03/25/2003 01:32 PM House TRA

SB  77-WILLIAM RANSOM WOOD CENTENNIAL BRIDGE                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[Contains discussion of HB 147]                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HOLM  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO. 77,  "An Act  naming the William  Ransom Wood                                                               
Centennial Bridge in Fairbanks."                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0115                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HOLM  mentioned that  HB 147, the  companion bill  to SB
,  was heard  in  the House  Transportation Standing  Committee                                                               
meeting [on March 11, 2003].                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0181                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
TIM  LAMKIN,   Staff  to  Senator   Gary  Wilken,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, presented  SB 77  on behalf  of the  bill's sponsor,                                                               
Senator Wilken.   He stated that SB 77 names  a pedestrian bridge                                                               
in Fairbanks in  honor of Dr. William Ransom  Wood, considered by                                                               
many to be a true visionary and leader in Alaska.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0215                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HOLM told the members that  Dr. Wood was a mentor of his                                                               
and was a  tremendous force in helping Alaska  grow; he concurred                                                               
with the need for this honor.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 0240                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FATE  noted that  Senator  Wilken  was a  driving                                                               
force  in the  honoring of  Dr. Wood.   Representative  Fate said                                                               
that Dr.  Wood was one of  the motivators behind the  building of                                                               
this  pedestrian bridge,  and the  bridge was  a well-thought-out                                                               
project that  was needed  in Fairbanks.   He  said that  Dr. Wood                                                               
could  have retired  outside of  the state  after serving  as the                                                               
president of the  University of Alaska for 13  years, but instead                                                               
chose to  remain in  Alaska, became the  mayor of  Fairbanks, and                                                               
was an honored  citizen.  He said this legislation  was a fitting                                                               
way to honor Dr. Wood's efforts.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0372                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FATE moved  to report SB 77 out  of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  the accompanying  fiscal  note.                                                               
There being  no objection, SB  77 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Transportation Standing Committee.