Engineering – Page 2 – City and Borough of Juneau

Construction on North Franklin Street Begins July 15

Construction on North Franklin Street begins Wednesday, July 15, 2026. The project will make necessary upgrades to water, wastewater and storm drain utilities, and also replace the street’s curb, gutters, sidewalk, pedestrian structures, and pavement.

Construction will be completed in two phases. Phase 1 will work on the 2nd to 4th street intersections, for completion in 2026. Phase 2 will work on the 4th to 6th street intersections and start in summer 2027.

Here’s what to expect during the first phase of construction, which will impact North Franklin’s 2nd to 4th streets from July 15 to October 15:

Streets will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with occasional extensions as work requires.

2nd and 4th street intersections will remain open to cross traffic, except from some short closures as work requires.

Streets will be closed to parking during all hours of active construction.

Pedestrian access will be maintained to all businesses and buildings, with detours around the work zone.

All immediately impacted residents and businesses will be given notice of any driveway access interruptions at least 48 hours before the scheduled interruption. Impacted residents and businesses should contact Coogan Construction at 907-780-6000 if they need help accessing their residence or business during closures.

The North Franklin Street Construction project was selected and funded through Capital Improvement Program process. The project was identified through prioritization, where City and Borough of Juneau experts in the streets, water, and sewer departments prioritize repairs and upgrades based on infrastructure age, use and needed repairs.

The City and Borough of Juneau thanks residents and business and their patrons for their patience and cooperation while this work to upgrade critical infrastructure is underway.

For more information about the project, contact Abner Miller, City and Borough of Juneau Engineering Associate, by emailing [email protected].

Map of Phase 1 and 2 of the North Franklin Street Construction Project.

July 9th, 2026|

Replacement of Cope Park Water Utility Pump Station Starts This Week

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) will begin construction on the replacement of the CBJ Water Utility’s aging pump station at Cope Park later this week. The new pump station, to be completed by early 2027, will increase both the pumping capacity and reliability of the water distribution system in downtown Juneau’s higher elevation areas. Cope Park will remain open and accessible for park users throughout construction.

The Cope Park Pump Station Replacement project consists of a new pump building, new pumps and controls, an emergency generator, underground pipe work, paved parking areas, site drainage, lighting, and demolition of the old pump station. The $1.6 million construction project is funded by the CBJ Water Utility Water Fund which supports water utility infrastructure projects throughout Juneau. The Cedar Park Pump Station in West Juneau was also recently upgraded using this fund.

The Cope Park access road will be accessible to pedestrians throughout construction. Vehicular access may be restricted to a single lane at times, and there will be periodic short closures to all vehicles as dictated by construction activities. Alternate pedestrian access via the 7^th Street stairs will not be affected. Park users are asked to obey all traffic control signs and flaggers and be alert for construction workers and equipment throughout construction.

CBJ appreciates the community’s patience during the implementation of these critical upgrades to Juneau’s water distribution system.

For more information about the project, contact CBJ project manager Alan Steffert at [email protected] and 907-586-0800 ext. 4190 or the project construction contractor Henricksen Constructors, Inc. at [email protected] or 907-321-5921.

June 23rd, 2026|

CBJ Solicits Construction Bids for Municipal Offices, Assembly Chambers at Burns Building

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) posted a solicitation for bids to perform construction work on the first two floors of the Michael J. Burns building. The project will accommodate CBJ offices for 147 personnel, an accessible Assembly Chambers and central public service counter. The cost-based bid solicitation materials include a summary of work, site layout and list of alternates should budget allow. The solicitation period closes on July 13.

The primary scope of work addresses critical updates to the building’s mechanical and electrical systems that are out of code and at risk of needing constant repairs if not updated. There will also be limited renovations to the first floor for an Assembly Chambers, public service counters and restrooms. Some office spaces will receive minor renovations, including replacing partitions and limited finishes. At this time, the current budget does not include paint and flooring updates, however, should bid come in below budget, these are included among several items that could be added as alternates to the scope.

“We took a very frugal approach to this project,” explains CBJ City Architect Liam Knecht. “We may not get updated paint or flooring, but this scope will get us to a safe, consolidated, and cost-effective workspace for municipal employees.”

