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) 

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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 .....

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