The 35 Mile Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) park project is a collaboration of the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), Parks and Recreation, Trail Mix, and the Juneau Off-Road Association working together to bring a first-of-its-kind ORV park to Alaska’s capital city. The park is near the 35-mile post marker on Glacier Highway, stretching out the road from the city’s concentrated population center. A project more than twenty years in the making, the ORV park is custom-designed to accentuate the area’s scenic views and markedly rugged landscape for the intended enjoyment of motorized vehicle use.
proHNS was contracted by the CBJ and Trail Mix to design and inspect the construction of the facility’s parking lot, which includes many features unique to its planned use. These features include 25 standard vehicle parking stalls, 20 trailer stalls, picnic areas with tables and fire pits, entry to the trail system, garbage facilities, a location for a future caretaker’s space, and a lockable entrance gate off the highway’s approach. Additionally, proHNS created the SWPPP for this project, helped our clients obtain the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting, and conducted the SWPPP site inspection.
proHNS engineers finalized the parking lot design in 2023. Construction quickly began to remove existing trees and shrubs, remove unsuitable material, import gravel, and cap the parking area with recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). The final installation of the 35-mile ORV parking lot site features is expected to conclude in September 2024. Additional information about the park’s operation, trail system, and anticipated opening date can be accessed through the CBJ’s project page here.
