Dengler Images

The Juneau Road – a road to somewhere or nowhere?

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This sign marks the end of the Glacier Highway that currently ends at Echo Cove, approximately 43 miles north of Juneau, Alaska. The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million road project to extend Glacier Highway for closer access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau, Alaska’s capital, is the only capital city in the United States whose roads do not connect with the continental road network. Currently travelers either have to fly between Juneau, Haines and Skagway, or travel on one of the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. The plan by Alaska’s Department of Transportation and Public Facilities calls for extending the road 48 miles along the Lynn Canal from Echo Cove north of Juneau to the Katzehin River where a new ferry terminal would be built. From there yet-to-be-built smaller ferries would transport vehicles and passengers to Haines and Skagway with four to eight trips per day. The proposal, decades in the making, is a contentious issue within the Lynn Canal communities. Proponents cite greater travel flexibility, lower costs for the state and travelers. Opponents cite concerns for marine and terrestrial wildlife, economic loss to local businesses, winter travel safety, landscape degradation, lack of planning for handling walk-on passengers to and from the remote Katzehin terminal and the high cost of the project. Most of the $570-million road construction cost will be paid by the federal government, with the state picking up approximately 10 percent in matching costs. (© John L. Dengler/Dengler Images)

The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million road project to extend Glacier Highway out of Juneau for closer road access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau, Alaska’s capital, is the only capital city in the United States whose roads do not connect with the continental road network. Currently travelers either have to fly between Juneau, Haines and Skagway, or travel on one of the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System.

The plan by Alaska’s Department of Transportation and Public Facilities calls for extending the road 48 miles along the Lynn Canal from its current dead end at Echo Cove north of Juneau (pictured above) to the Katzehin River where a new ferry terminal would be built. From there yet-to-be-built smaller ferries would transport vehicles and passengers to Haines and Skagway with four to eight trips per day.

According to the Associated Press, most of the $570-million road construction cost will be paid by the federal government, with the state picking up approximately 10 percent in matching costs.

The proposal, decades in the making, is a contentious issue within the Lynn Canal communities.

Proponents make their case

Proponents say that the road will give greater flexibility to travelers, make travel cheaper, faster. According to the Alaska Department of Transportation’s 2014 Juneau Access Improvements Project: Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, travel time with the new highway and shorter ferry runs would be reduced travel. The report used these examples.

Current total travel time by ferry (including check-in time, loading and unloading, in-transit, and driving):

Auke Bay (Juneau) to Haines: 7.2 hours (mainline ferry), 4.0 hours (fast ferry)
Auke Bay (Juneau) to Skagway: 9.1 hours (mainline ferry), 4.1 hours (fast ferry)

If a direct highway connection existed (at 40-50 miles per hour) the department of transportation estimates these travel times:

Auke Bay to Haines: 1.5 – 2 hours*
Auke Bay to Skagway: 2 – 2.5 hours*

*does not include ferry travel time to/from the proposed Katzehin ferry terminal and related staging/waiting time for the shuttle ferry

Proponents also suggest that extending the current highway will free up resources to improve ferry service to other parts of southeast Alaska by moving the larger ferries currently used and replacing those ferries with smaller ferries that would run shorter distances more frequently.

Opponents speak out

The proposed highway is not without opponents. During public comment meetings in Haines, Skagway and Juneau, most speakers were opposed to the plan. Reasons cited include difficult and costly construction across steep faces that the road would travel, 41 active avalanche chutes, and over 100 identified land and rock slide areas. Also a concern is the degradation of the world-class scenery due to the highway being rock cut much of the way spoiling views popular with cruise ship passengers, economic loss for small businesses in Haines and Skagway due to better access to Juneau businesses, and general winter safety travel concerns. Some speakers at the public comment meetings were skeptical of the figures for traffic demand for the road. They also expressed concern on how to handle walk-on passengers for the short ferry trips between Haines/Skagway and the proposed unmanned Katzehin ferry terminal. The concern is that travel would become more expensive and difficult for walk-aboard ferry passengers. It is unclear how walk-aboard ferry passengers would secure ground transportation from the proposed remote Katzehin Ferry terminal to Juneau, approximately 90 miles away.

Conservation concerns

Conservation and environmental groups are concerned about potential impacts on marine and terrestrial wildlife. Concerns include increased animal mortality from vehicle collisions and easier hunter/trapper access, habitat fragmentation by wildlife that typically avoid roads and impact on bald eagle nests. Another concern is for the Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) who frequent the Met Point and Gran Point haulouts.

