DOT official tells Northwest Arctic Borough assembly Phase Two estimate for road project is about $100 million

DOT Commissioner Ryan Anderson provided the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly an update on a multi‑phase road project and said Phase Two estimates are approximately $100 million, which he and members described as a major funding challenge.

The update, given during the borough’s Jan. 28 meeting, prompted assembly questions about who serves on the project working group and whether the planned work will require port deepening or permits. Member Lincoln Carr and BAF Chair Reid Magdanz asked about match funding and material site selection; Member Sampson and Member McConnell raised concerns about local resources and inflation. Member McConnell also asked whether the KIC permit being sought pertains to construction of the road.

Members discussed the cost and logistics of importing “A and B” rock from Nome or Sand Point, with Vice President Elmer Armstrong Jr. suggesting Kivalina as a local rock source and Member Raven Sheldon thanking DOT for completing a STIP project in Selawik last fall. No formal action was taken; members requested further information about funding sources and permitting at a future meeting.

Why it matters: a $100 million phase represents a substantial fiscal commitment that affects county and municipal matching obligations, construction timelines and local resource planning. The assembly signaled concern about how costs and materials will be split among local, state and federal partners.

The assembly is scheduled to meet next on Feb. 24–25, 2025, where members indicated the road update and related funding questions may be revisited.