Skagway Visitor Advisory Board hears operators, retailers debate Broadway pedestrian mitigation

The Skagway Visitor Advisory Board met March 26 and spent the majority of its session on pedestrian-mitigation options for Broadway, hearing extended testimony from SmartBus and tour operators, downtown retailers and residents about safety, accessibility and likely economic impacts. After discussion, the board agreed to draft recommendation language for the Skagway Assembly and to explore near-term steps such as crossing guards, signage and no-parking zones.

Jackie Taylor Rose, acting chair, framed the meeting around two studies the board reviewed at a recent work session — an Oregon State University tourism sentiment survey and a visitor-use-management analysis that identified choke points between 2nd and 3rd streets — and asked the table to determine whether to make a recommendation to the assembly.

Greg Clam, who identified himself as owner of Klondike Tours and operator of the SmartBus municipal contract, told the board safety should be paramount. “The main consideration of this board, in my opinion, should be the safety of the guests,” he said, and urged the board to consider both pedestrian flow and alternatives for people with mobility needs. Clam described how many buses perform a “tight drop” that concentrates passengers in the 2nd–3rd block, and offered operational alternatives, including routing buses to 7th Avenue to disperse visitors and creating designated pull-offs for loading and unloading.

Clam also warned of financial consequences if on‑Broadway stops are moved. He estimated moving stops one block would reduce ridership by “20–30%,” and moving them farther could cut ridership “50–70%,” which, he said, would change the economics of the SmartBus contract and could shift costs to the municipality. He presented those numbers as operator estimates rather than city-calculated figures.

Retailer Billy Clem said removing buses from Broadway would improve access to storefronts but cautioned that mobility‑impaired visitors rely on on‑Broadway stops. “If you take away the parked vehicles and put a walking lane… it would change nothing from what we have right now,” he said, urging solutions that preserve access for less mobile guests.

Several speakers, including Rocky Alkholt and Mike Bondet (owner of Skagway Tours), said they could not find official records of vehicle‑pedestrian collisions on Broadway. Bondet urged the board to start with improved sidewalks, clearer signage and boardwalk safety before pursuing closures, and raised a public-safety concern that barricades or timed closures could slow emergency access if not carefully planned.

Sherry Quarantine, a board member, summarized driver observations and recommended moving northbound stops one block to reduce the bottleneck at 2nd–3rd, and suggested using alley or side-street loading areas where feasible. Board member Carl Klupar suggested deploying people-counting devices or similar metrics to measure congestion and set objective targets for mitigation.

Board members returned repeatedly to three near-term policy options: (1) work with SmartBus and the city to adjust routing or stop locations within the terms of the municipal contract; (2) add crossing guards during peak hours to protect pedestrian flow and help buses move; and (3) consider timed or limited no‑parking periods on Broadway to open a continuous walking lane. Members noted some contract elements cannot be changed this season and that the SmartBus contract is scheduled for renewal in 2027, according to testimony from the SmartBus operator.

The board did not adopt a formal ordinance or vote on a change to Broadway at the March 26 meeting. Instead it agreed to draft recommendation language for the Skagway Assembly (the chair suggested aiming for the assembly agenda in mid‑April) that would ask the municipality to work with SmartBus on route logistics, study crossing‑guard funding, and evaluate time‑of‑day no‑parking windows as low‑cost pilot options.

Procedural notes: members approved the meeting agenda and minutes by voice vote at the start of the session and adjourned at the end of the discussion.

Next steps: the board will draft recommendation language and consult clerks about placing the item on the April assembly agenda; members also discussed collecting additional visitor feedback via the municipal Wi‑Fi landing page and using counts or sensors to measure congestion before and after any pilot changes.