State explores options for Juneau Road

A federal judge handed advocates of the Juneau Road a big defeat in February when he overturned the project's approval, and then a smaller defeat last month when he refused to reconsider that decision.

Federal judge's decision to block project must be appealed by June 5

A federal judge handed advocates of the Juneau Road a big defeat in February when he overturned the project's approval, and then a smaller defeat last month when he refused to reconsider that decision.

State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities officials are maintaining that U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick misread the evidence and got the decision wrong, however.

Now the state's next action on the Juneau Access Project must be made by June 5. That's the deadline by which the state must decide whether to appeal Sedwick's decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sedwick ruled that the Environmental Impact Statement for the 50.8-mile road up Lynn Canal to the Katzehin River must also consider ways to use existing ferries to improve service, along with the department's preferred option of a road up the east side of Lynn Canal.

Get the complete story at the Juneau Empire.