SKAGWAY: DYEA ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

3/5/2015 Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect 2 REGIONAL & VICINITY MAPS

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

DYEA ROAD HISTORY & LAND USE . DYEA ROAD WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED BY THE ROAD COMMISSION IN THE 1940’S. TOTAL LENGTH OF 8.4 MILES (2 MILES PAVED).

. PROVIDES ACCESS TO: • HISTORIC DYEA TOWNSITE • • DYEA CAMPGROUND • LODGING • RESIDENCES • TOUR OPERATIONS • OTHER RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

SCOPE OF WORK & FUNDING . SCOPE: IMPROVE SAFETY AT THREE LOCATIONS ALONG DYEA ROAD IN SKAGWAY, ALASKA. THESE LOCATIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN REFERRED AS THE DROP OFF, THE NARROWS, AND HACKETT HILL. SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED ROADWAY WIDENING, REDUCING VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CURVATURE, REALIGNMENT, AND GUARDRAIL INSTALLATION.

. PROJECT CONSTRUCTION WAS FUNDED IN FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2012 THROUGH THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP). CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2013 AND WAS COMPLETED IN 2014.

. TOTAL PHASE 4 COST - ~$3.7M (CONTRACT ITEMS, CE, & ICAP)

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

THE DROP OFF SCOPE: THIS SECTION OF ROAD (APPROX. 600 LF) WAS WIDENED TO 24 FEET AWAY FROM NAHKU BAY. THIS REQUIRED CONTROLLED BLASTING WITH 4,800 CUBIC YARDS OF ROCK EXCAVATION. 570 LINEAR FEET OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO INSTALLED.

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

THE NARROWS SCOPE: THIS SECTION OF ROAD (APPROX. 700 LF) WAS WIDENED TO 24 FEET TOWARDS TAIYA INLET DUE TO GEOTECHNICAL CONCERNS RELATED TO THE STABILITY OF THE EXISTING SLOPE. THIS REQUIRED 25,000 CUBIC YARDS OF FILL AND RIPRAP PLACEMENT. 11,000 CUBIC YARDS WERE PLACED BELOW HIGH TIDE LINE (HTL). 680 LINEAR FEET OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO INSTALLED.

Integrity ∙ Excellence ∙ Respect

HACKETT HILL

SCOPE: THIS SECTION OF ROAD INCLUDED THE REALIGNMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES OF DYEA ROAD. THIS REQUIRED CONTROLLED BLASTING WITH 49,000 CUBIC YARDS OF ROCK EXCAVATION. THIS ALSO REQUIRED 39,000 CUBIC YARDS OF EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION AND RIPRAP PLACEMENT. 33,000 CUBIC YARDS WERE PLACED BELOW HIGH TIDE LINE (HTL). 2,400 LINEAR FEET OF GUARDRAIL WAS ALSO NSTALLED.

PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

NARROW WINDING ROAD THAT IS CHALLENGING FOR LARGE VEHICLES PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

ROCK OUTCROPPINGS THAT LIMIT HORIZONTAL SIGHT DISTANCE PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

STEEP AND NEAR VERTICAL UNPROTECTED SLOPES PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

SHARP VERTICAL CURVES THAT LIMIT VERTICAL SIGHT DISTANCE PRECONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

NEAR RUN-OFF-ROAD ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY WIDENING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

. LOCATED WITHIN DYEA SITE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK AND WITHIN VIEWSHED OF NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK (PROTECTED 4(F) RESOURCES)

. REQUIRED FILL PLACEMENT WITHIN INTERTIDAL, ESTUARINE, AND MARINE WATERS OF THE U.S.

. REQUIRED FILL PLACEMENT IN EFH DESIGNATED WATERS FOR KING, COHO, CHUM AND PINK SALMON, AS WELL AS EULACHON

. MOUNTAIN GOATS FREQUENT THE AREA IN WINTER MONTHS, WHICH REQUIRED MONITORING DURING BLASTING OPERATIONS

. HUMPBACK WHALES, STELLER SEA LIONS, AND OTHER MARINE MAMMALS PRESENT IN THE AREA

GEOTECHNICAL CHALLENGES

. INCONSISTENT ROCK FORMATIONS ALONG ENTIRE ALIGNMENT

. RUBBLIZED BEDROCK WAS FOUND ALONG THE PROPOSED ALIGNMENT THAT COMPLICATED BLASTING OPERATIONS

. REMNANT GAPS WERE FOUND WITHIN ROCK FORMATIONS THAT LIMITED THE BLASTING EFFICIENCY

PLAN VIEW - SOUTH PLAN VIEW - NORTH TYPICAL SECTION CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . FEBRUARY-APRIL 2013 – POOR BLASTING METHODS AND ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT RESULTED IN THE UNAUTHORIZED DISCHARGE OF 6,000 CY INTO WATERS OF U.S. COVERING 0.55 ACRES

