Fairbanks riverwalk gap closure gets commission review next week

The Chena Riverfront Commission is scheduled to receive a status update on Phase III of the Chena Riverwalk at its July 22 meeting, with Community Planning Director Kellen Spillman presenting on a proposed new trail segment that would close a gap in Fairbanks' riverfront pedestrian network. The agenda lists the update as an informational item; no vote or formal action on the project's design or funding approach is scheduled.

The segment would run from Peger Road to the existing Chena River pedestrian bridge near Pioneer Park, connecting two portions of the existing Stages I and II trail system that currently dead-end without a continuous route between them.

Prior Council Opposition Over Cost

The update arrives with prior council opposition on record. The Fairbanks City Council adopted Resolution No. 5207 on April 13, 2026, opposing the current design and funding approach for the project. An unidentified official in a television news clip discussing the proposal put it plainly: "That is too expensive. We are looking at alternatives that cut that price in half or maybe even less." The council's resolution does not oppose a riverwalk connection outright; it frames the objection as cost and design efficiency, pressing for less expensive alternatives.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is handling the project and ran a public comment period that closed July 7, 2026. The commission is also scheduled to hear an update on the broader Chena Riverfront Plan draft revisions at the same meeting.

The July 22 agenda also includes a legislative hearing on a rezoning request by Dollhouse, LLC, to rezone three lots on the south side of Horner Court off Phillips Fields Road, and a vote on appointing additional members to the Chena Riverfront Plan Subcommittee.