FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
State Road Project Slows SMC Traffic
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
With traffic restricted to one lane on a busy stretch of Sawmill Creek Road, the Alaska Department of Transportation is taking steps to reduce the impact of the repaving project, expected to be underway until August 20.
“The milling is happening now, and we will see the new asphalt go down probably next week. We believe they want to do that at night ,,, when they have less traffic,” DOT construction project manager Catherine Wilkins told the Sentinel today.
Project design manager Bran Pollard said a key goal of DOT projects is to keep two lanes for traffic open when possible, but that this is not always assured.
“I can’t rule out the possibility that in some operations... we won’t have any instances when traffic will be alternating one-way with a flagger. We will certainly try to limit that, but I can’t rule out the possibility that it will happen,” Pollard said.
Wilkins noted that lane closures are inevitable when asphalt is being laid, as it is unsafe to drive on freshly laid asphalt.
“Your tires would melt,” she said.
Wilkins said the work on Sawmill Creek Road around the Indian River bridge is needed.
“The asphalt of Sawmill Creek Road in this area is unraveling,” Wilkins said. “When asphalt goes down it has seams, the seams are generally a weakness. We try to locate them so they’re not where the tires are, but that’s where it starts. Water gets in and freezes and thaws. Roads have a lifespan.”
She described the current project as a “mill and fill,” in which a crew grinds away the top layer of pavement, then replaces that layer with new asphalt, leaving the base structure intact.
“We put grinding machines that grind off the top few inches... Everything beneath is still solid and in good condition, and then we put back on top the amount that we took off,” Wilkins said.
She said the milling phase should be completed today, and asphalt laid next week, weather depending. Wilkins said that the asphalt will likely be laid at night to reduce the impact on traffic.
“So far I don’t think that there has been much impact on traffic,” she said. “We try to keep delays under 15 minutes.”
Lines of traffic move slowly down Sawmill Creek Road today as a repaving project progresses. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
Wilkins and Pollard said the project also includes installing concrete ramps at intersections for accessibility, and a pedestrian crosswalk blinker for safer road crossings near the Public Safety academy. Wilkins said these ramps, located on the intersections of Indian River Road, Raptor Way, Jarvis Street and Smith Street, will comply with standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The DOT officials said more state highway improvements in Sitka are planned in 2021, including a near-total reconstruction of Sawmill Creek Road between the roundabout and Jeff Davis Street.
He emphasized the measures that will be taken to reduce traffic problems.
“The things we try to limit are how long the queue can be if traffic is stopped, limiting the duration for how long the contractor is allowed to queue vehicles on one side,” Pollard said. “We’re going to try to maintain two-way traffic when the work zone allows it... I do foresee instances when the work zone will be too wide to allow that, and we’re going to use flagging and queue cars.”
He said the 2021 project will involve “full pavement section reconstruction. It’s not just the pavement on top… It’s a reconstruction project as opposed to a preventative maintenance project.”
Wilkins added that another 2021 project will be work to improve visibility and overall safety at the Peterson Avenue intersection with Halibut Point Road just past McDonald’s.
“We compile statistics on crashes, and those where there are fatalities go to the top (of the priority list),” she said.
Wilkins said that as the current project moves forward, weather will play a role. While the road does not need to be dry in order to lay asphalt, she said, there can’t be standing water, as it cools the asphalt too quickly.
“The water doesn’t hurt the asphalt, it just cools too fast,” she said. Wilkins added that DOT projects, such as the work on Sawmill Creek Road are designed to increase driver and pedestrian safety.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....