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
Cruise Donation Helps in High Cost of Trail Spur
A trailhead on Halibut Point Road is pictured today. Sitka Trail Works recently received a $75,000 grant from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to complete the trail that connects to the Sitka Cross Trail. (Sentinel Photo)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka Trail Works received a $75,000 contribution Friday from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for completion of a 0.6 mile trail segment that connects the deep water cruise dock to the Sitka Cross Trail, for the enjoyment of cruise visitors and locals.
Construction of the link is already under way. In expressing thanks to the cruise line for the donation, Trail Works project manager Lynne Brandon said high construction costs are a continuing problem for trail building.
“The estimates for the trail budget were created in 2015 for a grant from the federal Department of Transportation,” Brandon said. “With exponentially increasing construction costs, the connector trail that is planned to go down to Halibut Point Road near the cruise terminal has become infeasible within the current budget.”
In particular, the costs to reach and bridge No Name Creek have been high, Brandon said.
“We had a huge cut to get down to No Name Creek and keep grade. That was where our costs just went through the roof. Normally our average price per linear foot is about $175 and it went well up over $500,” she said over the phone today.
The completion of 500 feet of trail descending to the creek took four months and cost $250,000, Brandon said.
All told, Brandon estimates the completion of the mainline and connector will require significant additional funding. Trail Works is currently seeking fresh grant monies, particularly from the Denali Commission.
“The project budget for that (cruise dock connector) piece is approximately $300,000. We are asking Denali for $197,500,” Brandon said. “For the 50-50 match ratio, we have secured $75,000 from our generous friends at Royal Caribbean and have $100,000 in existing project funds for match. We are fundraising for an additional $22,500 for match locally.”
Brandon said the total estimated cost to complete the trail and cruise dock connector stands at $395,000. Since 2009, the Cross Trail project has cost nearly $5 million. Trail Works is still accepting local donations.
While the mainline of the Cross Trail extension between Harbor Mountain Road and Starrigavan boat launch parking lot is nearly complete except for the bridge spanning No Name Creek, Brandon said, it’s impractical to finish the primary section while the connector isn’t done.
At the moment, the new segment of the Cross Trail is topped by rough gravel, but will need to be finished with fine gravel to make it walkable and bikeable.
“The final finishing cap of (fine gravel) for the mainline Phase 6 trail is postponed until the connector trail is complete, since our crew will still use the mainline trail for construction activities. Running dump trucks and machinery over that fine grain gravel tears up the ‘finish.’ We’ll have 90 percent of the entire project constructed once the No Name bridge is complete, but won’t be 100 percent complete until we get the remaining 0.3 miles of the 0.6-mile connector trail and the finish course done,” Brandon said.
When the trail is completed, Brandon hopes it will relieve a degree of tourist pressure.
“Our trail offers a release valve for some of that (visitor) overflow,” Brandon said. “The trail will provide an option to disperse both spatially and chronologically, so people could go for a walk in the morning and then take a bus to downtown in the afternoon, so there’s more of a phased approach to transit,” she said. “The trail will help with dispersal in terms of acting as a small business opportunity. Local guiding outfits could offer to lead folks on a walk or bike into the forest.”
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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 .....