The Northwest Arctic Borough contracted with us to update a benefit-cost analysis for a 2020 BUILD Grant application. The borough had worked with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to design a 10.5-mile road and deepwater port site at Cape Blossom, near Kotzebue, Alaska. Freight and fuel must be delivered to Kotzebue using a small lightering barge because of the shallow northern sea, which is time consuming and expensive for residents of Kotzebue. Furthermore, Kotzebue acts as a regional hub that distributes fuel and freight to nearby satellite communities. The road and deepwater port at Cape Blossom could significantly reduce fuel and freight costs for residents in the NAB, in addition to benefits for the local salmon fishery, improved access to local gravel sources, and increased economic opportunities like cruise ship port calls. We documented the project benefits and costs in a memo and Excel spreadsheet in accordance with grant application guidance published by the US Department of Transportation. This work took place in 2020.
