KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH, KETCHIKAN, AK

“Revitalizing Ketchikan’s Neighborhoods” planning project for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough sought to develop a community vision for improvements to the Newtown, Downtown, and Old Town neighborhoods in Ketchikan that are impacted by the many visitors arriving by cruise ship.  Concepts were developed through a public planning process focused on creating a safer and more attractive pedestrian areas, enhancing both visitors’ and residents’ experience of the downtown neighborhoods, and providing access to Ketchikan’s colorful history, culture, and natural environment.

Proposed projects sought to create a sense of identity for each neighborhood; retaining the history and features that make them unique and a part of a real working community in Southeast Alaska. To develop the projects, the public planning process included community workshops and meetings that focused on analyzing and documenting the existing conditions within each neighborhood, and engaging the neighborhood stakeholders and interest groups in identifying projects and programs that would improve the attractiveness, livability, safety and visitor appeal of each neighborhood.  Visions were translated into a set of design concepts and options.  Participants then voted on the top projects they would like to see implemented in their neighborhood, and ranked them in order of priority.  The top priority projects in each neighborhood were then further refined for implementation. Several projects are now under construction.