North Douglas residents press Juneau for area plan, safer roads and 'bench road' study

At a Juneau City and Borough community listening session focused on North and West Douglas, residents on Tuesday urged city planners to create a North Douglas area plan and to prioritize traffic and safety improvements on North Douglas Highway.

Speakers said ongoing and proposed development — from housing to tourism-related projects near the end of the island — is already stressing the neighborhood’s residential road and pedestrian facilities. "We have been asking for an area planning process for North Douglas — not unlike Lemon Creek or the waterfront — for well over two decades," said Mike Stanley, a North Douglas resident and long-time member of the North Douglas Neighborhood Association.

Residents described frequent large trucks, tour buses and bikes using a narrow shoulder that walkers, children waiting for school buses, dog walkers and people on motorized wheelchairs also use. "Our number one priority is the safety of residents and visitors who use the North Douglas Road," said Kathy Coghill,…