The challenges facing Alaska’s coastal communities were recently highlighted in the PBS Frontline documentary Alaska: Vanishing Native Villages. The documentary explores the impacts of climate change, coastal erosion and infrastructure vulnerability in communities like Kotzebue — issues R&M has worked directly to address.
Featured in the documentary, Kotzebue’s shoreline improvements show proactive efforts to protect vital infrastructure and maintain quality of life in the face of a changing environment. R&M played a key role in these efforts, delivering engineering, environmental and community engagement services for the Kotzebue Shore Avenue project.
Project Overview
R&M’s work focused on reconstructing and improving key roadways, including Fifth Avenue, Lagoon Street, Mission Street, Bison Street and Shore Avenue. The improvements enhanced transportation routes and provided new pedestrian sidewalks and parking lanes, improving community accessibility.
A critical component of the project was establishing shoreline protection. R&M designed nearly 1 mile of sheet pile seawall and about 1,000’ of riprap revetment along the beach, safeguarding infrastructure and homes against erosion and storm surges. The designs were based on detailed hydrodynamic modeling, extensive field data collection and careful sediment transport analysis.
Community-Centered Design
Community involvement was central to the project’s success. An aesthetics committee made up of Kotzebue residents guided decisions about beach access, open space preservation and the visual design of improvements. This partnership ensured the project reflected local values while enhancing shoreline resiliency.
R&M also led public meetings and environmental outreach throughout the project’s development, maintaining open communication and making sure community voices were heard at every stage of planning and design.
Lasting Impact
The Kotzebue Shore Avenue project is a crucial step in building long-term resilience for Kotzebue’s residents. By protecting essential roadways, maintaining access to cultural and recreational spaces, and safeguarding the community from erosion and climate change impacts, the project supports Kotzebue’s future vitality.
Services Mentioned
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