Roads & Trails

Title 7. PUBLIC WORKS.pdf

Lake & Peninsula Borough

Title 7: Public Works

Background/History/Authority

The road system in Port Alsworth is a patchwork of public and private roads.

Port Alsworth is an unincorporated community within the Lake and Peninsula Borough. Community members incorporated into a local Community Association Corporation under the Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act as Port Alsworth Improvement Corporation. Port Alsworth Improvement operates primarily to further the common good and general welfare of all the people of the community of Port Alsworth, Alaska.

State Shared Revenues for road maintenance within the Lake and Peninsula Borough shall be provided on a non-areawide basis to all areas outside the boundaries of any incorporated city within the Lake and Peninsula Borough except for roads outside of city boundaries maintained by cities as of the date of approval of this ordinance.

The assembly shall adopt an annual budget for road maintenance and repair. The budget shall identify the amount of money to be conveyed for road services within each eligible unincorporated community within the Borough. An eligible unincorporated community includes Native village governments or community associations representing unincorporated communities within the Borough.

Port Alsworth Improvement Corporation receives State Revenue Sharing Funds Annually for Road Maintenance.

PAIC does not give permission, to anyone to store fuel tanks, vehicles, equipment or materials within the public road easement.

PAIC is not responsible for any damages to any items in the public road easements.

PAIC does not give permission for improvement and/or development within the public road easements. Requests will be considered promptly.

Private roads are the responsibility of the land owner. PAIC has no authority on these roads and does not improve or maintain any of these roads .

Sub-Standard Roads

Sub-standard Roads are defined as roads that have insufficient drainage, damage caused by poor construction, trees in the right-of-way and insufficient width.

How To Get a Road Improved for Maintenance Approval

There are currently 3 ways to work with PAIC to get a sub-standard road improved for maintenance approval

1) If a resident lives on a road that serves only their property, nothing prohibits them from funding and overseeing the improvement of the road themselves. Note, however, that acceptance for maintenance requires that the road be in a public right-of-way, not private land. See the steps for this process listed below.

2) A group of neighbors on a shared road may request improvements to be made.

3) Residents work with PAIC to add sub-standard roads to the annual Road Improvement Program (RIP) list. This list is discussed at our May meeting every year. Roads approved for improvement are paid for out of PAIC’s available project funds. See the steps for this process listed below.

Current Goals

PAIC has four main goals of its Road & Trails Program

Ongoing Road Improvement & Maintenance
Winter Road Maintenance
Public Boat Launch
Road Expansion

Ongoing Road Improvement & Maintenance

Road Improvement Priority List

Birch Road
Spruce Road
Willow Road – South
Ridge Road
Alsworth Drive
McCullagh Road

Branch*

Shoreline Drive*

*Roads have not been assessed/prioritized

Road Maintenance List

Birch Road

Flight Line Road - Main

Flight Line Road - Dry Creek Extension

Spruce Road

Willow Road - North

Ridge Road

Alsworth Drive

McCullagh Road

Lisa's Road (Natwick Heights)

Road Widening

Port Alsworth has had increasing snow loads. The grader can only push the snow so far off the road. This leads to most roads becoming one lane. . We are working to develop/widen the roads in the community to allow us more space to push snow.

Water Drainage

Development of watershed from roads into planned drainage

Notes/Decisions

Sig Field Road Improvement 2013

A request was made to PAIC to contribute to the improvement of the road along Sig Field since it was used by the community as a main route during the summer.

DECISION: PAIC could not work on the trail as it is on private lands

Partnership with NPS for Trail Improvement 2013

The partnership was for the purpose of the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program. The NPS is not eligible for assistance unless they partner with an entity which represents the community. The proposed project would involve trails along Tanalian, Inc. land.

DECISION: PAIC could not facilitate or approve of any trail improvements on private property.

April 2017 PAIC Monthly Board Meeting

A discussion was held about road easements and encroaching properties. It was noted that if a road was developed by PAIC then PAIC is responsible for it’s maintenance. If a road is located on private property and is being used by the general public then it was not PAIC’s responsibility. Road easements are Borough property and if not developed then PAIC does not have any obligation to maintain the road.

December 2018 PAIC Monthly Board Meeting

Development of the Road Improvement Priority List

Winter Road Maintenance

PAIC will only plow roads that are public. Every fall we review the plow plan, set it and publish it in our Fall Community Letter. Main goal is to provide plowed access to the community center (clinic, post office, power plant) and the school.

2024/2025 Plowing Plan

Primary Roads: to be plowed and maintained on a regular basis

Developed portions of Flightline Road – all the way down to Hardenburg Bay and around the end of the runway.

Developed potions of Birch Road – to end at Willow Road

Secondary: to be plowed as needed and as able

Willow Road East – from Birch Road to Spruce Road

Lisa’s Road – into Natwick Heights

McCullough Road – from Flightline to Willow Road

Willow Road West – from McCullough Road to Shoreline Drive

Shoreline Drive to furthest maintainable road

Ridge Road – As conditions allow

Branch Road - As conditions allow

Plowing Notes

Snow berms should be located within the easement and should not encroach on private property.
PAIC will do its best to limit the size of snow berms in front of driveways to 12” or less.
There are some properties that have items along the easement which may get covered by the berm. PAIC does not give permission, to anyone to store fuel tanks, vehicles, equipment or materials within the public road easement.
Need to make sure there is a path/access to the bay at the end of Flight Line Road. Most snow on the bay end of the runway is pushed onto the lake. Need to make sure there is a path for the firewagon to be able to get out onto the ice and people can access the lake for recreation.
Sometimes when the runway is being cleared at the end of Flight Line Road a berm is created in the road as the runway plow turns around.
When people clear from the runway hangers to the runway it causes snow drifts to occur in the road.

Culverts

We have 2 main culverts along our roads (not including private driveway culverts). One along the Northern portion of Willow Road and one along the Southern portion of Shoreline Drive.
Glaciation has occurred around both of the culverts. When the spring thaw comes it will wash out the road. The culverts have become completely blocked/frozen over and as we go through freeze and thaw cycles the water has no place to drain and is flowing onto the road..
There is a third culvert placed a the head of a private driveway along Birch Road to assist in water shedding during breakup.

Notes/Decisions

April 2020: PAIC purchased a truck plow blade. PAIC partnered with TECI to use their truck from plowing in exchange for maintaining a plowed area around the power plant – specifically access for Fuel Planes to pull in front of the power plant for TECI fuel deliveries. Need to keep the snow lower than the airplane’s wings.
January 2024: Received a request from Laura Wilder to plow in front of her house. There is some concern that the road to Laura’s home may not be wide enough for us to get back there with the grader, potentially can with the plow. Reviewed the current plowing plan. Board agrees to add the road to Laura’s home on the list with the caveat “as conditions allow”.

Public Boat/Float Plane Launch

PAIC maintains a 50-foot wide public boat/float plane launch to provide access to Hardenburg Bay. The public road easement has been improved above ordinary high water and a graveled ramp into the water.

Annual Dredging

Dredging is conducted as needed to create a navigable channel (5-6 feet deep) at seasonal low water.

Road Expansion

PAIC works towards the expansion of our Roads & Trails in Port Alsworth

Connecting the Community

Public access across the two runways
Connecting the Alsworth runway to Ridge Road

Expansion

Developing plated roads
Extension of Flight Line Road
Road to the Point
Developing Lake Access (vs. Hardenburg Bay access)
- Public lake access will extend lake access 2-3 weeks on either side of summer.