Council Continues Cautiously Concerning Cycle Course

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT
Tuesday night the Kodiak City Council met and once again discussed at length the proposed bike path from downtown to Dead Man’s Curve. The council must sign a draft agreement with the State Department of Transportation on the project before the definitive costs can be provided. The vagueness of the project’s price tag is because true costs will not be known until the design and planning starts, a process that cannot be enacted without the draft agreement. If signed, Mayor Pat Branson said the city would be obligated to pay for the bike path, even if the project costs swing higher or lower than the previously estimated cost of $4.5 million.

— (Bike DOT 1 :32 “The thing that bothers me with …not in favor of a bike path.”)

Many council members echoed that concern, and questioned whether the city was in the financial position to take on a project with an unknown cost.
It was also said at the meeting that DOT has given the council until October to decide whether or not to sign the draft agreement. Councilman Rich Walker said the city should use that time to see whether or not the Pier III project could incorporate some of the construction for the bike path.

— (Bike DOT 2 :33 “I would say, if we have a little bit of… or look at it together.”)

Since October, the council has sent the DOT numerous questions regarding the draft agreement and City Manager Aimee Kniazowski said few clarifications have been made. She posed the option of bringing a representative from DOT down to Kodiak to speak directly with the council, along with proponents and opponents of the bike path. Councilman Randy Bishop questioned whether bringing someone in would actually give the council and community the answers the desire.

— (Bike DOT 3 :24 “Just a question, if we were to … becoming repetitive.”)

Kniazowski said that’s a valid concern, but added that having someone in the room might shed a little more light on the DOT’s process or perspective. Because of the extended timeline on the draft agreement, the council agreed that bringing someone from DOT to Kodiak should be the council’s next move.