Among the concerns related to the proposed Juneau Access Improvements Project is the Steller sea lion haulout at Gran Point (pictured). The haulout at Gran Point is a designated Steller sea lion Critical Habitat Area. According to the Alaska Department of Transportation’s 2014 Juneau Access Improvements Project: Draft Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, more than one hundred Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) have been counted at the haulout during the spring and fall. As currently proposed the proposed highway would be built just uphill from the haulout area, approximately 100 to 600 feet horizontally and 50 to 100 feet vertically. Highway plans near the haulout includes blasting steep rock-cut embankments and several tunnels with one tunnel entrance only 550 feet away from the haulout. There is concern for haulout abandonment by the sea lions during highway construction as studies have shown Steller sea lions are very sensitive to noise, both in and out of water. Because Steller sea lions frequent Gran Point nearly year round, the use of explosives and helicopters will be challenging during construction. There are two distinct populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska. The majority of Stellar sea lions that frequent the Lynn Canal are part of the eastern population of Steller sea lions which are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act; unlike the western population of Steller sea lions which are listed as endangered. That said however, there have been confirmed sightings of the western population Steller sea lions at Gran Point. The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million highway project to extend Glacier Highway out of Juneau for closer road access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau’s roads do not connect with the continental road network. Editors note: This is a cropped version of image# I00007z0NNeMhXeA (John L. Dengler)

Of particular concern is the haulout at Gran Point, a designated Steller sea lion Critical Habitat Area (pictured above and below). According to the supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, more than one hundred Steller sea lions have been counted at the haulout during the spring and fall. As currently proposed the proposed highway would be built just uphill from the haulout area, approximately 100 to 600 feet horizontally and 50 to 100 feet vertically.

Among the concerns related to the proposed Juneau Access Improvements Project is the Steller sea lion haulout at Gran Point (pictured). The haulout at Gran Point is a designated Steller sea lion Critical Habitat Area. According to the Alaska Department of Transportation’s 2014 Juneau Access Improvements Project: Draft Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, more than one hundred Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) have been counted at the haulout during the spring and fall. As currently proposed the proposed highway would be built just uphill from the haulout area, approximately 100 to 600 feet horizontally and 50 to 100 feet vertically. Highway plans near the haulout includes blasting steep rock-cut embankments and several tunnels with one tunnel entrance only 550 feet away from the haulout. There is concern for haulout abandonment by the sea lions during highway construction as studies have shown Steller sea lions are very sensitive to noise, both in and out of water. Because Steller sea lions frequent Gran Point nearly year round, the use of explosives and helicopters will be challenging during construction. There are two distinct populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska. The majority of Stellar sea lions that frequent the Lynn Canal are part of the eastern population of Steller sea lions which are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act; unlike the western population of Steller sea lions which are listed as endangered. That said however, there have been confirmed sightings of the western population Steller sea lions at Gran Point. The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million highway project to extend Glacier Highway out of Juneau for closer road access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau’s roads do not connect with the continental road network. Travelers either have to fly between Juneau, Haines and Skagway, or travel on one of the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System. (John L. Dengler)

Highway plans near the haulout includes blasting steep rock-cut embankments and several tunnels with one tunnel entrance only 550 feet away from the haulout. There is concern for haulout abandonment by the sea lions during highway construction as studies have shown Steller sea lions are very sensitive to noise, both in and out of water. It was originally believed that construction could take part during a one to five week period when the haulout was unused by the Steller sea lions. New studies, and remote camera monitoring have shown that Steller sea lions now frequent Gran Point nearly year round making the use of explosives and helicopters more challenging.

Among the concerns related to the proposed Juneau Access Improvements Project is the Steller sea lion haulout at Gran Point (pictured). The haulout at Gran Point is a designated Steller sea lion Critical Habitat Area. According to the Alaska Department of Transportation’s 2014 Juneau Access Improvements Project: Draft Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement, more than one hundred Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) have been counted at the haulout during the spring and fall. As currently proposed the proposed highway would be built just uphill from the haulout area, approximately 100 to 600 feet horizontally and 50 to 100 feet vertically. Highway plans near the haulout includes blasting steep rock-cut embankments and several tunnels with one tunnel entrance only 550 feet away from the haulout. There is concern for haulout abandonment by the sea lions during highway construction as studies have shown Steller sea lions are very sensitive to noise, both in and out of water. Because Steller sea lions frequent Gran Point nearly year round, the use of explosives and helicopters will be challenging during construction. There are two distinct populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska. The majority of Stellar sea lions that frequent the Lynn Canal are part of the eastern population of Steller sea lions which are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act; unlike the western population of Steller sea lions which are listed as endangered. That said however, there have been confirmed sightings of the western population Steller sea lions at Gran Point. The Juneau Access Improvements Project is a proposed $570-million highway project to extend Glacier Highway out of Juneau for closer road access to the southeast Alaska towns of Haines and Skagway. Juneau’s roads do not connect with the continental road network. Travelers either have to fly between Juneau, Haines and Skagway, or travel on one of the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System. (John L. Dengler)

There are two distinct populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska. The majority of Stellar sea lions that frequent the Lynn Canal are part of the eastern population of Steller sea lions which are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act; unlike the western population of Steller sea lions which are listed as endangered. That said however, there have been confirmed sightings of the western population Steller sea lions at Gran Point.

