Nome buses roll as Steadman Street reopening goes unconfirmed

Nome Public Schools buses start running this morning for the first day of school, three days after Steadman Street was due to reopen to traffic. The state has not confirmed that it did.

The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reported the sidewalk project remains on schedule. Its weekly construction update says crews paved Aug. 10 through 12 and installed the new sidewalks, curbs and gutters. What is left is mostly along the shoulders and can continue with the street open.

The project replaces sidewalks, curb ramps and curbs from Front Street to Fifth Avenue with features meeting Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The old sidewalks had settled into uneven surfaces that collected water and froze into ice in winter. The material underneath had shifted, so the department rebuilt the roadway rather than just the walkway.

Knik Construction holds the $4.4 million contract, with a Sept. 30 completion date.

During planning, residents asked the department to keep Steadman open during traffic diversions for elders and people with disabilities at Munaqsri Senior Apartments who walk and have no transportation. The weekly update does not say how that access was handled during the closure.