The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced Saturday that Alaska Marine Highway System service to Skagway has been suspended for the “foreseeable future” after state engineers identified major structural damage to the municipality’s vehicle and pedestrian ramp connections.
Immediate halt to daily ferry calls
The interruption came less than 24 hours after Skagway last had its usual daily ferry service. The DOT notice said structural concerns at the state-owned docking facility required an immediate stop to AMHS vessel calls while damage assessments proceed.
Skagway Borough Manager Emily Deach said she learned of the problem Saturday morning from a DOT engineer who described failing mechanisms that secure the vehicle ramp. Deach summarized the condition as a movement of the floating dock toward the west, which is increasing pressure on the ramp connections.
“They let me know that there’s an issue with the vehicle ramp and possibly the pedestrian ramp,” Deach said.
Temporary fixes and federal plans
DOT is working with local contractor Hamilton Construction on a temporary repair to address immediate safety and access concerns. The agency said it will release an estimated timetable for permanent structural repairs after completing damage assessments.
Skagway’s docking facility is roughly 45 years old. The borough and DOT have been collaborating on engineering plans to replace the dock and jointly applied for a federal Port Infrastructure Development Program grant; the municipality will not learn whether that grant was approved until the fall.
- The municipality has offered local resources to support state repair efforts.
- DOT stated it will share repair schedules once assessments are complete.
- Temporary repair work is underway with a local construction company.
Deach emphasized the shared understanding of the dock’s importance to Skagway. “We’ve offered all of our resources, anything they might need,” she said, noting that both the borough and the state recognize the suspension’s significance for the community.
Economic and travel implications
Skagway relies heavily on the Alaska Marine Highway as a transportation link for residents, seasonal workers and tourists. Last year more than 16,500 passengers cleared the town’s ferry terminal, a figure that underlines the local economic reliance on consistent marine service.
Community leaders and business owners face uncertainty about how long service will be suspended and how that will affect commerce and travel plans this season. The DOT release did not include a timeline for when normal ferry operations might resume.
Recent history of the dock
The facility has a documented history of stability problems: in 2014 the dock sank and required refloating. That earlier incident and the current damage have driven joint planning between the borough and DOT for a full replacement.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dock age | ~45 years |
| 2014 incident | Sank and was refloated |
| Passengers (last year) | 16,500+ |
For now, residents and visitors who had planned to use AMHS to reach Skagway should expect continued disruption until DOT completes its structural assessments and announces next steps. The borough has said it will cooperate fully with state crews as they carry out temporary repairs and determine the extent of long-term work needed.
WE NEWS will continue to monitor updates from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Skagway borough officials and will publish further details on repair timetables and service restoration as they become available.
