On Tuesday, July 16th, the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities hosted a Groundbreaking Ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on the Katlian Bay Road, which will add roughly nine miles beginning at the end of Halibut Point Road in Sitka.  The event was organized by DOT with the help of the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce and was sponsored by Shee Atiká, Incorporated.

A number of organizations provided resolutions and/or letters in support of the Katlian Bay Road project including the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce, the Sitka Economic Development Association, the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1, the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4, Sealaska Corporation and Shee Atiká, Incorporated.

Senator Stedman was instrumental in helping to ensure the funding for the road was included in the 2012 bond package, which was approved by the voters.  Once the project finally went to bid, it was obvious that the funding was not sufficient to award the bid.  Senator Stedman again assisted in securing the additional funding needed to keep the project moving.  At the groundbreaking, he explained that there was room for adjustment within the bond package by moving funds from one project to another.  This can happen when other projects get cancelled or come in under budget.  Ultimately, the project was awarded to K&E Alaska, Inc. in Sitka for $31.8M.

K&E Alaska, Inc. began construction in June.  At the event, Kerry D. Kuenzi, President of K&E shared that they have hired 22 Sitkans so far to work on the job.  Sitka Mayor Gary Paxton stated, “This is a big deal.  This is a really, really big deal.  You cannot overstate the long-term economic and quality of life impacts that this will have.”

Sitka has not had any new road construction in over 50 years.