"Basically, we just want to provide the community an opportunity to give us some input in response to the latest up-to-date information on the project and lane restrictions," said Rick Feller, DOT public relations liaison, of the public open-house. "This is a good opportunity for us to have one-on-one time with the people in the community and give them real hard updates on how the project's going to proceed, what the schedule's going to look like and what they can expect over the next several weeks."

The project, scheduled to last 12-weeks, set off frustrations after it began earlier this month when traffic on the available lane across Ninilchik River was limited to 10-feet-six-inches. That eliminated some fishing charter boats, as well as some equipment haulers. Alarm escalated last week when two emergency medical technicians with Ninilchik Emergency Services were delayed responding to a heart attack victim because of the one-lane opening on Deep Creek bridge.

Residents were aware the two-bridge project was scheduled, but the subject of traffic restriction due to narrow lanes was not discussed prior to start-up.

Feller plans to attend Thursday's meeting. Also on hand to answer questions will be the project manager, project engineer and representatives of Mowat, the contractor doing the work.

"There's a lot of misinformation and a lot of rumor and innuendo going around, understandably," Feller said. "This is going to really get project people in contact with the community and say, 'Here's the facts.'"

For Capt. Ron Van Saun of Van Saun Charters and president of Deep Creek Charterboat Association, the open house comes too late.

"Like I told them, it's passed the point when it's really going to be constructive," Van Saun said. "They should have had the meeting with us before the project so people could plan. Now we're to the point where it's good they want to give us the information, but all they're doing is clean-up."

Although the two bridges are being worked on at the same time, cement barricades closing the bridge across Deep Creek weren't put in place until last Friday. DOT had hoped to keep that lane at 12 feet, but the barricades and fence on top of the barricades narrowed it to 11 feet.

With clients due the following day, Capt. John Baker of Afishunt Charters took his boat and trailer across the bridge for a trial run shortly after the barricades were in place.

"I've got two inches on either side to get through," Baker said of the tight squeeze.

What concerned him more than space was the lack of communication from DOT prior to the project's start. It left charter operators scurrying to reconfigure their operations in order to fit through the narrowed opening.

"I get the feeling that we're being blown off as a local community just to get this project done in the middle of the busiest time of summer," Baker said. "That's what makes me more angry than having two inches of clearance. I think this is very, very poorly planned. That's what's maddening to most of us, why this was done the way it was and when it was."

Like other charter operators, Capt. Mike Chihuly of Chihuly's Charters, was concerned for his business. However, as Ninilchik's volunteer fire chief, Chihuly also has safety concerns over the lane restrictions and resulting traffic delays.

"The reality is we have 130 runs a year and we've already had 30," Chihuly said. "My guess is we'll have 70 runs while they're working in that period. ... On those runs, I'll have people (volunteers) coming from both directions to get through. And then we have emergency vehicles to cross at least one of those bridges. Some of the time, we'll be crossing multiple times. In addition, if we have a fire, I have five-six pieces of apparatus running and going back and forth, filling with water."

Dave Carey, mayor for the Kenai Peninsula Borough, said he had met with personnel in the Gov. Palin's Anchorage office last week.

"What I'm being provided are indicators that DOT is working to correct the problem," Carey said, adding, "It's too narrow for people, so they've not yet dealt with it."

Returning Friday from out-of-state travels, Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, and Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Kenai, were in contact with DOT earlier this week. It is not the first time Wagoner has faced challenges with the state's transportation department.

"People need to understand how big of a nightmare DOT is and how much of a nightmare they are to deal with," Wagoner said Saturday morning. "To get them to understand and talk about anything is really frustrating."

Chenault said he would work with Wagoner to see what could be done to address concerns over the bridge resurfacing.

Tuesday morning, Mary Jackson, Wagoner's chief of staff, said the senator was aware of Thursday's meeting and was hoping to attend.

"It's understandable you have to do construction in the season and there's not much you can do about that, but it does not make sense to ... impact the local economy like that," Jackson said. "It's unfortunate that it got to this point. It's my hope, and I know the senator's hope, that no one was horribly, seriously impacted."

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibbenjackinsky.@homernews.com.