 NOTE: CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING WAS PROVIDED BY CONSULTANT

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . SEPTEMBER 2013 - DOT&PF DESIGN BECAME AWARE OF THE ISSUE UPON REVIEW OF CONTRACTOR SUPPLIED CROSS SECTIONS – APPROX. 5 MONTHS AFTER VIOLATION OCCURRED

. DOT&PF ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED CONTRACTOR TO STOP WORK IN THE AREA AND NOTIFIED ALL AFFECTED AGENCIES OF VIOLATION (USACE, ADF&G, NMFS, USFWS, NPS, SHPO AND FHWA)

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . NOVEMBER 2013 - USACE ISSUED NOTICE OF VIOLATION REQUESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (TIMELINE OF EVENTS)

 NOTE: VIOLATION COULD INCLUDE FINES OF UP TO $50,000 PER DAY OR IMPRISONMENT FOR UP TO 3 YEARS FOR KNOWINGLY VIOLATING THE CLEAN WATER ACT

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . MARCH 2014 - USACE ISSUED COMPLIANCE ORDER REQUIRING:

. COMPLETE REMOVAL OF ALL MATERIAL OUTSIDE OF PERMITTED AREAS WITHIN APPROX. 4 WEEKS OF ORDER NOTIFICATION

. PERMITTEE RESPONSIBLE MITIGATION PLAN BY MAY 2014

 NOTE: INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE WITH USFWS AND USACE PRIOR TO ORDER TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS FOR MITIGATION PROJECTS CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . MAY 2014 – DOT&PF SUBMITTED MITIGATION PLAN TO USACE FOR REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE

 NOTE: NON-PARTICIPATING FUNDS WERE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP MITIGATION PLAN, INCLUDING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING

. PROPOSED MITIGATION PLAN INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF (2) 54-INCH CULVERTS WITH A 117-INCH x 79-INCH STEEL PIPE ARCH TO IMPROVE FISH PASSAGE ON THE WEST CREEK TRIBUTARY (NEAR END OF DYEA ROAD)

. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION - $250,000 CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES - BLASTING . JANUARY 2015 – INSTALLATION OF STEEL PIPE ARCH WAS COMPLETED

. FEBRUARY 5, 2015 – USACE ISSUED LETTER CONSIDERING VIOLATION RESOLVED

 NOTE: IF USACE IMPLEMENTED FINES TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW THEY WOULD HAVE AMOUNTED TO APPROX. $10,000,000 (2.5 TIMES THE PHASE 4 FUNDING OF $4M) BLASTING VIDEOS . PRE-BLAST CONSULTANT - BLASTING METHODS IN 2013 BLASTING VIDEOS . POST-BLAST CONSULTANT - BLASTING METHODS IN 2014 POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS POST CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS LESSONS LEARNED . CONSIDER USE OF BLASTING CONSULTANT DURING DESIGN TO VERIFY CONSTRUCTABILITY AND POTENTIAL PERMIT CONCERNS. . CONSIDER THE REQUIREMENT THAT CONTRACTOR HIRE QUALIFIED BLASTING CONSULTANT TO PREPARE BLASTING PLANS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS AND PERMITS. THIS TECHNIQUE WAS USED FOR THE SITKA: SAWMILL CREEK PHASE III PROJECT. . CONSIDER USE OF BLASTING CONSULTANT DURING CONSTRUCTION TO REVIEW CONTRACTOR BLASTING PLAN SUBMITTALS. . PROVIDE A DOT&PF EMPLOYEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE OVERSIGHT DURING CONSTRUCTION WHEN CONSULTANTS ARE PROVIDING THE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING. . IT IS IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN OPEN AND TRUSTWORTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL AGENCIES.