Seawalk Survey
Dear Editor: It’s very difficult during our busy fall hunting and holiday season to only have 30 days to comment on important infrastructure such as the Seawalk. That said, please take a moment to reflect on the thoughts that we posted on the City of Sitka website, which neither we, nor the public, can view. How can we hold a constructive community conversation when we can’t see each other’s comments?
Our concerns take into consideration the congestion, pedestrian safety and traffic problems that already exist downtown, including Katlian Street, Lincoln Street and Harbor Drive. These areas are of concern in the off-season, multiplied during the summer tourist season.
First, do we want or need to extend the Sea Walk into downtown? We don’t think so. There is very little parking in the Totem Square area for more pedestrians to start their walks or more activity there. When the city closes Lincoln Street and we lose those parking places Totem Square parking is filled. On Harbor Drive, we already have significant traffic and safety concerns due to high traffic over the bridge, which is the busy and only gateway to Sitka’s hospital, airport and Coast Guard (also expanding).
Add the planned floatplane dock on Japonski Island and it will get even more congested. With Phase I, it was clear that a winding trail was not likely to be used by tourists, who want to get straight from Centennial Hall into town, then back again to catch their busses. This has created an ongoing problem with a multitude of jaywalkers who do not realize this road is busy and can be dangerous. They won’t even go a short distance to the crosswalks, much less stroll round the base of the bridge.
Our solution is to place a handicap accessible overpass at the junction where the Seawalk Trail meets Harbor Drive to get people safely across the highway. This, in conjunction with heavy fines for jaywalking, and/or good signage, would improve the safety for locals and visitors. If you insist on extending the proposed seawalk extension to Totem Square, it could go over the overpass, then follow the city side of Harbor Drive, meet up with the path that already exits around Castle Hill, on the city side of the O’Connell Bridge, and continue on to Totem Square, by the city office building.
Regardless of what you choose to do, please consider that we don’t need to extend the Seawalk, it will cost us to maintain it, and we can’t afford to lose any parking spaces downtown. Better yet, have it end at the library. Disperse tourists right into the center of town with the overpass, where they can go either direction, for the benefit of local merchants and citizens. This could allow the state to remove the crosswalk at Maksoutoff Street, so we would have crossings at the Lincoln Street/Harbor Drive intersection, plus the overpass, but no others. Traffic would improve and people would be safer. Parking places will be preserved, which is much needed in our downtown. Thank you for listening!
Klaudia and Michael Leccese, Sitka
