The Phase 6 Cross Trail project is currently under construction! Phase 6 of the Cross Trail, the final section, will extend the trail from Harbor Mountain Road to the Old Sitka boat launch, the Old Sitka cruise ship dock, and the facilities and trails at Starrigavan Recreation Area. When Phase 6 is complete, multiuse, separated bike and walking paths will run along the entire length of the Sitka road system. The trail is designed to have negligible maintenance needs and withstand high water flows.
Staff applied for and secured a $250,000 Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) grant for Phase 6 Cross Trail design, planning and permitting in 2015. PEAK Engineering designed the Phase 6 project in the spring of 2016. After the alignment was established, all permitting was completed by the end of 2018.
The $1.9 million in Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) funding to construct the Phase 6 Cross Trail was secured by STW in late 2016. The final preconstruction step was to secure a required 9.03{abf465c19454c250f574557adc626a2e06d1cd01c0781f16298455748ce24614} match. STW Board and staff raised $25,596 from our wonderful local membership and the Rasmuson Foundation contributed another $117,000 grant. The City and Borough of Sitka is donating $50,000 from the Commercial Passenger Excise Tax for the connector trail to the cruise ship dock. The Sitka Trail Works Board and staff are grateful to the community, our members, Rasmuson Foundation and the City for the generous support and help to secure the $192,000 project match.
After a long process of contract development with the City, contract documents were signed the first week in December and construction began that week. Construction of the last 2.6 miles will take two years to complete.