The current City Hall houses about 40% of CBJ office staff and faces major renovation and repairs estimated at nearly $10 million for immediate health and safety repairs, and over $45 million for full structural repairs. Additional CBJ offices are spread throughout the city in private commercial buildings and are subject to increasing lease costs and needed repairs. In the current arrangement, annual operating costs–including for maintenance, utilities and lease–total approximately $1.3 million. Annual operating costs for municipal services to operate out of the Burns Building will be approximately half that at $650,000 and include utilities, maintenance, and capital reinvestment costs.

In September 2025, the Juneau Assembly formally approved the purchase of two floors of the Burns Building (801 W. 10^th Street) for use as the new CBJ Municipal facility. The plan structures the arrangement as a condominium association, with CBJ purchasing the first two floors while the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation retains the top floor. The building plans prioritize public accessibility and services, with the new Assembly Chambers being 3,530 square feet (versus 1,929 in the current City Hall) and a larger public counter to better receive and direct inquiries for all departments. The space will function as a one-stop shop for residents to interface with their municipal government.

The total budget to move and consolidate CBJ offices in the Burns Building is $20.5 million. This total cost includes the purchase of 46,000 square feet of commercial office space for $9.3 million and an upfront capital investment fund contribution of $2.7 million (similar to a deferred maintenance fund, to save for future capital project needs).

Interested contractors can find the solicitation and instructions on the CBJ Public Purchase website.

For more information about the future CBJ Municipal Offices and Assembly Chambers, visit juneau.org/manager/cbj-municipal-offices or contact [email protected]. For questions about the bid solicitation process, contact [email protected].

June 19th, 2026|

Juneau Residents Invited to Complete the Safe Streets For All Public Survey & Provide Comments by April 8

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) invites residents to share their insights into ways to improve the safety of Juneau’s streets and roadways by completing the Safe Streets for All Public Survey and comment map available at bit.ly/CBJSafeStreets by April 8.

The information gathered through these online resources will help guide the development of a CBJ Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan to create a safer transportation network for all users.

The SS4A Safety Action Plan is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. CBJ has partnered with Kinney Engineering and RESPEC to gather input from all Juneau road-users – including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists and commercial vehicle operators.

For more information about the CBJ SS4A Safety Action Plan, contact Jeffrey Thole at [email protected].

April 1st, 2026|

USACE to Mobilize Phase 2 HESCO Barrier Flood Fighting Project Next Week

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – Alaska District in partnership with the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) will begin the first phases of the Phase 2 HESCO barrier project installation along the Mendenhall River during the week of March 16, 2026. USACE contractor Sealaska Constructors will be leading the work, which will begin with bank armoring along Clinton Drive and move south along the unprotected areas of the river. The public is asked to avoid the construction area for their safety and the safety of workers, residents and property owners.

In late October 2025, USACE accepted CBJ’s request for USACE Public Law 84-99 Advance Measures Assistance to provide technical assistance and temporary flood protection against the increasing future glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) at 100% Federal cost with no cost to the Public Sponsor (CBJ). The Advance Measures scope will include riverbank armoring and installation of temporary (HESCO) flood barriers to construct a fortified, complete temporary flood barrier along the unprotected, populated riverbank areas of the Mendenhall River – referred to as Phase 2 – prior to July 15, 2026.

USACE is also providing technical assistance for the repairs, fortification, raising, bank armoring and other associated items related to the Phase 1 HESCO flood barrier installation to continue to protect against the increasing GLOF events. CBJ is responsible for the implementation and construction of the work with its contractors. Mobilization of Phase 1 HESCO barrier repairs will begin later this month for completion by July 2026. The estimated cost of the Phase 1 repairs will be funded by an Assembly transfer of funds from the Capital Civic Center project and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation State Revolving Fund Loan.

CBJ’s Engineering and Public Works department has spent the six months since the last major GLOF event documenting damage, analyzing impacts and utilizing the latest available hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to develop plans to raise, repair and reinforce the existing Phase 1 HESCO barriers. The goal of this ongoing work, in coordination with the USACE, is to ensure that these critical but temporary flood fighting projects provide as much protection as practicable until a longer-term solution is in place.

CBJ project managers have and will continue to coordinate directly with property owners and impacted residents along both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 project areas. More information about flood fighting, flood emergency preparedness and the pursuit of an enduring solution is available at bit.ly/CBJGLOF.

For more information about the Phase 1 and Phase 2 HESCO Barrier Flood Fighting projects, please contact [email protected].

March 13th, 2026|