Railroad to Haines

W.C. Kurz

Box 1363

Haines, Ak 99827

Alaska Legislature

Transportation Committee

Hi; 

  We (Haines Port Development Council LLC) work to market and develop the Haines Port. As our state grows our port needs to grow with it.  Our deepwater, ice free, port of refuge is uniquely located to benefit the region as well as the state. The Yukon is developing it’s mineral resources and needs a port to ship minerals around the Pacific. The State of Alaska needs a major port on this side of the state to supplement the Port of Anchorage.  Fully developed Haines Port would be physically almost the same size as Port of Anchorage.  The only other port in the region is congested during the tourist season and has weather problems that even keep Alaska Ferries from docking or get out of the harbor.  The mineral storage and shipping space is quite limited in Skagway. Haines has none of those problems.  From a simple safety stand point Haines has a great advantage.  If only half the mines were to take their ore to Skagway, what would the truck traffic be on the Klondike highway? Considering that shipping by rail comes to about 13% of the cost of shipping by truck, bringing rail to Haines  makes the most economic sense. This would greatly reduce the cost of moving freight in and out of this part of Alaska and Yukon. 

  Should there ever be another earthquake like the Good Friday 1964 quake, how would we get food and supplies to the people while the Port of Anchorage was not accessible? Now there is at least double the number of people in Alaska. Many not accustom to doing without the connivances of today.  The simple answer is a full service Haines Port. 

  To move the heavy minerals and freight we need to have the Alaska Railroad come to Haines. Like Bruce Carr (Director of strategic planning  AKRR) said when he was here at our Summit, “ You don’t have a port till you have a railroad”.  He also told one of the mining companies “ put in your report when the railroad comes to Haines, not if the railroad comes to Haines”. 

  The 2005 / 07 Alaska / Canada Rail Link Study shows rail from Delta Junction to Haines, via Carmacks, Haines Junction is a profitable project. Since then the value and quantity minerals has gone up considerably. 

  That route would also be a great tourist attraction. It would also be a great people mover to get people to and from the interior without the weather risk on the roads in the winter.

  This would be a great project for AIDEA as it is a good investment.  

  All that can be seen on our web site;http://www.hainesalaskaport.com/ , check it out lot’s of good information there.

                               Bill