Project Design
The Alaska Railroad is designing and engineering 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.
Project Design: Intermodal Tranist Center
A contract for design of the the Intermodal Tranist Center (ITC) was awarded to ECI/Hyer, an Anchorage architectural firm, in July 2004.
ECI/Hyer developed three concepts before settling on the final facility layout, which incorporates continued use of the existing depot with the new facility.
The schematic design phase was complete in July 2005. Following Alaska Rail Road Corporation (ARRC) approval the design was unveiled to the public at an open house on October 6, 2005. Final design for Phase 1 is currently underway, and is scheduled for completion in 2006.
Project Design: Track Crossing
With the structure and track plans more fully defined through the final design process, the Project Team turned its attention to the crossing. Railroad policy mandates a Diagnostic Team for any major changes to a crossing, which the Project Team did for the C Street Crossing comprised of:
• Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Traffic Engineering
• Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Division
• DOWL Traffic Engineering
• Railroad Engineering and Signals Departments
The Diagnostic Team looked at the five-track layout. They considered the approximately 200- foot distance that would be required between the crossing gates, the longer train lengths, and the adjacent intersections on either side of the crossing (1st Avenue and Ship Creek Avenue).
Public input from these meetings, briefings and presentations, as well as from comments received from the public from other means, will be considered by the Diagnostic Team and the Project Team before a final solution is determined.
The original ITC Environmental Assessment did not specifically address North C Street closure. Since this issue has arisen with clear impacts, the Railroad has decided to accomplish a re-evaluation of the EA to address this aspect of the project. The EA re-evaluation is currently underway.
While the EA re-evaluation does not require a public process, the ARRC felt it important to conduct further public involvement to keep stakeholders and the public in the loop on possible plan changes for this crossing.
Public input and the Diagnostic Team final report and recommendation will accompany the EA Re-Evaluation. The Federal Transit Administration, the project’s federal funding agency, will review the re-evaluation. The Re-Evaluation will be approved as long as there is not a finding of significant impact (i.e. impact that cannot be mitigated).
