A tree branch hangs over the downed data line. Photo by Matthew Schmitz.
The short bike trail to the north of the Student Union is open after a downed data line was cleared on Jan. 3.
UAA’s groundskeeping department cleared a fallen tree limb from the line, which was causing it to hang down close to the trail.
The line — which is ultimately the responsibility of Alaska Communication Systems — is still drooping below its normal height, but it’s low voltage and above the height where it might interfere with trail traffic.
In an email to The Northern Light, Grounds and Landscaping Supervisor Kara Monroe wrote that the heavy snowfall on Nov. 14 caused a tree limb to break and fall on the line.
Signs were placed on each end of the trail — one near the Sports Complex West Parking Lot and the other near the Engineering Parking Garage — warning that the trail was closed because of a downed power line.
Monroe wrote that Chugach Electric was contacted the same day as the incident.
According to her email, Chugach Electric gave the issue a low priority.
In a follow up with the power company, UAA learned that the line was actually a low-voltage data line posing no threat to people, belonging to ACS.
According to her email, Chugach Electric said that repairing the line was the responsibility of ACS.
Monroe wrote that they passed the information onto ACS, but as of January the company still had not addressed the problem.
UAA Vice Chancellor Ryan Bucholt sent an email on Jan. 3 to UAA’s maintenance department asking for a status update on the trail closure.
Monroe wrote that ACS had not given them a timeline of when they would address the problem, so groundskeeping decided to take care of it themselves.
Despite clearing the tree limb from the line, it has not been a total fix.
A connection that attaches the line to a light pole along the trail was broken, so it is still drooping below its normal height. It’s about 12 feet off the ground at the lowest point.
According to Monroe's email, ACS will need to come and do the final repairs on the line.
Monroe wrote that the line is at a safe height and will not interfere with pedestrian traffic or the small equipment that uses the trail.
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