KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Turnagain Marine Construction, an Anchorage based company, is accepting public input on the replacement design for St. Herman Harbor.
Thursday, April 11, the company revealed two potential concepts for the overhaul of Kodiak’s largest boat harbor during the ComFish trade show, which started in 1980 as a marine trades fair held in a National Guard wall tent.
The City of Kodiak entered into phase one of the St. Herman Harbor replacement project in the fall of last year. Turnagain Marine Construction was awarded the contract to do Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Permitting work in late November and since has been relatively quiet in sharing information with the public.
But at a forum during this week’s ComFish trade show, Joe Lyman with Turnagain Marine shared two possible concepts for the project. Both options would increase the current dock space available by dozens of stalls, from 264 to over 300. Some of the current stalls are not used however due to some of the persistent deterioration issues the harbor faces.
“Concept A is more geared towards the 30 feet and under vessel size while Concept B is more geared to the 36 feet and above vessel size. Concept B, again, was 329 total slips with Concept A being 383 [slips]. And the side tying capacity on A is roughly 1,300 feet and the side tie on Concept B is roughly 1,225 feet,” Lyman explained.
Maximizing space and providing more room for 30 foot or bigger vessels is one of the priorities for Kodiak’s Port and Harbors department as it moves forward with the replacement project.
An analysis in 2010 by Alaska’s PND Engineers deemed St. Herman Harbor was reaching the end of its life cycle. Harbormaster Dave Johnson said the harbor has now extended beyond its life and is continuing to lose slips due to winter storms and general wear and tear.
“Obviously 14 years later we are here, which just means essentially the St. Herman Harbor is losing slips faster than they can be replaced. Winter wind storms will generally cause a finger float or two [to be lost], which each of those is two slips. So it adds up,” Johnson stated.
Turnagain Marine staff estimate it could take up to a year or more to finish the permitting, before initial construction can begin on the replacement project.
Members of the public can submit their input by visiting Turnagain Marine’s booth 35 at the ComFish expo in the KANA Marketplace. The St. Herman Harbor replacement project survey is accessible in Kodiak via QR code through Saturday afternoon, April 13.
