By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Making Halibut Point Road safer and friendlier for those on foot or riding bikes was rated high in a survey just completed by Sitka Trail Works.
But the upgrades will have to overcome a series of hurdles before they can become reality, Sitka Trail Works executive director Ben Hughey said in an interview Thursday.
Ceri Malein walks her dogs, Laguna and Stella, along Halibut Point Road this afternoon after hiking on the Sitka Cross Trail. A Sitka Trail Works survey showed a lot of interest in improving the path along the state highway for pedestrians and cyclists. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
Other proposals favored in the 567 responses to the Trail Works survey were to improve and extend trails in the Starrigavan Valley, and projects to provide every day access for walkers and cyclists around town and on the road system.
Hughey said the lengthy and detailed survey produced more than 3,000 comments on more than two dozen trail ideas and cabin proposals.
“We were, again, really surprised and pleased with the response rate,” Hughey said. “This wasn’t a 30-second survey, it on average took 20 minutes... Each of these concepts is a multi-year construction effort. They’re complex ideas that have a lot of implications for the future of our community. And so people took the time to go through this and it was really impressive to see.”
Hughey said the high rating given to improvements for walking and bike riding on Halibut Point Road stood out.
“It just seems like folks saw that as the most pressing need,” he said. “A lot of these recreation enhancements are highly desired… But ultimately, at the end of the day, what are you going to use every day? What are you going to use to get to work, to walk the dog, and not just on the weekend?”
Halibut Point Road is a state highway, and right-of-way issues will complicate any project like the improvements proposed for walkers and cyclists, Hughey said.
“The feasibility of this project is a real challenge,” he said. “It was actually first proposed in the 2002 non-motorized transportation plan to make improvements and was identified as a priority.”
At present, cyclists and pedestrians can use a sidewalk for the first two miles northbound from town, but after that there’s only a painted line and a narrow strip between the roadway and the ditch.
“It’s extremely dangerous,” Hughey said. “We have long nights and there’s not adequate, safe facilities along the road. And there’s a lot of people who live off the street and want to either go for a walk for exercise or bike into town for their job. And if a (driver) reaches down for the radio or a cup of coffee or veers slightly, there’s nothing to protect a person from a passing vehicle.”
In terms of more backcountry trail options, improvements to the existing routes in the Starrigavan Valley were a top priority in the survey, Hughey said.
“The current trail goes straight up the mountain and is a muddy chute because of it,” he said. We’ll need to identify a more sustainable alignment and that is more pleasant… They were excited about expanding both the hiking as well as the ORV (off-road vehicle) and mountain bike opportunities, which are included in this broader proposal for recreation enhancements.”
Trail work in the valley would be a multi-year effort, he noted, and would constitute “a massive undertaking.”
The U.S. Forest Service currently is doing repair work on an old logging road in the valley, which was badly damaged in a 2015 landslide.
Hughey stressed the importance of walking access in areas closer to town also, and said a proposed walking loop on Japonski Island was well received by the community.
“We’ve heard that comment quite a bit, that accessibility was pretty paramount to folks with all types of mobility. They should be able to use these facilities.”
Generally, Sitkans expressed a desire for trail development on the road system, rather than projects that would require boat access.
“That was definitely a theme throughout the comment section; people are excited about these big ideas on Kruzof or something, but ultimately ranked and noted that facilities can serve way more Sitkans if you don’t have to rely on the boat to get there.”
As for cabins, spots on the Harbor Mountain Road and Starrigavan Ridge were ranked at the top.
“We didn’t include in the survey the annual maintenance that needs to be done, because it’s just going to be done,” Hughey said.
The non-profit group is applying for a grant to restore old logging roads on Kruzof Island and is working on the planned rerouting of the Gavan Hill Trail. Both projects are in conjunction with those of the U.S. Forest Service. Hughey said the new, northern segment of the Cross Trail is now connected, and Sitkans already are using it. Sitka Trail Works is planning to have it fully completed by early summer.
“The next step is to assemble a final project list for inclusion in the trail plan. In making final project selections, the Trail Plan Committee will evaluate public comments along with agency input, feasibility constraints, and sustainability considerations,” a Trail Works statement reads.
