A small seaplane is parked next to a large boat.
July 2018, Cynthia Meyer, Tenakee Springs, Alaska

Transportation

Goal: Support a consistent, reliable regional transportation system that enables predictable, financially sustainable, efficient transportation for a prosperous regional economy and access to medical care and cultural events.
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Communities
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Federally Recognized Tribes
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Strategic Objectives

Industry Overview

Residents and visitors in Southeast Alaska rely greatly on transportation services in order to navigate the Southeast Alaska is spread across approximately 33,500 square miles separated by mountains and waterways and made up of over 1,000 islands with most communities disconnected from the road system, creating unique transportation challenges that require strategic regional thinking.

SEC strives to address transportation challenges allowing businesses and communities to thrive by promoting safer, more efficient, innovative, healthier, and low-cost transportation that supports local and regional economies with access to jobs, health care, schools, services, and cultural events while increasing transportation reliability and resiliency that supports regional businesses.

Southeast Conference’s goal is to connect the region and grow local economies through purposeful transportation programs and projects guided by the region’s comprehensive economic strategy. Current key areas of focus are supporting the Alaska Marine Highway System, participating in transportation planning efforts, and engaging with efforts to create transportation efficiencies. 

Read more about regional transportation objectives and Southeast Conference’s programs, projects  and partnerships below.

Transportation
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Committee Chair: KC Hostetler

Transportation
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Transportation Objectives

Our strategic goals across Southeast Alaska’s major industries are outlined in our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy report.  This document presents specific Objectives to support the economic growth and sustainability of our region, with some “Priority Objectives” identified as having the greatest urgency or beneficial impact.

The Objectives identified for Transportation are:

With many geographically remote and isolated communities that cannot be connected via traditional roads, the Marine Highway Systems in Alaska must provide reliable, basic transportation service for passengers and freight to coastal communities, create an economy of scale, and provide cost-effective transportation services. In a coordinated effort to restore, strengthen and expand critical service, investment is needed in a strategic, long-term and shortterm plan that includes bridge capacity support through private sector transportation partnerships. Public and private collaboration can improve reliability, efficiency, affordability and stability. Pursue standardized and appropriately-sized fleet and terminal modernizations that can be realistically and manageably staffed while meeting essential service needs with potential for economic growth to communities. Design the system for a smaller workforce and increased efficiency and automation, to mitigate impacts and constraints faced with limited available personnel. Develop targeted workforce development programs and a schedule for job consistency to reduce turnover. Advocate for State and Federal support of all system components. Strategically and expeditiously pursue and obligate PL 117-58 funds.
Southeast Alaska has been without a current regional transportation plan for the region’s ferries, roads, airports, ports and harbors since the 2004 Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (SATP) was published. Work with the State of Alaska to develop a comprehensive, collaborative, multi-modal approach to transportation planning through the regional Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (SATP) process. Work with federal, state, Tribal, and public and private local stakeholders for full network alignment and coordination. Develop an action plan that will ensure the region’s multimodal transportation system meets the needs of the region’s people and economy.
Southeast residents depend on the movement of goods, and barge operators carry the bulk of freight. Find ways to stabilize the cost of transporting goods into, out of, and within the region. Work with the transportation industry to find ways to reduce the costs for the transportation of goods and create a more resilient freight system. Explore freight forwarding at the international border. Design systems around the large fishery summer markets and lower ferry capacity in the winter. Determine the best, safest, most reliable way to move perishables to and from markets in Southeast. Support collaboration for alternative service options to communities with limited freight services, especially in the winter. Invest in, and support, the resilient infrastructure improvements communities need to accommodate reliable barge service and/or other freight transportation operations safely.
Ports and harbors within Southeast communities serve as economic hubs. Advocate for publicly supported and desired port and harbor infrastructure improvements, upgrades and maintenance. Address current user needs while exploring opportunities to develop these facilities beyond traditional uses for maximum public benefit and equitability. Utilize local networks, including private sector, to stimulate modernization investments with the objective of improving the opportunities, reliability, continuation, and effectiveness serving the entire port and harbor network and community. Strengthen the supply chain to reduce the cost of transportation of goods to Southeast Alaska. Include infrastructure for multi-modal transportation methods such as float planes, including floats and fueling stations. Incorporate alternative energy sources/opportunities at ports and harbors.
All transportation types and providers face impacts to operations due to lack of available workforce, causing additional costs, delays and reduced services to communities. Pursue, support and collaborate on workforce development, attraction and retention efforts through improved education, certification/licensing management, marketing and housing development programs. Design programs to gain primary and secondary school-age kids’ interest. Prepare individuals through appropriate and locally available secondary education and increase completion rates. Support accessible, high-quality and modern training programs for professional certifications that are vital to the workforce of the transportation industry.
The passenger transportation networks in Southeast Alaska serves as a critical economic engine for the region, generating jobs, commerce, and tourism while also increasing community wellbeing through accessibility to jobs, health care and other residential needs. Support consistency in providing federal and state funding for continued maintenance and operations of all transportation modes and service areas in order to ensure safe systems with more longterm certainty and predictability. Facilitate discussions for solutions to transportation gaps of service. Pursue and strengthen partnerships with the private sector to reduce burden and costs on public entities while also capitalizing on improved efficiencies and increased system resiliency. Incorporate active transportation elements into road development or restoration efforts to increase safety and opportunities for nonmotorized transportation users.
Southeast Alaska and its supply chain has long benefited from a secondary connection to the contiguous United States through the Canadian Port of Prince Rupert. Establish a secondary port connection to the lower 48. Mitigate the impacts of constrained supply chain through better connection to road and rail as well as connection to services and new opportunities. Allow for alternative supply and market opportunities across Canadian border supply chains and exporting locally manufactured products into Canada.
Disaster events are becoming increasingly disruptive. Design and invest in transportation infrastructure through strengthening and protecting evacuation routes, enabling communities to address vulnerabilities and increasing the resilience of transportation infrastructure that can better withstand the impacts of sea level rise, flooding, landslides, wildfires, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters as well as be utilized to better respond to disasters. Develop secondary roadways, prioritizing critical pathways within communities to sustain the movement of people and provide system redundancy. Such infrastructure will improve disaster response and regional resilience.