TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Panel Plans for Big Cruise Season

By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer

In its ongoing effort to create a short-term tourism plan, the Planning Commission at its Wednesday meeting talked about traffic and congestion mitigation.

The planning is in anticipation of record numbers of cruise ship passengers coming here next summer.

City Planning Director Amy Ainslie asked the commission and members of the public in attendance to focus on measures that can be taken within the next year.

Topics up for discussion included pedestrian safety, traffic delays, and downtown parking.

Much of the meeting’s discussion involved Lincoln Street vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the intersection of Lincoln and Lake streets, where a stoplight is in operation.

The Lincoln/Lake intersection often becomes clogged on tourist days, especially when vehicles traveling down Lake Street attempt a left-hand turn, toward Crescent Harbor.

Wednesday was a 2,000-passenger day, and downtown business owner Jim Michener told the commission that traffic at that intersection was already difficult. He reported being stuck at the intersection for two cycles of the traffic light.

Commissioners asked again about the possibility for a Department of Transportation study of downtown. They asked whether it would be possible for DOT to make recommendations about the Lincoln/Lake intersection.

Director of Public Works Michael Harmon told commissioners that DOT moves slowly, and he’s working hard to get in touch with the department.

Harmon said, too, that Lincoln Street sidewalks become overrun on relatively light tourist days, classified as days with 3,000 passengers or fewer.

Meeting attendees agreed that something will need to be done about traffic on Lincoln Street, which Harmon said is more of a destination than a street.

Michener suggested closing off Lincoln Street in a fashion similar to that which he’s observed in European cities. He said this would still allow for deliveries to downtown stores, and also said he’d be willing to haul his deliveries to his storefront without vehicular power, if that’s what needs to be done.

But Gerry Hope, transportation manager at Sitka Tribe of Alaska, said that he doesn’t want any changes to be made that could interfere with The RIDE, which has a stop by Random House. 

Hope asked the commission to keep in mind not just The RIDE’s bus transportation network, but that the network must keep a schedule, which is likely to be affected by the high numbers of visitors downtown.

Other concerns raised and discussed included parking at Crescent Harbor, better downtown signage, and alternative routes to downtown, especially as Katlian Street remains closed indefinitely because of a traffic hazard.

Those wishing to receive updates on the short-term tourism planning process can email planning@cityofsitka.com. A meeting on traffic flow at Centennial Hall is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6. At another meeting, scheduled 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20,  will review feedback collected on the topic of traffic and congestion mitigation is to be reviwed.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.

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