Trident Basin Seaplane Base on Near Island is likely to get a new dock and much needed updates as the renovation project moves forward. That’s according to information a consulting firm hired by the City of Kodiak presented to the public on Nov. 4.
The current version of the plan includes two main options. HDL Engineering Consultants, out of Anchorage, told a half dozen attendees at Wednesday’s meeting that both options would include replacing at least one dock, adding a new dock, and adding more vehicle parking around the area.
The masterplan is the first step on the way to potentially securing federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to revamp Trident Basin. The FAA previously awarded the city more than $400,000 to develop the plan, and the city hired HDL to lead the charge.
The consulting firm has been meeting with the city’s Airport Advisory Board, which is made up mostly of local pilots, since this spring to discuss the options.
The advisory board has helped identify the issues that need fixing in Trident Basin, and they found no shortage of those.
“The reefs that are within the water operating area are a problem,"
said Sara Newby, an aviation planner with HDL who presented at the meeting. "The aircrafts and boats, they kind of co-mingle sometimes, so there can be conflicts there. And the runway doesn't provide proper crosswind coverage."
Newby also said that one of the three floating docks, where float planes are tied up, is deteriorating. There also isn’t enough parking, for planes or for cars, and not enough facilities for people to do maintenance on their planes according to Newby.
Based on the firm’s two proposed options, both would see the water where planes can land and takeoff widened through the removal or modification of reefs, replacement of the deteriorating dock, and addition of more vehicle parking and a tie down area for pilots to get planes out of the water.
Both options would also get a new, fourth dock. In the first option, the new dock would be connected to the other three docks by a floating walkway.
In the second option, the new fourth dock would be connected to land, and there would be more parking added to the northeast side of the basin towards where the science and research buildings are.
The team also discussed adding a permanent new building that would be a passenger shelter, office space, and public bathroom. The existing bathroom and passenger shelter at the base belongs to Island Air Service, so customers of other airlines aren’t guaranteed access.
The team is hoping to get feedback from the public on which option they prefer. According to a Facebook post from the city, they will collect input at a yet to be announced public workshop. Once one of the options is chosen, HDL Engineering Consultants says it will finalize the masterplan and have it ready for public review next spring.
