Ketchikan Borough faces road dilemma
The Ketchikan Gateway Borough is pondering options for maintaining several roads that will no longer be receiving snow removal service from the state. A public meeting was held Thursday, Aug. 29, to hear possible solutions from borough residents.
The state Department of Transportation has told the borough that the state won't provide snow removal service on roads other than Tongass Highway.
Bob Doll, Southeast Region director for DOT, said the reason the snow removal for the roads has been canceled is funding.
"The Legislature in the last session reduced our authorization for personnel and for overtime for those personnel," Doll said. "Before the Legislature completed its work, we informed the Legislature in detail what the results of those reductions (would be). Nevertheless, the reductions were enacted," he said.
Acting Borough Manager Steve Corporon said the borough is looking at three basic options in the absence of state maintenance of the roads. These include doing nothing, forming homeowner associations or developing some sort of borough-operated program.