A portable restroom trailer is parked on Lincoln Street today. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The first of three public restrooms planned for downtown was installed this morning on Lincoln Street, and put into use immediately by visitors.
“They were using it before we rolled up the hose,” said Planning Director Amy Ainslie, referring to the filling of the water tanks for flush toilets and sinks in the facility.
The white trailer, which has separate doors for men and women, was parked across the street from Ernie’s Old Time Saloon alongside the Pioneers Home wall.
One of the units yet to be installed will be ADA accessible and also have a separate family-type restroom, Ainslie said. Installation of the three portable restrooms is part of the Short-Term Visitor Plan for accommodating as many as 450,000 cruise visitors this summer.
In addition, some local businesses and nonprofits are participating in an incentive program to make their restrooms available to the public.
Details on placement and operation of the portable restrooms were still being worked out when the short-term plan was approved, Ainslie said.
City officials said two of the portable units, like the one installed today, have four stalls on the women’s side, and two stalls and two urinals on the men’s side. Changing tables are available in both men’s and women’s sides. The third will also have a separate “family style” restroom.
One of the two units not yet installed is planned for Maksoutoff Street, near Lincoln Street. The city announced Friday that the half of the street would be closed to traffic every day through September because of the restroom. The plan calls for the street to be open between the Wells Fargo parking lot exit and Harbor Drive. The season-long closure will not occur until the restroom is placed and opened, Ainslie said.
She said today that installation of that unit is not expected until the first week of June.
Bathrooms were one of the main concerns raised by residents and the business community during the public process for the short term tourism plan, she said, and she’s continuing to receive comments from merchants interested in when they will open, and where.
“As many people are aware, everyone is dealing with issues in their supply chains as well as filling out staffing needs,” she said. “And the city is not immune to that. We’re doing everything we can to get the restrooms in place and functioning because the plan made such a clear priority of this issue.”
All three restroom units, once installed, will be in place all summer, and open on days that Lincoln Street is closed to traffic.
Lincoln Street was closed today because two major cruise ships with a total of more than 3,000 visitors were expected.
Chris McGraw, manager of Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, said today’s two ships had a total of 5,800 people aboard.
Since the dock sustained damage in a May 9 accident, the capacity of the cruise dock has been reduced to one ship at a time. McGraw said the schedule worked out well today since one of the ships didn’t arrive until 2 p.m.
The Ovation of the Seas arrived around 7:30 a.m., stayed at the dock until 1 p.m. and is currently holding position at sea a half-mile from the dock, McGraw said. Passengers either got back on board before then or will be lightered to the ship later. The second ship, Eclipse, docked at 2 p.m. and will stay there until departing at 6 p.m. today.