What’s next?

Public comments on the project are now closed. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities expects to release their final supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in 2015.

Update: New spending on project halted

In January of 2015, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker issued an order stopping new spending on this project. He questions whether the state can afford such a project with oil prices falling.

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AFAR magazine publishes photo of bald eagles on Chilkat River

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AFAR Chilkat River bald eagles tearsheet
It’s always fun to receive a magazine in the mail that has published your photos. That was the case with the November/December 2014 issue of AFAR magazine that arrived the other week. AFAR, ”Where Travel Can Take You”, is a high-end travel magazine edited for affluent travelers. According to AFAR’s website, the magazine reaches an audience of 1 million readers.

My image of a large group of bald eagles roosting in the trees along on Chilkat River is featured on the closing, back page of the magazine as the “Experience – Right Now” feature.

It’s appropriate that the magazine published the photo for this issue. November and December are prime months for seeing the annual congregation of bald eagles along the Chilkat River in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. I shot this particular photo several years ago in November. The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines, Alaska is the location of one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world each fall. In this photo (as the AFAR editors cropped), 37 bald eagles can be seen in the cottonwood trees along the Chilkat River at the confluence with the Tsirku River. The actual uncropped image continues further to the right to shows another 20 more bald eagles.

AFAR magazine Nov./Dec. 2014 coverLook for this issue of AFAR magazine at your local bookstore/newsstand or in digital format at Zinio.com.

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Chilkat River bald eagle photos published in BBC book Life Story

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BBC Book - Life Story cover
I am excited to announce that seven of my bald eagle images, taken on the Chilkat River in Alaska, will appear in a book published by BBC Books, a division of Random House Group Ltd. The book will accompany the BBC television series, Life Story: Many lives, one epic journey” by Rupert Barrington and Michael Gunton. The book’s forward is written by Sir David Attenborough.

Life Story, a six-part series produced by the famed BBC Natural History Unit follows animals from around the globe on their life’s journey. The series description says, “From the moment they are born, every animal on the planet begins the same great and perilous journey – life. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Life Story is told from the perspective of individual animals, this series follows the journey from birth to parenthood.” The series, scheduled to premiere on BBC 1 this fall, is described as a ground-breaking series.

Life Story is the first BBC landmark series to be shot in ultra-hi-definition (4K), delivering the highest quality images ever seen in a wildlife documentary.

In a BBC press release, Mike Gunton, executive producer of the series, says: “I think Life Story has raised the bar again in our natural history ‘landmarks’.

“Shooting in Ultra High Definition has been amazing – there is such a high level of intensity and insight, I think the audience will see the extraordinary ways animals survive in a wonderfully new light… and of course David Attenborough tells all the stories brilliantly.”

Life Story is a BBC/Discovery Channel/France Televisions co-production distributed globally by BBC Worldwide.

The book is available for pre-order on the U.S. Amazon.com website, and the U.K. Amazon.com website. Both websites list a release date for the book of October 9.

I haven’t heard when the series airs except that in the U.K., it will be on BBC1 this fall. I will update this blog post when I learn of the airing dates both in the U.S. and the U.K. Currently, only the The BBC online store in the U.K. shows that DVD and Blue-ray discs will be available on December 1.

I’m proud to be associated as a contributor with a project of this calibre. It was a pleasure to work with the book’s editor Rosamund Kidman Cox (former editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine) and picture researcher Laura Barwick. Their attention to detail in both content, editing and design was refreshing. It’s not something you often see in today’s cash-strapped media industry. It gave me hope that the media can still do exemplarily and ground-breaking work.

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Mendenhall Glacier photo published in Alaska magazine

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Tearsheet from the Sept., 2014 edition of Alaska magazine showing tourists at the Mendenhall GlacierI scored another tearsheet from Alaska “The magazine of Life on the Last Frontier” with the publication of one of my images of tourists visiting the Mendenhall Glacier. The image is nicely displayed as a full page image in the September, 2014 issue. The publication of the image even generated a congratulatory phone call from someone besides my late grandmother who actually read the tiny photo credits.

The photo was taken on one of my Juneau layover days while waiting for the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry for Haines. I always make it a point to head out to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier for a hike and to take photographs. I’m never disappointed no matter what the weather. My favorite activity is to hike the easy to intermediate level trails that lead from either the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center or from the parking lot on the west side of Mendenhall Lake. You’ll quickly find solitude on the trails once you leave the visitor center area as most of the herd of cruise ship passengers walk out to Photo Point (seen in the photo) or hike the short trail to Nugget Falls. Mendenhall Glacier is a popular spot for cruise ship passengers. It sees over 500,000 visitors a year.

As I have mentioned previously, Alaska magazine, features great photography and stories on the people, cultures, lifestyles, and natural wonders of the state. The magazine can often be found at local bookstores and newsstands. Electronic editions/subscriptions of Alaska magazine for the iPad can be found on the Apple iTunes App Store.

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