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Karl Reishus Boulevard to provide access for Pederson Hill subdivision

September 14, 2018 – News

Motorists driving across the Brotherhood Bridge heading to Auke Bay have likely noticed the large construction project taking place on the right side across from Sherwood Lane. That is the beginning of a new road leading to the Pederson Hill single-family residential subdivision. CBJ has contracted with Coogan Construction to build the road.

The new road will be named Karl Reishus Boulevard. The name honors a Juneau police officer whose quick actions in 1992 were credited with saving the lives of two men during a training accident. Unfortunately, Reishus was killed during the incident. The Juneau Planning Commission memorialized his heroic act by naming the new road after him.

Karl Reishus Boulevard will provide the primary vehicle access to the Pederson Hill residential subdivision. It will also contain water and sewer mains, underground electrical lines and fiber optic cables for the new neighborhood. The boulevard will connect at Glacier Highway and create a four-way intersection with Sherwood Lane. Because the soils in the area are largely made up of peat, clay and fine silt, construction required deep excavation to ensure a stable road bed. The road bed must be very stable as settling could cause waterlines to be break or sewer lines to become blocked.

Construction of Karl Reishus Boulevard will provide the backbone for the development of several acres of residentially-zoned CBJ property at the base of the hill. In February 2017, the Juneau Assembly approved plans to begin developing the area in three stages. The first stage includes building the road as well as a trail suitable for horseback riders and pedestrians that will extend to the Mendenhall River trail network. The first stage also includes 17 compact, bare lots with minimal site prep. The lots will be sold to the private sector to build houses; CBJ will not be building housing.

The second stage will include additional roads and 30 new lots, along with a neighborhood park. The final stage has been laid out for 39 more single-family lots. As the community grows, the area could ultimately support over 200 parcels. The project’s first stage is scheduled for completion early next summer.

As that time approaches, the method and schedule for selling the first 17 lots will go through the public process and be decided by the Juneau Assembly. CBJ’s schedule for construction of the next two stages will be determined by housing demand, lot sales and funding availability.