Overview
The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) is in the design and engineering phase for an Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) and associated improvements (pedestrian amenities, transit infrastructure, parking, track modifications, etc.) in the Ship Creek area. The purpose is to facilitate connections from one transportation mode to another – rail, public transit, air, marine, bus, taxi, private vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian – and to improve links to Anchorage’s downtown business district to meet passenger transit needs over the next 30 years.
A secondary goal is to provide an efficient connection between downtown Anchorage and the Ship Creek area, creating better access for residents and visitors. The Ship Creek ITC project is designed to complement existing and projected developments in the Ship Creek area. Project components include:
- A new Intermodal Transportation Center with adequate baggage and passenger services, convenient and safe passenger boarding zones, well-defined arrival and departure areas and platforms, signage, appropriate security, and retail / office space that complements ridership – for example, newsstands, beverage businesses, and transit-related office space.
- Pedestrian connections between the Ship Creek ITC area and downtown Anchorage, between Ship Creek Avenue and 2nd Avenue.
- Public parking improvements and expansion.
Project Costs
$19.3 million is currently funded for conceptual work, preliminary design, environmental documentation, final design and construction of the first phase of the project.
Funding is 91% by the Federal Transit Administration and 9% by the Alaska Railroad. Additional funding will be needed for construction of the later phases. Total project costs for the first three phases is expected to be approximately $60 million (excluding the parking garage).
Project Background
The Ship Creek ITC has been part of the vision and plans for the Ship Creek and Downtown areas for several years. It has been identified in, and is consistent with, a number of initiatives:
1998 – Ship Creek Site Assessment identified existing land uses and conditions in the Ship Creek area.
1999 – Ship Creek Strategic Action Plan formulated by ARRC and a mayoral task force.
1999 – U.S. Congress appropriated funding through the Federal Transit Administration, allowing ITC planning, environmental assessment (EA), and conceptual design to begin.
2000 – Draft Ship Creek Master Development Plan by ARRC.
2000 – Ship Creek Multi-Modal Transportation Plan, developed in conjunction with a citizen task force and adopted by MOA.
2000 – MOA Planning Department and Downtown Partnership held hearings on proposed north-south pedestrian corridors - E Street corridor favored.
2001 – Anchorage 2020 Comprehensive Plan states that Downtown should connect to a redeveloped Ship Creek area and a multi-choice transportation system should be provided.
2003-2005 – ARRC continues to work with MOA, Anchorage Downtown Partnership, and other organizations to implement the vision for Downtown Anchorage and Ship Creek.
Public Involvement Process
Through each phase of the project, the Alaska Rail Road Corporation (ARRC) continues a tradition of public involvement. For example, the ARRC shared the design of the Intermodal Tranist Center (ITC) with the public in an open house in fall 2005 and with Government Hill and Downtown community councils.
