Kodiak Short Trail
You can be a part of this amazing project!
The Alaska DOT has put the KST project on their DRAFT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, STIP.
This is a big deal!!
Before 5:00 p.m. on Oct 29, DOT is accepting public comments to advocate, support and make known our interest in this project and move from draft to action.
We are ask you for your support by submitting public comment.
How to submit public comment:
Project Name and ID:
Kodiak Short Trail Project STIP ID 34921
Email AKDOT directly at: dot.stip@alaska.gov
or
Go to their online portal linked here Online Portal
Example public comment:
I live in Kodiak. I am in favor of the Kodiak Short Trail Project,
STIP ID 3492. We need this project because .......
Example benefits of the Kodiak Short Trail:
-Increased safety for bikes, pedestrians, and comfort for drivers.
-Increased mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social health.
-Lower environmental impact with fewer toxic fumes and fluids.
-More attractive for visitors to enjoy and residents to stay.
-Contribute to the growing outdoor recreation economy.
-Reduce traffic-fewer cars on the road and looking for parking.
-Improve mobility for people with disabilities.
-Provide opportunities for people with limited vehicle access.
If you'd like to see the full STIP you can see it here.
The Kodiak Short Trail is project ID 3492, which is on page V2-101 or page 225 in the PDF.
We are always looking for volunteers to help in campaigning, writing letters, fundraising, and gathering additional community support. We have advocated to the City of Kodiak and Kodiak Island Borough and the KST is now on the local Kodiak Capital Improvement Project list. We have communicated with our state and federal legislators, who are informed and supportive, but we could use more voices.
New infrastructure funding and similar projects being funded throughout the state makes this an ideal time for Island Trails Network Volunteers to continue to push this project forward. If you would like to be involved, at any capacity, with this project please let us know.
Long Ago and Far Away....
The idea of a safe pathway from town to connect communities has been around for decades. The Chad Ogden ultramarathon has been held on the highway since 1970. Circa 2005, a fine Kodiak resident bike commuting to the USCG base for work, visualized a potentially safer route than the one she was taking. Chad and Sandra were not alone in using the highway shoulder, as historically people have used the side of the Rezanof, the 55 mph highway, to commute and recreate. There have been pedestrian and cyclist deaths from vehicles on the highway.
For years the KIB’s Comprehensive Plans have identified the need for a new multi-use bicycle and pedestrian path between the City of Kodiak and outlying communities.A resident-led organization, Connecting Community, formed in 2018 with the mission of developing this multi-use, non-motorized trail.This group partnered with us, Island Trails Network, an established local non-profit with similar goals and shared interest in community safety.
Determining that the required engineering and design expertise exceeded the capacity of ITN, we recognized the need to seek professional partnerships to advance the project.
(This artist rendition is intended to provide a way of visualizing and communicating about the trail. The actual trail alignment is soon to be developed.)
We've Grown, We've Learned, We've Done
In 2024, with a private donor’s gift, we hired a professional firm to help apply for a large federal grant, the Active Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Program (ATIIP). We were not awarded the ATIIP grant, however we gained a beautiful template for future grant applications.
We applied for a Denali Commission grant in 2024 and were awarded $170,000. Current work for the Kodiak Short Trail, specifically planning and design, campaigning, fundraising, and gathering community support, technical writing assistance, and staff time are financially possible from this grant. Thank you, Denali Commission!
During an October 2025 visit, the community of Kodiak won the heart of AK DOT&PF Commissioner, Ryan Anderson. On a sunny Thursday with fresh snow on the ground, 50 people lined Rezanof Drive with hand painted KST signs supporting the Kodiak Short Trail. Because of this endeavor, he recognized the massive community support and need for the trail.
As a result of the Commissioner’s visit, he tasked staff to develop a scope, schedule and estimate (SSE) for the entire Kodiak Short Trail. This document is valuable as it not only shows AK DOT’s support, but an SSE is needed for any project listed on the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). The STIP outlines what projects the state will prioritize and work on.
