Ketchikan Tongass Avenue & Water Street Viaducts

Project # SFHWY00196

Join us at the open house!

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) invites you to a Public Open House for the Ketchikan Tongass Avenue & Water Street Viaducts Project.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 5–7 p.m.
Ketchikan Public Library – Large Meeting Room
1110 Copper Ridge Lane, Ketchikan, AK

This event is an opportunity to learn more about proposed improvements to the Tongass Avenue and Water Street viaducts. Project team members will be available to answer questions and gather input.

If you need accommodations to participate, please contact the project manager at least 10 days in advance.

Project Information

DOT&PF proposes to make improvements to Tongass Avenue and Water Street in the area shown in the map below. The project corridor is owned and maintained by DOT&PF.

 

Why is this project needed?

Under the road:

The bridges of 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
• 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 or replace the viaducts 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 the corridor to improve the driving surface
• Improve drainage near the intersection with Chapman Street to address flooding
• Install a new signal at Water Street and Schoenbar Road to improve safety and reduce congestion

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.

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.

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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.