Ketchikan Tongass Avenue & Water Street Viaducts

Project # SFHWY00196

Project Overview

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is embarking on a comprehensive, multi-year improvement plan for the Tongass Avenue and Water Street corridor. This long-term approach will bring the corridor up to modern design standards and ensure that vital infrastructure will continue to serve Ketchikan safely and reliably for decades to come.

The project is being split into multiple projects outlined in more detail below. This map shows where each funded project will occur. There are other unfunded projects that are not shown. The project corridor is owned and maintained by DOT&PF.

     

Why is this project needed?

Under the road:

The bridges, or viaducts, under Water Street and Tongass Avenue were built in the 1950s and have supported the community for more than 70 years. While they have served Ketchikan well, now is the time to start planning and replacing the bridges. Replacing them will ensure these important connections remain safe, reliable, and able to meet the community's needs for decades to come.

On top of the road:

As Ketchikan has grown and community needs have changed, this corridor can be improved to better serve residents and visitors.

• Sidewalks, crosswalks, ramps, and railings can be updated to align with modern accessibility and design practices
• Pavement renewal will enhance comfort and reliability for travelers
• Drainage improvements can help manage flooding along Water Street during heavy rains
• Other enhancements will help accommodate increased vehicle and pedestrian activity, particularly during the busy summer season

How does this project propose to address those needs?

We are proposing the following improvements to Tongass Avenue and Water Street:

• Repair and replace the viaduct structures as needed to reduce future maintenance costs and the need for unexpected closures
• Work with the City of Ketchikan to replace water and sewer lines at the end of their design life
• Widen sidewalks, improve wheelchair access at crosswalks, and upgrade pedestrian railings to meet current design standards
• Repave or repair the pavement throughout the corridor to improve the driving surface
• Improve drainage near the intersection with Chapman Street to address flooding

Project Phases

The project is planned as a series of phased improvements over 15 years, allowing for careful coordination and adaptation to the community's needs. Phase 1 consists of three funded projects. Phase 2 consists of two unfunded projects.

Funding has been secured for the first three projects, which are expected to be constructed in the short-term beginning as early as 2027. The last two projects are planned for future years after funding is secured.

Phase 1: Near-term, funded work

Project 1: Pavement Repairs

This phase includes spot pavement repairs on Tongass Avenue and Water Street. In an effort to minimize impacts to the public, the pavement repairs at the s-curves where Water Street and Tongass Avenue meet just north of Schoenbar Road will be done as part of Project 3.

Project 2: Structure Repairs

This project includes spot repairs of the bridges under Tongass Avenue and Water Street to prevent unexpected closures and other safety measures from impacting the traveling public until the bridges can be replaced.

Project 3: Jim Creek Culvert Replacement and Abandoned Structure Removal

This project includes replacing the Jim Creek culvert north of Schoenbar Road with a larger culvert to address flooding that occurs during heavy rains. It also includes replacing an abandoned bridge structure near the culvert with dirt fill. Utilities will be upgraded as needed. Project 3 also includes replacing pavement in this segment of the corridor and improvements to pedestrian facilities at the s-curve where Water Street and Tongass Avenue meet, extending to just north of Schoenbar Road.

Phase 2: Future work, not yet funded

Project 4: Water Street Viaduct Replacement

This project includes replacing the aging Water Street viaduct. The viaduct, or bridge, will be replaced with walls and fill in some areas and with new bridge structures in other areas. It will be replaced in sections, likely over several years. During this process, the corridor will be reconstructed including a proposed new signal at Schoenbar Road, new ADA-compliant sidewalks, and upgraded utilities.

Project 5: Tongass Avenue Viaduct Replacement

This project includes replacing the aging Tongass Avenue viaduct. Similar to the Water Street replacement, the old structure will be replaced with walls and fill and some areas and a new bridge structure in other areas. It will also be replaced in sections, and the corridor will be reconstructed with new sidewalks and upgraded utilities.

Our commitment to you

This project will bring meaningful and lasting improvements to the Ketchikan community. We know that achieving these changes will take several years and that construction will create unavoidable impacts for residents, businesses, and visitors. While some disruptions are inevitable, our commitment is to work closely with the community to reduce them as much as we can. We will listen, adapt, and coordinate throughout the process to ease effects on traffic, pedestrians, and local businesses.

We will...

• Listen
• Be honest, transparent, and consistent in our communications
• Maintain an open two-way conversation
• Request your feedback at key project decision points
• Adapt
• Respond to your feedback/questions within five business days
• Send project updates through the email listserv at least every three months
• Involve local municipalities and tribes in monthly team meetings
• Integrate construction impacts into project decision-making from the start
• Seek to ease effects on traffic, pedestrians, and local businesses

We welcome your feedback on how well we are meeting these commitments. It is a top priority for our project team that the community of Ketchikan is meaningfully involved in this project's development and if you have ideas about how we can do that better, please let us know.

Open House

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us at the first public open house for the Ketchikan Tongass Avenue & Water Street Viaducts Project on October 15, 2025. The event was an opportunity for us to learn more about your thoughts on the project and share information about the proposed improvements.

Here are the downloadable documents and displays that were shared at the first open house:

• Our Commitment to You Handout with Contact Information
• Property Access and Right of Way Information Sheet
• Display Board: Project Phasing
• Display Board: Viaduct Conditions and Needs
• Display Board: Right-of-Way & Property Access Considerations
• Display Board: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Current Conditions PowerPoint
• Ideas and Concerns Poster

Stay Updated

If you have questions or comments, you can email the project team at contact@ketchikanviaducts.com

Please fill out the form below to sign up for occasional email updates and announcements.

---

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by DOT&PF pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated April 13, 2023, and executed by FHWA and DOT&PF.