July 23, 2026, Seward Folly

The Lowell Point Tunnel was an active scene this week after the large rainfall event. Metco was assisting the city staff in dredging the holding pond at the falls, and out further, literally into Resurrection Bay itself.  

Public Works staff explained that the bridge is not only critical for traffic, but utility lines, including sewer from the city, travel directly underneath it. The loss of the bridge would be catastrophic in many ways. 

Public Works director Doug Schoessler, in an update to the council last month, said the new 18’ diameter tunnel with the Army Corps of Engineers will be at 100% design near the end of August this year. “We still have the $185M that Senator Murkowski was able to secure, but the total cost is now likely near $400M and the balance has not been appropriated in the latest US budget,” Schoessler explained.  “With several national emergency disasters and world conflicts the US is involved in, it leaves much uncertainty in available funding for the project.”

Schoessler reported that the city manager is in ongoing discussions with our legislators looking for funding solutions.

Photos by the Folly

He went on to explain that the United States Army Corps is “switching up their focus to start doing the repairs on the existing tunnel this coming January, February, and March. This work can only be done in the coldest temperatures of the winter, while the flow is the lowest and can be diverted through the culvert down Jefferson. With such a short window to do the repair work, it may be a 2-3 year repair project.”