Construction on the stretch of road between Wrangell’s ferry terminal and the airport was expected to start next year. Now, it looks like work will be delayed until 2016.
Wrangell received funding from the Federal Highway Administration to improve safety on Evergreen Avenue and add a sidewalk from the ferry terminal to Petroglyph Beach. The project is still in the design phase.
Borough Manager Jeff Jabusch said the delay came as a surprise because he expected the design to be ready by the end of this year.
“It won’t be out to bid until next September,” Jabusch said. “And by that time, I don’t know if a contractor’s going to crank up in September to do any paving work like that. So it’s probably going to be the spring of 2016.”
Jabusch said he does not know the reason for the delay.
Wrangell has minimal control over the project, and the state department of transportation is managing the federal funds.
The project has been on the State Transportation Improvement Project (STIP) list since 2008.
