By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The first four floats at Crescent Harbor have been empty since mid-November, but Harbor Master Stan Eliason said it’s about to get busy.
Turnagain Marine of Anchorage is about to start work on replacing Floats 1 through 4, with new piling and flotation, and new electrical and water systems.
The $13 million project is funded by $8 million in revenue bonds through the Alaska bond bank, and $5 million in matching funds from the state, through the harbor matching grant program.
Only the highest-ranked projects are funded through the matching grant program, and although Crescent ranked high, it took a few years for funding to be approved, Eliason said.
“We were lucky,” the harbor master said of state funding approval.
But he said the work has been needed for some time. The floats being replaced date from 1965 when the harbor was built.
An empty Crescent Harbor is pictured today. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
Although it doesn’t look like anything has been going on, Eliason said city workers and contractors have been doing prep work, such as removing cleats and meters, and salvaging as much material as possible.
“We don’t want to waste anything if we don’t have to,” Eliason said.
More than 100 boats had to be relocated to free up the docks for the renovation project. Eliason found temporary homes for them by freezing the harbor wait-list as soon as funding was approved, and as spaces gradually opened up in other parts of the city harbors they were assigned to the boats that would be moved.
The Turnagain Marine construction barge left Bellingham on Friday, and is expected to arrive this coming Saturday, Jan. 4, Eliason said. The water stanchions still need to be removed, he said, and he’s hoping to get that done before the expected snowfall keeps city workers busy plowing snow in the harbors.
In-water work is expected to be done by March 15, before the herring fishery, Eliason said. The work includes new electrical and water systems, new pilings and wood-decked floats. The floats will be supported by foam-encapsulated tubs, instead of foam blocks as at present.
“It will last much longer,” he said.
The resolution to apply for the $8 million in revenue bonds was narrowly approved by the Assembly in July 2018. Some members voiced concern about the city’s taking on more debt, but the majority agreed that the availability of matching funds made this a good time to accomplish a needed project.
Eliason said today he appreciates the patience of Crescent Harbor slipholders.
