Notice of Intent to Begin Engineering and Environmental Studies-Deering Airport and Access Road Improvements NFAPT00249

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), proposes the following improvements at Deering Airport, Deering, Alaska:

Rehabilitate and resurface the airport.                                                                

Repair the runway embankments.                                                                         

Construct a new airport access road and new bridge over Smith Creek.       

Apply dust palliative to airport traffic surfaces.

Use existing gravel bars of the Inmachuk River floodplain as material sources, and mobilize these materials and construction equipment to the project area using the existing community barge landing and developed roads.

Replace the airport lighting system.

Restore sufficient airport drainage.

Construct a snow fence. The project purpose is to remedy Deering Airport

deficiencies, bring the airport to current FAA design standards, and meet criteria identified in the Alaska Statewide Transportation Plan (ASTP) and Alaska Aviation System Plan (AASP). Deering Airport has two gravel surfaced, perpendicular runways designated as Runway (RW) 3-21 and RW 12-30. Over time, winter snow removal operations have graded most surfacing off both runways’ surfaces, resulting in persistent rutting and water ponding on the underlying runway embankment. Additionally, drifting snow collects west of the runways’ intersection, requiring a substantial snow removal effort and creating springtime meltwater ponding adjacent the runway embankments. These conditions keep airport maintenance costs high. Additionally, the airfield’s surface course and lighting system are beyond their useful life and need rehabilitation or replacement.The Deering Airport and its access road are also subject to flooding due both to spring ice jams in the Inmachuk River and strong, periodic storm surges from Kotzebue Sound. For example, in 2015 and 2016, ice jams at the Inmachuk River mouth submerged portions of the airport access road (Deering-Inmachuk Road), which provides access between the Deering community and the airport (and also lies mostly off airport property).  The ice jam also extended to one runway threshold embankment (Figure 2). In 2016, these conditions caused the State of Alaska to declare a community disaster at Deering. There are no documented flood events overtopping the airport surfaces.Please join us in person or by phone to discuss the proposed project!When: Monday July 20, 2020 at 7:00 pm   
Where:  Deering City Building   How?: See belowDeering residents: can call Bonita Barr
(907-363-2138) for info on attending in person.           All others: call in
Toll-Free: (833) 436-6264 & then use Code: 116 662 893#See attached Figures 1-7 for depictions of proposed airport & road improvements. You can mail or email questions, comments, suggestions or other information to the DOT&PF Project Manager Jonathan Hutchinson (contact info below).  While we accept information at any time, to best assist the design team please provide comments by
August 17, 2020.The proposed project will comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; Executive Orders: 11990 (Wetlands Protection), 11988 (Floodplain Protection), 12898 (Environmental Justice), 11593 (Historic Preservation), 13084 (Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments); the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and U.S. DOT Act Section 4(f).To request further information about this project, you may contact:Jonathan Hutchinson, P.E., DOT&PF Engineering Manager2301 Peger Road, Fairbanks, AK, 99709jonathan.hutchinson@alaska.govWhat Project Activities and Milestones are Coming Up Next?

Geotechnical Investigations – Crew will be in Deering by late Fall/Early Winter 2020 (subject to change re: COVID).

Draft Environmental Assessment – Currently in development, with proposed completion by Winter 2021/2022.

Final Design – scheduled to be complete by December, 2021.

Advertise the Project for Bid – January 2022.

Proposed Construction Timeframe – 2022-2023.