Cascade Point Ferry Terminal, Southcoast Region Project

Cascade Point Ferry Terminal

Project # HSHWY00031

Project Overview

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is advancing development of a new ferry terminal at Cascade Point, underscoring Governor Mike Dunleavy’s commitment to improving transportation reliability, reducing operational costs, and increasing public access to Juneau, the State’s Capital, and communities across Southeast Alaska. The project represents a bold step forward — moving from agreement to action — on a top priority for the Governor and a long-standing concept for enhancing regional connectivity.

In 2023, the State and Goldbelt, Inc., a Native corporation located in Juneau, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue shared infrastructure at Cascade Point (Mile 42, Glacier Highway). With Goldbelt owning the surrounding lands, the MOU reflects a unique public-private partnership rooted in shared interests — supporting local economies, respecting Alaska Native land stewardship, and improving essential services for residents.

The project will construct a new ferry terminal at Cascade Point including a single-end loading berth with vehicle and pedestrian transfer bridges, mooring and berthing dolphins and a rubble-mound breakwater. Upland development will include an access road, terminal building, vehicle staging area, storage building, drinking water treatment facility, wastewater treatment facility, generator building, fuel storage tanks, and other necessary utilities to allow the facility to serve as a homeport for AMHS vessels.

DOT&PF has divided the project into two stages:

Stage 1 is a design-build project in the uplands area which includes design and construction of the ferry terminal access road and uplands staging area. The main elements of the project include:

Construction of an access road
Installation of a bridge over Cascade Creek
Initial site preparation of the staging area
Stockpiling materials for the construction of the causeway in Stage 2

Stage 2 is currently at 35% design and will include design and construction of all remaining components listed below:

Offshore components:

Stern-berth ferry terminal with vehicle and pedestrian bridges
Mooring, berthing and guide dolphins
Rubble mound breakwater
Dredging the basin of the ferry terminal

Onshore components:

Terminal building
Storage building
Generator building
Vehicle staging and parking
Water treatment system and holding tank
Wastewater treatment system
Fuel storage system

Stage 1 design and construction work, and Stage 2 design work are utilizing funds appropriated for the Juneau Access project. These state funds are specifically available for improving transportation in the Lynn Canal corridor — an intent this project fulfills while avoiding new federal debt or lengthy delays.

Purpose & Need

Located approximately 30 miles north of the current Auke Bay terminal, Cascade Point offers strategic advantages:

Reduced transit times to Haines and Skagway by more than two hours round trip
Improved schedule reliability through reduced marine miles and exposure to weather
Lower operating and fuel costs, extending the viability of the AMHS fleet
Increased service capacity, allowing the potential for increased ferry runs during peak summer demand

These benefits directly respond to recommendations in the 2020 AMHS Reshaping Work Group Report, which identified Cascade Point as a promising solution for modernizing operations and boosting service reliability. The 2045 AMHS Long-Range Plan acknowledged Cascade Point as a possibility, once technical feasibility work was completed. Engineering analysis confirms Cascade Point meets the technical criteria necessary for AMHS ferry service.

Cascade Point does not replace the Auke Bay Terminal. Rather, it complements and enhances the overall ferry system. This dual-terminal approach provides operational flexibility and resiliency, ensuring that AMHS can adapt to seasonal demand, optimize vessel deployment, and strengthen continuity of service in the event of disruptions or weather-related constraints.

Project History

The Cascade Point concept is not new. It was initially explored nearly two decades ago and resurfaced in 2019 when internal DOT&PF memos acknowledged the feasibility of a terminal to support day-boat operations and resolve known challenges with existing terminals. Since 2022, DOT&PF has partnered with Goldbelt to evaluate engineering, environmental, and operational feasibility, completing preliminary designs and initiating land use agreements. Once the land use agreements are finalized, future work and development at Cascade Point will continue.

Status

Stage 1 is currently in design and is scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2026.

Stage 2 is currently in design. The construction schedule will be determined at a later date.

Stay Updated

DOT&PF acknowledges that some members of the public have expressed interest in better understanding the project’s development process. DOT&PF reaffirms its intent to engage the public, provide information proactively, and welcome input throughout development. Cascade Point is not a substitute for broader marine infrastructure investment — it is one key component of a more resilient and efficient ferry system.