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.
