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NORTHERN REGION
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Project # HFHWY00314/Federal # 2000047

The Whittier Moves Transportation Master Plan

Plan Overview

The Whittier Moves Transportation Master Plan (Whittier Moves) will identify future transportation investments that support land use and movement patterns by coordinating transportation planning and project development within and around the City of Whittier. The plan will be developed by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) in close coordination with the City of Whittier, stakeholders, and the public to foster collaboration, creating a cohesive and agile transportation planning document. This plan will serve as a tool for securing discretionary grant funding and will support other project development opportunities. It will also be a part of the City of Whittier’s Comprehensive Master Plan.

Plan Objectives

  1. Establish a Transportation Vision: Define a clear and compelling vision for Whittier's future transportation system that aligns with the city's strategic goals and future land use.
  2. Identify Incremental Improvements: Outline specific improvement projects that support future usage needs and improve movement to and between the various activities within the City of Whittier.
  3. Incorporate Stakeholder Input: Incorporate a plan that actively gathers and uses feedback from a broad range of stakeholders and the public.
  4. Explore Funding Options: Identify and evaluate innovative funding opportunities to support the realization of transportation improvements.
  5. Practical Implementation: Provide an actionable plan that remains relevant and usable, with the use of short-term (1-2 years), medium-term (3-5 years), and long-term (5 years and beyond) timescales.
  6. Promote Multimodal Transportation and Intermodal Connectivity: Create a plan that identifies and improves multimodal transportation and intermodal connectivity for the wide range of users.

Transportation in Whittier

Whittier’s strategic location and unique character has made it a transportation hub for tourism, freight, and the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). Whittier is often called "the town under one roof" because most residents live in the Begich Towers, which also contains many of the city's public facilities.  It offers unparalleled access to wildlife and recreation, with two cruise ship terminals and extensive opportunities for day cruises and other tours. Interwoven is Whittier's military history from its roots as a military base at the head of Passage Canal, highlighted by the Buckner Building. A legacy of Whittier’s military history is land ownership, which is predominantly held by the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC), who owns the freight dock and has extensive track configurations to support freight and passenger trains. All eyes are on Whittier as an area of opportunity to grow tourism and freight. To realize this, improvements are needed to address existing transportation challenges associated with the area’s narrow geography, limited flat land between the Passage Canal and mountain ranges, and the sole surface transportation link provided by the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which offers one-way, timed access for rail and motorized vehicles. Current opportunities include:

  • A new cruise ship development completed in 2025 by Huna Totem in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) and Glacier Creek Development received its first cruise ships in the spring of 2025. This site will accommodate ships from all three of NCLH's brands including Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania, and Regency Seven Seas Cruises.
  • Support facilities at the head of the bay - including tourism amenities, shopping infrastructure, and transportation staging - are needed to accommodate and manage increased visitor activity.
  • The City of Whittier’s plans to extend the community out to Shotgun Cove, as outlined in the Shotgun Cove Community Plan.
  • ARRC’s plans to develop additional freight capacity in Whittier, including increasing capacity for containerized freight and break-bulk freight through the reconstruction of a marginal dock facility and associated rail infrastructure.
  • The small boat harbor faces high demand, with private slip waitlists extending several years.
  • Many businesses operating in the small boat harbor are seeking to expand their activities or footprint—an opportunity being explored through the Waterfront Development Plan.
  • Existing transportation infrastructure is at or near capacity, with significant delays - highlighting opportunities for redevelopment to improve multimodal interactions and better stage buses, trains, trucks, non-motorized users, and private vehicles.

These factors create an opportunity to develop a comprehensive master plan that considers transportation facilities, needs, and operations through the next several years to identify projects that will deliver a high return on investment and ease existing and projected problems.

Planning Area

 

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