Posted on October 9, 2026
By Jeffrey Kennett Juneau Empire Staff
Hauling supplies ashore from fishing boats at Juneau’s Fisheries Terminal can mean climbing a steep gangway, but a planned loading facility would allow trucks to pull alongside vessels instead, and the city is now seeking contractors to build it.
The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ ) issued a revised construction solicitation Oct. 1 for the Aurora Harbor Drive Down Float project — outlining construction work estimated at $11 million to $12 million — that includes plans for a vehicle-accessible floating dock, connecting bridge, and two electric cranes intended to make loading and unloading safer for the commercial fishing fleet.
Although the project has been in development for years, the updated notice provides a substantially different description of the work than the original solicitation published Sept. 23, which focused on removing an existing timber float, dredging sediment, and reinstalling the structure.
Under the revised notice, construction of the new facility would include modifications to the existing approach dock, an extension and widening of the structure, and installation of steel piles.
Both notices carry the same engineer’s estimate and Oct. 13 bidding deadline.
CBJ marked the newer version “scope revised” but did not explain the discrepancy between the descriptions or identify any corresponding change in the project’s overall budget. Records dating back to 2024 indicate the larger construction effort was already planned, suggesting the revised advertisement more closely reflects the work outlined in the city’s original federal funding application.
For commercial fishermen, the improvements are intended to eliminate a cumbersome part of everyday harbor operations.
Located between Aurora and Harris harbors, the existing Fisheries Terminal includes a fixed crane dock and a small float connected to shore by a pedestrian gangway. According to CBJ’s 2024 federal grant application, crews moving goods from vessels sometimes must climb a 27-foot ladder to reach the fixed dock. At low tide, the gangway can reach a 29-degree slope, forcing workers to carry supplies up a steep incline. Limited access also creates congestion when vessels need to load equipment or transfer seafood. Without a direct connection the the road, moving heavier cargo can require additional handling and time.
Designated to address those problems, the new facility would feature a 120-foot-long, 48-foot-wide float capable of supporting vehicles.
A 140-foot bridge would connect it to shore through a widened section of the existing approach dock, creating a direct route for trucks and other service vehicles.
Two new electric cranes, each with a five-ton lifting capacity, would provide additional equipment for transferring freight. Water service, electrical connections, and fire-suppression infrastructure would extend to the float, allowing crews to use the facility throughout the year and across changing tides.
Beyond handling fishing equipment, CBJ anticipates the structure could help move seafood products into the road transportation network more efficiently. Juneau’s role as a regional shipping and service centre also means the facility could support vessels carrying goods to Southeast Alaska communities without existing road connections.
Funding for the project has been assembled through a combination of federal, state, and local sources, and follows the recent completion of an approximately $8 million reconstruction project that replaced the final portions of the harbor’s original 1960s-era floating dock system.
In November 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration awarded Juneau an $11,154,002 Port Infrastructure Development Program grant for the work.
The city’s application identified another $2,788,500 in non-federal funding, bringing the original estimated project budget to $13,942,502.
Juneau later reported securing $1.4 million through the Alaska Department of Transportation’s Harbor Facility Grant Program. Additional funding sources identified by Docks and Harbors include Harbor Enterprise Funds and revenue associated with the city’s 1% sales tax initiative.
Those investments support a separate undertaking from the $11 million to $12 million construction estimate published in the current bid notice. CBJ’s original project budget also accounts for costs including design, permitting, and contingency expenses.
PND Engineers presented the project’s 65% design plans to the Docks and Harbors Operations-Planning Committee on May 20, giving officials a more detailed look at the proposed structure ahead of the solicitation.
A state water quality certification notice published in April identified a proposed construction window from June 1 through Dec. 31, 2027. Those dates reflect the schedule submitted during permitting and not a confirmed timetable from a selected contractor. With designs advancing and a construction contract now being advertised, attention turns to the bidding process. CBJ held a pre-bid conference Sept. 29, two days before publishing the revised scope, and plans to open bids immediately after the 2 p.m. Alaska time deadline Oct. 13.
Questions remain about how the changed description was communicated to prospective bidders and whether construction will temporarily restrict access to surrounding harbor facilities.
Neither public notice specifies anticipated disruptions or explains why the earlier solicitation omitted the larger structure.
For crews currently carrying supplies up ladders and steep walkways, the improvements would provide a direct route between land and sea. How soon that option becomes available, though, will depend on the construction contract and the work that follows.
