A Sitka Street railroad crossing rebuild will cost Anchorage $91,000 more than agreed

Rebuilding the railroad crossing on Sitka Street in Anchorage will cost about $91,000 more than the city agreed to pay in the spring, after the Alaska Railroad's competitive bidding came in above the original estimate. The change raises the total from about $251,000 to roughly $343,000.

The added cost falls on Anchorage property owners: the money comes from a roads-and-drainage bond whose costs are borne by owners inside that service area. The administration recommended the Assembly approve the increase at Tuesday's meeting, where it was added days earlier to the consent agenda — the list of items passed without a public hearing.

The work itself replaces the aging asphalt crossing with a new modular concrete one and a new section of track. The city handles traffic control, permits and paving on the approaches, while the railroad removes and installs the track materials. No signal upgrade is included, and the job is scheduled to wrap up by mid-September.