USACE breaks ground on the Kenai River project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers yesterday celebrated the groundbreaking for the Kenai River Bluffs Erosion Project.

This critical infrastructure is designed to shield the lower portion of the bluff from storm damage and prevent erosion along the newly protected shoreline.

“During the 2024 construction season, our focus will be on producing the rock needed to construct this project,” Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, the Alaska District commander said at the event. “This is a project that showcases what we can achieve together as a team to find engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges.”

The construction will require the placement of about 42,400 cubic yards of armor rock, 33,200 cubic yards of crushed rock and 13,100 cubic yards of gravel base.

Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal government is paying for 90 percent of the 19-million-dollar project’s cost share, with the non-federal sponsor responsible for the remaining 10 percent.