Ketchikan’s terrain and climate present unique construction considerations, including moisture exposure, freeze-thaw cycles, and load management over buried infrastructure. Traditional soil backfill can introduce unnecessary weight and increase long-term settlement risks over gas lines. Geofoam was used as lightweight engineered backfill to reduce vertical loading over the natural gas line, improve settlement control, and provide predictable long-term performance. Its lightweight properties made handling and placement more efficient in a logistically complex environment.