Kodiak Short Trail
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: planning and design of the KST is expected to be on the list when published. This is HUGE win!
Tomorrow
We are currently awaiting the most recent AK DOT STIP to be announced. When this comes out there will be opportunities for PUBLIC COMMENT and we value your input.
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.
