The Wrangell ferry terminal will be closed for three days next week in order for crews to replace a portion of the underside of the ramp leading to the vessels.
The Wrangell Ferry Terminal will be out of commission for three days in June to replace a portion of the underside of the ramp leading to the vessels when they are berthed.
The closure is set for June 18-20, affecting ferry traffic during those days by prohibiting use of the dock for Alaska Marine Highway System ships.
According to Jeremy Woodrow, a communications officer for the Alaska Department of Transportation, the work involved includes a complete replacement of critical infrastructure related to the ramp.
“The contractor will be doing I-beam and shiv work on the ramp,” Woodrow said. “The I-beam runs underneath the ramp and the shiv is the portion that runs the cables on that bridge. Because of the work that has to be done, the ramp will be out of commission and there will be no access to the ferries during that period of time.”
Three ferries had originally been scheduled in and out of Wrangell, but have now been cancelled and blocked out of the AMHS reservation system for those days.
“During that time, unfortunately, Wrangell will be without service and will be passed over because the ferries will not be able to land,” Woodrow added.
Pacific Pile and Marine, a Seattle- and Anchorage-based firm that specializes in marine dock works, will complete the work.
Woodrow added that a project such as this is usually done on an as-needed basis – and that the repairs to Wrangell’s ramp are necessary to ensure safe usage of the bridge.
“Replacement of items like this are always coming down the pike, but you don’t want to do it too late,” he said. “This is one of the things you schedule before it is actually needed. Plus, we always want to make sure items are repaired before there is any failure.”
To check on ferry schedules before and after the repair project, log onto http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs.
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