KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Construction of a pier on the south side of Pier III was dismissed during Tuesday’s City Council work session. Instead the city will go ahead with the project as planned, and build on the north side of current infrastructure.
Attention shifted to the south side back in June when geotechnical work on the north end of Pier III found loose sediment and deeper than expected bedrock. Originally, PND Engineers hoped to build a fill-supported pier, but the geotechnical work revealed that wouldn’t be possible. Instead, PND recommended the city go with a more expensive pile-supported design.
During the June 11 city council meeting, council members asked if building on the south side would be a better option. On Tuesday Engineer Kenton Braun answered council members’ questions and presented PND’s evaluation of the south side.
“There’s enough cons here and definitely not enough pros to go forward with moving it off to the south. It likely will result in increased costs, permitting could delay the project, land ownership also could delay the project. And as I mentioned we’re moving into the worse wave environment down there which could impact operations even more so than it gets affected right now.”
Braun detailed three options for building on the south side, all of which, for the most part, would be more expensive and pose new obstacles.
Councilman Rich Walker thanked Braun for answering all of the council’s questions and said he felt confident at this point moving forward with the more expensive pile-supported pier on the north side. The question of rockslides crossing the roadway and reaching any pier on the north side was also brought up. Braun said he would look back at PND’s evaluations and report back to the council with more information on that concern. He said PND is scheduled to present an update on the project in August.
