Juneau Access Project — declared dead by former Gov. Bill Walker in 2017 — with an eye on extending roads linked by shorter ferry routes. A recently released state economic study says the Cascade Point terminal has mixed transportation impacts, but would be a boon to a proposed gold mine and other possible development north of town.
A $28.5 million state agreement was signed by the state in July for the first phase of work on the land at Cascade Point owned by Goldbelt Inc.
The project was the primary topic of discussion at a recent open house hosted by DOT to discuss revisions to the Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan, which serves as a 20-year future blueprint for the region. Comments by attendees overwhelmingly opposed the new terminal, stating upgrades to existing ferry vessels and facilities should be prioritized.
DOT’s website for the Cascade Point project states it "is the initial uplands development phase of a multi-phase project to construct a new ferry terminal."
"This Stage 1 project is to prepare an access road and a material storage/construction staging area pad that will support future construction phase(s) of the ferry terminal project," the website states. "The purpose of the future ferry terminal is to enhance operational efficiency and improve schedule reliability for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) while better serving nearby communities. This project is needed at the proposed location to reduce ferry transit times to Haines and Skagway by establishing a closer terminal location along the northern Lynn Canal route."
Further comment periods will be set during future stages of the project, according to DOT.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
