 by Dick Kauffman September 27, 2002
Among the items on the KEDA agenda was an update on the proposed bridge to Gravina by Roger Healy of the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) and Mark Dalton, HDR, Inc. Simulation tests were conducted in May and June of 2002 and the reports are now being reviewed by the United States Coast Guard and two marine pilots associations according to Healy and were not available to present to KEDA Thursday night. The reports were prepared by a Florida based computerized simulation center and by Glosten Associates, a Seattle-based engineering agency. Not hiding his disappointment that the Tongass Narrows navigation simulation reports would not be released to the public before next week's election, KEDA Chairman Ed Fisher asked for a definite date for the release of the reports. A date of October 11th was given by the Department of Transportation representatives. Regarding the delay in the release of the Tongass Narrows navigation simulation report to KEDA and to the public, Fisher spoke directly to Mark Dalton and Roger Healy saying, "It absolutely stinks that you've made an agreement with the Pilots' Association which have a vested interest in this thing at the expense of the public which has a vested interest." Fisher said, it is absolutely unfair for you to keep the reports to yourselves and to the Pilots, of all people, who are clearly in opposition to the bridge project and have been from
Dalton responded to Fisher's remarks by stating that the "agreement" wasn't made with the Pilots' Association but was actually made at the request of the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard had insisted on those terms said Healy. Repeating what was publicly stated previously, Healy said that DOT along with the USCG and local marine pilots had agreed not to disclose or discuss the test results until a final report is issued. Healy said the idea on this agreement was not necessarily as it pertained to the report and its generation but their worry was once the simulation was done that their Department wasn't put in the position of trying to fight this battle of whether or not someone ran into such and such a rock or didn't, or whether this was the right channel or not. He said they didn't want to be fighting that battle "snippet for snippet" in the daily news. Healy said this was a good thing that they've done. During the approximately one hour question and answer period, Healy and Dalton said actual construction work could be expected to begin no earlier than January 2005 if the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was accepted and if a final crossing has been identified by June 2003. The design process would then take another 18 months before construction could begin. Mark Dalton remarked to the KEDA Board that the Gravina-Access Project has opened an office at 430 Dock Street. The office was opened on Wednesday and an open house was
Dalton said the new local Gravina-Access Project office has available for public review current information on all the proposed bridge crossings, including maps and also a 7 foot long by 3 foot wide scale-model of all the proposed crossings. Plans are for the office to be opened from 10 am - 7 pm through October 1st, including this weekend with hours from 1-5 pm. The office will also be open from October 2nd through the end of November, Tuesday through Thursday, with hours 10 am - 7 pm. Members of the KEDA Board present Thursday night included Martin Pihl, Paul Axelson, Charles Freeman, Ed Fisher, Colleen Scanlon, Mike Holman, and Chris Herby. KEDA Executive Director Dick Adams was also present. According to the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC), KEDA Board Members Paul Axelson, Ed Fisher and Mike Holman are committee officers of The Committee To Promote Gravina Access which is a local political advocacy group promoting "We Want A Bridge."
Gravina-Access Information:
 
ADOT&PF
August 2002 Gravina Access
Alternatives Chart : Lists alternatives, descriptions & costs (1MB)
Federal Aviation Administration Letters:
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Public Comments:
Gravina Access Project - Web Site
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To Remarks By Fisher & Healy regarding the simulation reports
