Juneau’s Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei trail closes for barrier installation

Published 9:47 am Wednesday, March 25, 2026

The Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail) is now closed for approximately one month for Phase 2 of flood barrier installation.

The City and Borough of Juneau said in news release that the closure began on Tuesday, March 24. Crews are installing HESCO barriers along the western side of the paved trail from the Brotherhood Bridge parking lot through the meadow.

CBJ says the trail will be closed to the public as the United States Army Corps of Engineers and their contractor, Sealaska Constructors, lead barrier installation.

The fortified, complete temporary flood barrier needs to be completed prior to July 15, 2026. It is a near-term solution to mitigate potential widespread damage from future flooding events.

The flood barriers will be placed on the neighborhood (uphill) side of the trail, allowing for ADA accessible use of the trail after planned installation is complete. The release adds that alternative access to the trail is present from Dimond Park Field House vie the footbridge.

The Phase 2 flood barrier area includes:

• The continuation of barriers from the end of Phase 1, down river on the east bank through the Brotherhood Bridge

• The continuation of barriers from the end of Phase 1, down river on the east bank through the Brotherhood Bridge

• The west bank of the river north from Brotherhood bridge, along the Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (trail) to higher ground above the Wildmeadow Lane neighborhood

• The west bank from Back Loop Bridge extending downstream through the extents of the River Road neighborhood

• The east bank from the Back Loop Bridge, extending downstream to connect to the beginning of Phase 1 at the north end of Marion Drive

On Sept. 19, 2025, the CBJ submitted a scope of work that the United States Army Corps of Engineers accepted to include – but not limited to – the ongoing evaluation, repair, and reinforcement of existing HESCO barriers and barrier sites, paid for with 100% Federal funds.

The Mendenhall River Valley is under imminent threat of “unusual flooding from what scientific experts expect will be recurring and likely record-breaking glacier lake outburst flood events,” according to the project background on the CBJ website.

“The impact and inundation area of these events have increased each of the last three years; a pattern that puts hundreds of homes and thousands of vulnerable residents, as well as critical infrastructure, public facilities, and community and medical services at risk.”