Governor Invests in Roads, Rail, & more

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell included in his proposed capital budget some $200 million in projects for the MAT-SU region, including funding for roads, highways, the Knik Arm Bridge, the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, the Knik River public target shooting facility, and the South Denali Visitor Center.

“I’m impressed with the investment Gov. Parnell is making in our road system,” said Borough Manager John Moosey. “We need his help. Our roads and highways haven’t been keeping pace with our tremendous growth in population.”

Over the past decade the MAT-SU population has increased by 50 percent. The community of Knik-Fairview has grown 123 percent over the past 11 years and represents at least the 5^th most populous community in Alaska. 

“Funding KABATA, Port Mac Rail, and the South Denali Visitor Center puts more momentum into economic development in the MAT-SU,” Moosey said.

The 32-mile link of Port MacKenzie Rail, because of its shorter distance from tidewater to the Interior, will reduce transportation costs for project cargo on Alaska’s biggest projects: the 800-mile natural gas pipeline to an LNG export plant and the Susitna Dam.

The South Denali Visitor Center is projected to draw up to 350,000 annual visitors. The Knik Arm Bridge would connect the geographically-constrained financial center of Anchorage with room to develop across the 2.5 miles of water.

Click here to view a booklet of the Borough’s State priorities for fiscal year 2015.

Also on the State budget, last Friday, the MAT-SU delegation met in Wasilla with the Assembly, Mayor, Manager, and staff to discuss a longer list of capital requests from the Borough. “We’re getting things done, but we can’t do any of it without you,” Manager Moosey told Rep. Wes Keller, Rep. Bill Stoltze, and Rep. Shelley Hughes.

Mayor Larry DeVilbiss said the wish list was cut in half over last year’s. “In tune with the sentiment of lower revenues for the State budget,” DeVilbiss said.

New Assembly Member Matthew Beck told the delegation, “I’m thankful to be a part of this group and the exciting work ahead.”

SCHOOL ACCESS TRANSPORTATION BONDS

Assembly Member Vern Halter made a pitch for the recent voter-approved school access road bonds. The projects require a 50 percent State match of $16.2 M. “Those transportation bonds received 2 to 1 votes,” Halter said. Manager John Moosey tied the school access projects to the safety of students.

SOUTH DENALI VISITOR CENTER & GATEWAY VISITOR CENTER

New Assembly Member Jim Sykes highlighted the economic benefits of the year-round South Denali Visitor Center, calling the view overlooking Denali and Ruth Glacier “nothing short of stunning.” Sykes also made a request for $5 M in funding for the Gateway Visitor Center off the Glenn Highway outside Palmer. “If we want to encourage visitors here, you have a facility where people can actually use a clean bathroom with running water. People understand those basics,” Sykes said. The Gateway Visitor Center will also point newcomers to activities for recreation, retail, and services.

GOVERNMENT PEAK RECREATION AREA

Assembly Member Jim Colver highlighted the $6.65 M capital request for the Government Peak Recreation Area project. A 4,000-square foot chalet will be completed this winter, Colver said. The next phase is trail & parking lot lighting, paving the one-mile access road, installing utilities, and building an Olympic level ski trail system. Already 7.5 km of trails are built. Rep. Shelley Hughes asked to be kept informed on the economic development aspect of the project. Assembly Member Colver said the Borough is trying to market acreage and look at areas for where to put infrastructure. “Revenues off that we can plow back into the project, like a Kincaid Park,” Colver said.

BOROUGH VEHICLE MAINTENANCE SHOP

Assembly Member Steve Colligan made a case for the $500,000 request for planning and design for a maintenance shop for Borough Public Works, Emergency Services, and possibly the School District.

“The lease will end. This is imminent,” Colligan said of the red building in Wasilla where maintenance is now performed on Borough emergency response vehicles. The building driveway backs up onto Main Street, Colligan said.

SEPTAGE & WASTEWATER FACILITY

Also on the priority list is $2.2 M for land acquisition and design for a Borough wastewater & septage facility.

“We’re looking for a private entity we can partner with as opposed to the Borough being in the wastewater business,” Moosey said. We’ll call it “Munoz Dispose,” Moosey chuckled, singling out well-known and tireless citizen activist Helen Munoz. Through decades of administrations and assemblies, Munoz has testified about the vital benefits of a wastewater and septage facility for the Borough.

KNIK ARM CROSSING

Assembly Member Darcie Salmon reiterated his request for reserve funding for the Knik Arm Bridge project. He said the bridge, the rail link, the port, together, create a three-leg stool for economic development. “(It’ll bring) 600,000 people into one economic cycle of ebb and flow,” Salmon said.

Rep. Stoltze said for those worried about densely populated recreation and development, the bridge would disperse people.

SUPPORT FOR SALMON TO THE MAT-SU

Rep. Bill Stoltze credited Sen. Mike Dunleavy with getting traction in the last budget for fisheries funding in the MAT-SU. “I was shooting into a tornado. He made the tornado recede,” Stoltze said of Dunleavy. As Chair of the House Fish & Game Finance Subcommittee, Stoltze said he needed Dunleavy’s presence on the Senate’s Fish & Game Finance Subcommittee for momentum to happen. The two Legislators led the effort for $7 million in appropriations last budget toward improving the salmon returns to the MAT-SU.

GOVERNOR’S PROJECTS IN CAPITAL BUDGET IN MAT-SU REGION

Among the projects in the Governor’s Budget for MAT-SU:

• Bogard Road $5 M

• Port Mac Rail $5 M

• Knik River Public Use Area Target Shooting Facility Design & Construction $ 2M

• South Denali Visitor Center $1.235 M

• Big Lake Road pedestrian improvements $250,000

• Hatcher Pass Road resurfacing milepost 18-20 $2 M

• Glenn Highway MP 49 realignment $3.55 M

• Glenn Highway MP 66.5 to 92 rehabilitation $1 M

• Parks Highway reconstruction MP 43.5-52.3, Lucas Road to Big Lake Cutoff $50 M

• Parks Highway reconstruction MP 183-188 $1.5 M

• Parks Highway MP 90-146 resurfacing $50M

• Petersville Road rehabilitation MP 0-18.6, $8 M

• Wasilla, Fishhook road to Main Street $5.7 M

• Wasilla, Lucas Road $11 M

For more information call Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan at 745-9577.