Committee forwards alternate SmartBus routing to Skagway Assembly to ease Broadway congestion

At a Public Safety Committee meeting, Chair Dan Henry and members voted to forward an alternate SmartBus routing proposal to the Skagway Assembly for placement on an upcoming agenda.

Committee member Jonathan Hillis moved to send the "4b" proposal to the assembly; the motion was seconded and approved. The proposal, developed by the Skagway Visitor Advisory Board (SVAB), tourism staff and the SmartBus contractor, aims to reduce a documented safety and congestion bottleneck on Broadway between 2nd and 3rd Avenues by routing dock-originating traffic northbound on State Street and consolidating SmartBus stops on the west side of Broadway.

Jamie Bricker, Skagway’s tourism director, told the committee that the alternate route would "eliminate the SmartBus northbound on Broadway" and move stops to strategic west-side locations such as the alcove near Sweet Tooth and a park-service native-plant area to keep large passenger loads off the boardwalk. SmartBus operator Greg Clem said tests show 5th Street is the primary unloading hub and that changing the flow could relieve sidewalk congestion.

Members repeatedly framed the discussion as a safety-first decision. Chair Dan Henry said, "First and foremost, it's safety," and committee members emphasized gathering business feedback and adding signage and enforcement measures as the plan moves forward.

Next steps: the committee sent the proposal to the assembly; the packet contains two versions of the resolution (the assembly-amended version and a staff-proposed version), and staff advised clarifying whether any change is intended as a pilot or a permanent reconfiguration.