Infrastructure

Sitka's next step in a multi-year federal road safety push — RFQ goes out as SS4A program nears its authorized end

Sitka is hiring a consultant to move its federal road safety project forward before the Safe Streets and Roads for All program's authorization expires September 30, with qualifications due July 8.

by Alaska News3mo ago1 min readAI

Three years after Typhoon Merbok, Alaska's rebuild continues

Can we build it, yes we can!

by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI

ConocoPhillips is widening the last gravel road before Willow's modules hit ice

The Willow project takes another step forward

by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI

Deadhorse Airport project halted by weather, nears drainage milestone

Deadhorse Airport's drainage and runway project pauses May 29 to June 4 for weather, with crews nearing completion of insulation board work before fill continues on the North Slope airfield serving Prudhoe Bay oil operations.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI

Alaska tightens stormwater rules for industrial sites, with no more easy "too expensive" exits

Alaska's new stormwater permit for 350 industrial sites starting Monday requires DEC approval before operators can claim pollution fixes are too expensive, and cuts their inspection timeline from flexible to 28 days.

by Bill AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI

Palmer Courthouse finally gets funding for long-needed expansion

Palmer courthouse is getting a $4.95 million expansion with three new courtrooms after five years of the heaviest caseloads in Alaska, with construction to start by August 2026.

by Alaska News3mo ago2 min readAI

State offers FAA two decades of free land at Allakaket Airport

Alaska DOT is offering the FAA 20 years of free land at Allakaket Airport for navigation equipment, locking out state revenue and limiting the village's ability to expand or reconfigure the runway through 2046.

by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI

Anchorage secures $25M for Port of Alaska in state capital budget

Anchorage won $25 million in state funding for Port of Alaska, with $15 million guaranteed and $10 million conditional on oil prices staying above $80 per barrel through mid-2026.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago1 min readAI

Wasilla asphalt bid leaves residents guessing which roads get fixed

Wasilla - hey, who wants to fix our roads? Residents - Which ones? Wasilla - 🤷

by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI

Kenai completes streetlight assessment, eyes $1.9M federal grant

Kenai's school bus stops lack safe lighting in winter darkness, assessment finds. City applies for 1.9 million dollar federal grant to upgrade lights and widen bike paths on two corridors. Most streetlights are aging LED units showing flicker and electrical problems. Grant decision expected next week, work would start later this year if approved.

by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI

Anchorage faces $1.3 billion stormwater infrastructure deficit

Anchorage has 400 miles of failing storm pipes creating a $1.3 billion repair deficit with no dedicated funding. • Current emergency bonds cannot keep pace with deterioration causing sinkholes and flooding. • Replacing 4,000 feet of pipe on one street costs $25 to $50 million. • City exploring dedicated stormwater utility for long-term funding.

by Cale Green3mo ago2 min readAI

Ketchikan Council approves pursuit of $23M federal grant for electric grid upgrades

Ketchikan Council votes to apply for $23M federal grant to upgrade electric grid and enable shore power for cruise ships. • Project replaces aging transmission lines, increasing capacity from 20 to 35 megawatts over four years. • Department of Energy covers $17M, city matches roughly $6M with possible state funding. • Application deadline is May 17.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI

Assembly transfers nine riverfront parcels to state for erosion control

Alaska borough transfers nine riverfront parcels to the state to build erosion barriers before the Matanuska River threatens the highway.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI

Kenai airport main runway closed May 14 through September; pilots use temporary runway

Kenai airport main runway closed May 14 for three month rebuild • Pilots use temporary runway with initial restrictions • FAA clearance documents needed before normal operations resume • Work finishes by end of September if weather allows

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago1 min readAI

Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from Berth 3 dock; harbor board urges safety barrier

Tour operator reports 10 guests fell from unprotected Berth 3 dock. Ports and Harbors Board voted to recommend city install safety barriers where passengers disembark. Operator also disputes electrical bill that jumped from $250 to $1,600 monthly after city changed billing method.

by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 3mo ago2 min readAI

Alaska Energy Planners Design 50-Year Systems Using 2008 Weather Data

Alaska's power planners design 50-to-100-year systems using 2008 weather data that no longer matches current storm patterns, leaving utilities like AVEC to absorb emergency costs like the $100,000 helicopter rental after Typhoon Halong hit in 2025.

by Bill AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readAI

Alaska hydropower projects to receive millions in federal funding

Four Alaska hydropower projects will share millions in federal funding for upgrades, with tax credits covering 30 to 50 percent of new construction costs through 2033.

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago4 min readAI

Interior Secretary urges Alaska to build LNG project quickly amid Asian demand

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told an Alaska energy conference that overwhelming Asian demand for natural gas makes the Alaska LNG project strategically critical, urging the state to move quickly on the $50 billion pipeline and export terminal.

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago4 min readAI

Former Senator Kyrsten Sinema Identifies Alaska as Prime AI Data Center Location

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago3 min readAI

Alaska LNG Project Targets 2029 Gas Delivery as Developer Reports Major Contract Awards

Glenfarne's lead developer announced Alaska LNG is advancing toward final investment decision with 13 million tonnes of reservations signed and construction contracts let, positioning the project to deliver gas in 2029.

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago3 min readAI

Federal Officials Push Permitting Reform to Unlock Alaska's Critical Minerals

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago2 min readAI

Alaska's environmental chief calls EPA partnership under Trump the best of his career

Alaska's environmental chief says the Trump administration EPA is the most collaborative federal partner he has seen in 25 years, citing streamlined permitting and respect for state expertise over federal review.

by Bill AlaskaNewsadded 4mo ago2 min readAI

Senate panel advances gas pipeline tax bill after 36 hearings

The Alaska Senate Resources Committee advanced Senate Bill 280, a gas pipeline tax structure bill, after two months of hearings despite concerns about limited project information and lack of administration support.

by Bill AlaskaNews4mo ago3 min readAI

Alaska House panel hears bill to shield ratepayers from data center costs

The House Community and Regional Affairs Committee heard testimony Monday on SB 250, which would prohibit data centers from passing infrastructure costs like transmission lines onto residential electricity ratepayers, a consumer protection measure inspired by Trump administration proposals as Alaska considers major data center development.

by Walter AlaskaNews4mo ago3 min readAI

Gas line tax break delivers 20% savings, far less than competing states

A consultant told the Senate Resources Committee that the current gas line tax bill provides developers a 20% savings when using discounted cash flow analysis, compared to 65% if taxes were delayed 10 years — raising questions about whether Alaska is competitive with Texas and Louisiana.

by Alaska News4mo ago4 min readAI

Planning Commission accepts DOT concept for Tudor Road interchange redesign

The Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission accepted a concept report for the Alaska Department of Transportation's plan to rebuild the Seward Highway and Tudor Road interchange with improved pedestrian safety features and a tight diamond design.

by Alaska Newsadded 4mo ago2 min readAI