Southeast Alaska is a jigsaw puzzle of islands and inlets, beaches and bays. Transportation—from bridges to ferries— can be a hot topic! Here are some of the transportation projects SEACC works:

The Juneau Road: A Dead-End Proposal

The proposed Juneau Road extension would add 50 miles of new road from Echo Cove (40 miles north of Juneau), dead-ending at a new ferry terminal on the Katzehin River. From there, drivers would have to catch a shuttle ferry to Haines or Skagway.  This two-lane road would cross 31 avalanche chutes and cross unstable, difficult terrain. The Department of Transportation estimates the project will cost at least $374 million. At a time when federal transportation funding is declining, this project would pull state funding from other projects if the state goes forward with it.

I Believe In Ferries: Alaska Marine Highway System

SEACC has long supported the Alaska Marine Highway System as a way to connect our communities in Southeast. For over forty years the “blue canoes” have carried people and vehicles to visit family and friends, attend special events, seek medical care, and shop in other towns. In winter, they are often safer and more reliable than flying. The path to a stronger ferry system includes 2-year schedules so communities can plan events, replacing aging vessels, and enough funding to provide frequent schedules for all communities.