Ketchikan Tongass Avenue Improvements

Project No. Z680910000 / 902042

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is proposing an update to the Tongass Avenue Improvements project. The project was previously announced in October 2018. The project maintains the same objective of resurfacing pavement and making improvements along Tongass Avenue between Hoadley Creek (MP 0.2) and the Tongass Avenue Viaduct (MP 1.2798) Ketchikan, Alaska.

The project update includes minor changes to accommodate comments and concerns raised by the public during a public meeting held in October 2018.

Project Scope

Project activities now include:

• Reconfigure Tongass Ave. into 3 lanes from Hoadley Creek to 1st Ave (south of Whitecliff) with uniform 11-foot wide lanes in each direction and a 12-foot wide two way left turn lane in the middle.
• Add bike lanes in each direction from Hoadley Creek to Nadeau Street intersection.
• Make bicycle improvements from Nadeau Street to the end of the project, which may include sharrows (shared lanes).
• Convert the double left turn lane from Jefferson St. to Tongass Ave. into a single left turn lane.
• Construct Tongass into uniform 2 lanes with on-street parking from 1st Ave to Tongass Ave. Viaduct abutment (end of project).
• Install median pedestrian refuge islands and bulb-outs as needed.
• Eliminate or remove pedestrian crossings.
• Remove the right turn only lane to the hospital.
• Reconstruct and or remove sidewalks, curb ramps, bus stops and driveways to make compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Relocate or reconstruct utilities and power poles to make sidewalks ADA compliant.
• Replace storm drain pipe and inlets as needed.
• Replace traffic signal poles and mast arms.
• Add a crosswalk with pedestrian lighting in front of the KIC Tribal Health Clinic.
• Repair a retaining wall along the seaward side of the roadway across from Nadeau Street.

Additionally, roadway improvements along Tongass Avenue may encroach into the base floodplain (Flood Maps 0200030001B and 0200030002B). Encroachments are projected to be minor and changes to the base flood elevation are not anticipated. Similarly, longitudinal or significant encroachments are not anticipated.

Ongoing outreach with the City of Ketchikan, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, and local emergency services providers will continue.

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. The resulting planning products may be adopted during a subsequent environmental review process.