Catching Up

Transportation update touches on budget, leadership changes, and mental health focus

By Rachael Kvapil

he Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) had good news to share with members of Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Alaska during its presentation at the annual Spring Agency Day: the Alaska Legislature approved a $70 million match to ensure DOT&PF received full federal funding ahead of the FY26 summer construction season.

However, that announcement was only one of several made by presenters as they outlined an internal structural shift within DOT&PF in the coming year. They also addressed safety and mental health issues within the construction industry and outlined ways AGC members can work with DOT&PF to keep employees on both sides safe and to prevent burnout.

During AGC’s annual conference in November, DOT&PF was still unsure whether the state legislature would be able to provide the $70 million match required for full federal funding for FY26 projects. The agency received word on March 25 that the Legislature approved the match requirement. During DOT&PF’s Spring Agency Day presentation April 24, Chris Goins, Southcoast Region Director, expressed appreciation for members’ help advocating for full funding.

“I just want to give a huge thank you to Alicia [Kresl] and to the agency steering committee,” Goins told the audience. “I would like you to give them a round of applause for all the work that they put in to get to this.”

“There’s a cool little rule that you can move those from CY27 one year forward to CY26,” said Goins. “And our teams are on their path to delivering those projects.”

At past Spring Agency Day events, DOT&PF presented a comprehensive list of current and upcoming construction projects. In 2025 however, AGC partnered with DOT&PF to hold monthly Tentative Advertising Schedule (TAS) meetings, during which DOT&PF pre-construction engineers provided a full account of all projects. DOT&PF still hosts virtual TAS updates every third Wednesday at 11 a.m. to share schedule changes, project delivery insights, and regional updates. These sessions help industry partners stay informed about upcoming bidding opportunities. The Zoom link to join these meetings is on the DOT&PF Procurement and Contracting page (dot.alaska.gov/procurement), along with links to recordings of previous meetings.

Now that DOT&PF has the state match funds, agency staff are reviewing CY27 marine construction and Port Improvement Development Program projects. However, this will not affect CY26 road projects. Goins says the latest STIP, covering CY27 construction projects, will soon be out for public review and comment.

Goins clarified that regional director changes will not alter the regional boundaries. He says the majority of interactions between AGC members and DOT&PF staff will be with the teams that AGC members have already been working with in each region, including pre-construction and construction engineers. Regional teams will allow DOT&PF and contractors to maintain local knowledge and previously established relationships. The realignment among the regional directors will also not affect federal oversight and compliance, as there will always be federal requirements for DOT&PF funds to ensure accountability.

The M&O director position was unfilled at the time of Goins’ presentation, so it is uncertain where that position will be located within the state. Formal alignment and position transfers are scheduled to happen this summer.

AGC members asked whether it made sense to undergo a major reorganization this close to the end of the current administration, and whether the state legislature supported the process. Goins responded that, since the change is only with the directors and not the structure below, it allows DOT&PF to look at ways to better align leadership for consistency, even if a new governor chooses a different direction. As for the legislature, Goins says the proposed changes have been approved by the State House Transportation Committee, though they have met some opposition in the State Senate Transportation Committee, which approved the reduction in positions but not the reorganization. However, at the time of the April presentation, Goins said there was still time for both the House and the Senate to reach agreement.

“There is a process that has to play out in the Legislature, and we’re letting that process happen,” said Goins. “In the meantime, we’re preparing like this could happen when it turns over in the fiscal year.”

Goins says administrative support staff outside the construction sections are being reorganized, but the overall goal is to keep payments going out on time. While state laws allow for more than 10 days to make a payment, DOT&PF employees want to be aware of payments that do not reach contractors within 10 days of having all signatures complete, so the issue can be addressed right away.

AGC members asked if the reorganization would result in faster payments. Goins encouraged contractors who were not paid within ten days of submitting requests to begin by calling the project engineer and work their way up the chain of command if necessary. Any payment issues need to be brought to DOT&PF’s attention, he said, so contractors can be paid in a timely manner and to ensure there aren’t any problems with the new system.

“You never know what somebody’s going through,” said Goins. “If we have mutual respect for each other, that just makes it easier for everybody.”

He suggested communicating major shift changes with the DOT&PF project engineer, particularly those involving projects changing from daytime work to nighttime work. The sooner DOT&PF knows about major changes, the sooner they can stagger staff to prevent burnout. Likewise, he asked contractors to communicate in advance any addition of a new shift, bringing on additional crews, or extending or compressing project timelines. Keeping communication lines open will prevent surprises for everyone involved, reduce stress, and maintain positive relationships between DOT&PF and contractors, he said.

Goins recommended members check out “AGC of Washington Weekly Toolbox Talk Safety Meeting Healthy Coping & Personal Resilience Tools,” located at AGC of America’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention “Contractor Resources” page. Written during the pandemic, this one-page list identifies best practices for surviving difficult times. The suggestions are still relevant to the consistent stress many employees in the construction industry face.