11 local roads won't see state snowplows
Some Juneau residents who live on rural roads are bracing for state cuts to snowplowing and sanding this winter.
As part of statewide budget cuts, the state posted "no maintenance" signs last month in Juneau. The change will affect 11 roads, some of which are school bus routes.
Legislators cut $6.5 million from Alaska's Gov. Tony Knowles' transportation budget request last spring. In response, the state cut 69 jobs and suspended all or most maintenance on 70 roads statewide. The cuts have become a political football and a subject of debate in this fall's election.
In Juneau, the state maintenance crew went from 14 to 13 and overtime will be reduced. The state also will turn in a plow truck and road grader to avoid monthly operating costs, according to Greg Patz, chief of maintenance and operations for the Southeast region.
The cuts mean the roads won't be plowed or sanded from Nov. 1 to May 1.
Maintenance cuts
These Juneau roads won't be plowed by the state this winter:
• Auke Nu
• Channel Vista Drive
• Chilkat Road
• Dotson's Landing
• Engineers Cutoff Spur
• Part of Montana Creek Road
• Nine Mile Creek Road
• Otter Way
• Point Stephens Road
• Point Stephens Spur Road
• Skater's Cabin Road
The change won't affect maintenance to state roads such as Egan Drive, Mendenhall Loop Road, Back Loop Road, Douglas Highway and North Douglas Highway, Patz said.
The cuts will impact Auke Nu, Channel Vista Drive, Chilkat Road, Dotson's Landing, Engineer's Cutoff Spur, part of Montana Creek Road, Nine Mile Creek, Otter Way, Point Stephens Road, Point Stephens Spur Road and Skater's Cabin Road, according to the state.
Some caveats: Engineer's Cutoff Spur is a steep section of road that connects Engineer's Cutoff to Fritz Cove Road that hasn't been maintained in the past, Patz said. Engineer's Cutoff will be maintained, as will the first mile of Montana Creek Road.
"Our intention is to fully maintain those roads we have said we will continue to maintain," Patz said. "The loss of one road grader could have some effect. We won't be able to clear intersections as quickly as we have in the past."
Interim City Manager John MacKinnon said he's urging people to contact the state Department of Transportation with concerns. He said the results of today's election could change the situation.
"I'm hesitant to say anything at this point because they're state roads and the state has an obligation to maintain them," he said.
Dick Wood, who lives on Point Stephens Road near Tee Harbor, said his neighborhood's response to the maintenance cuts is one of "outrage." School buses travel the route and Wood said he's worried about safety.
"With the amount of money in the state's budget, why pick on something like road maintenance where school buses come down?" he said. "Everyone feels really let down by whoever is responsible and everyone is blaming everyone else so it's a bad situation."
Greg McLauglin, operations supervisor for Auke Bay Garage Bus Inc., which runs school buses in Juneau, said the maintenance cuts will affect pickups at Tee Harbor and Amalga Harbor Road near Dotson's Landing.
ABG has contacted parents about the change, he said.
"On days where the snow is flying, the children are going to have to come out to Glacier Highway and load there," he said. "That's the only alternative we have. We can't go down there if they can't maintain them."
Joanna Markell can be reached at joannam@juneauempire.com.