S A M-R A A-C V T Morandu Prepare F Hghw Administr Prepare R Pecci Associates, I. 825 Custer Avenue Helena, Montana 59604 (406)447-5000 www.rpa-hln.com Pametri, I. 700 NE Multnomah, Suite 1000 Portland, OR 97232-4110 T. 503.233.2400 F, 503.233.4825 www.parametrix.com CITATION Robert Peccia and Associates, Inc. and Parametrix, Inc. 2011. Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access, Air-Cushion Vehicle Technical Memorandum. Prepared by Robert Peccia and Associates, Inc., Helena, Montana Parametrix, Inc., Bellevue, Washington. April 2011. A-Ch Vehicl Techn M TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... ES-1 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Study Corridors ................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2 Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 1-3 1.3 Proposed Route ................................................................................................................ 1-3 1.4 River Environment ........................................................................................................... 1-4 1.5 Projected Traffic .............................................................................................................. 1-5 2 ACV BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Cominco Metals ACV ...................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 USPS Bethel ACV ........................................................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Aleutians East Borough ACV ........................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Redfern Resources Proposed ACV Hoverbarge ................................................................ 2-3 3 ACV REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Operating Conditions ....................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Speed and Travel Time .................................................................................................... 3-1 3.3 Capacity ........................................................................................................................... 3-2 3.4 ACV Terminal Ports ........................................................................................................ 3-3 3.5 Environmental Considerations .......................................................................................... 3-4 3.6 Noise ............................................................................................................................... 3-6 4 QUALIFIED ACV MANUFACTURERS............................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Global Hovercraft Services .............................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Company Background ............................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Technology ................................................................................................................ 4-1 4.1.3 Performance .............................................................................................................. 4-2 4.1.4 ACV Specifications ................................................................................................... 4-2 4.1.5 GHS-100 Specifications ............................................................................................. 4-2 4.1.6 GHS-160 Specifications ............................................................................................. 4-7 4.1.7 ACV Terminal Port .................................................................................................. 4-10 4.1.8 Full Service Operations ............................................................................................ 4-11 4.1.9 Contract Terms ........................................................................................................ 4-12 4.2 Hovertrans ACV Hoverbarge ......................................................................................... 4-12 4.2.1 Company Background ............................................................................................. 4-13 4.2.2 Technology .............................................................................................................. 4-13 4.2.3 Performance ............................................................................................................ 4-13 4.2.4 ACV Hoverbarge Specifications .............................................................................. 4-14 5 ACV COST ESTIMATES .................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 ACV Costs ....................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 ACV Revenue .................................................................................................................. 5-2 6 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 6-1 7 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 7-1 Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access iii April 2011 A-Ch Vehicl Techn M L Figu Figure 1-1. Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access Study Area .............................................. 1-1 Figure 1-2 Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access Study Corridors ....................................... 1-2 Figure 1-3. Stikine River and Aaron Creek Corridors, Stage 1 .............................................. 1-4 Figure 2-1. Similar AP1-88 model ACV at Southsea Hover Terminal................................... 2-1 Figure 2-2. Similar BHT-130 model ACV ............................................................................ 2-2 Figure 2-3. Similar Hoverbarge at Port Glasgow .................................................................. 2-3 Figure 3-1. Temperature, Barometric Pressure, Wind Speed and Direction at Wrangell ........ 3-5 Figure 4-1. Concept of similar Atlas AH-100 ACV .............................................................. 4-1 Figure 4-2. Siberian Hoverbarge with 200 ton payload by Hovertrans ................................ 4-12 Figure 4-3. Siberian Hoverbarge by Hovertrans .................................................................. 4-14 Figure 4-4. Hovertrans Hoverbarge conceptual drawing ..................................................... 4-15 Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access iv April 2011 A-Ch Vehicl Techn M L Acro Ations AC alternating current ACV air-cushion vehicle AEB Aleutians East Borough AADT annual average daily traffic B.C. British Columbia BHT British Hovercraft Technology bkW brake kilowatt cfs cubic feet per second DC direct current DOT&PF Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities °F degrees Fahrenheit GHS Global Hovercraft Services, Ltd. GPS Global Positioning System hp horsepower lbs pounds mph miles per hour MRA mid-region access nm nautical mile OEM original equipment manufacturer psi pounds per square inch PVC polyvinyl chloride rpm revolutions per minute sqft square feet U.S. United States USCG United States Coast Guard USPS United States Postal Service UV ultraviolet Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access v April 2011 A-Ch Vehicl Techn M T P Intentionall L B Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access vi April 2011 A-Ch Vehicl Techn M EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan identified a mid-region access (MRA) highway corridor that would connect Southeast Alaska to the British Columbia (B.C.) continental highway system. Following completion of the Southeast Alaska MRA Study, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) requested additional technical studies, including the Southeast Alaska Mid-Region Access Port and Ferry Terminal Technical Memorandum (Port and Ferry Memorandum), which was drafted to determine suitable port locations to support inter-modal access along previously studied corridors. This document is a supplement to the previous reports. It contains an evaluation of using air-cushion vehicles (ACVs) for passengers and vehicles along the Stikine River from the Iskut River to Wrangell and Mitkof Islands. The three proposed MRA corridors (Bradfield Canal, Stikine River, and Aaron Creek) are proposed to be built in stages to account for funding limitations. Temporary travel means are needed to connect Southeast Alaska to the Cassiar Highway while the ultimate corridor is being completed. Stage 1 of the Stikine River and Aaron Creek Corridors proposes an ACV passenger ferry system to provide interim service between the Iskut River roadway and Southeast Alaska. Stage 1 operations would continue until a road alternative could be provided. Three ACV terminal ports were identified along these corridors, one at the Iskut River near the confluence with the Stikine, another near Wrangell Airport, and the third at the end of the Mitkof Highway at