CSHCR 5(TRA): Relating to extension of the James Dalton Highway to the Arctic Ocean.
00CS FOR HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5(TRA) 01 Relating to extension of the James Dalton Highway to the Arctic Ocean. 02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 WHEREAS there is an immediate need for a public highway from the Yukon River 04 to the Arctic Ocean; and 05 WHEREAS this highway will provide the first year-round, overland route to the Arctic 06 Ocean and will result in the completion of a public highway from the Pacific Ocean to the 07 Arctic Ocean; and 08 WHEREAS this highway is named the James Dalton Highway, popularly known as 09 the Dalton Highway; and 10 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway will provide North America's only highway link to 11 the Arctic Ocean; and 12 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway is the second northernmost highway in the world; 13 and 14 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway was opened for unrestricted public access to and
01 including the Deadhorse industrial area in 1994; and 02 WHEREAS the Federal Highway Administration added the Dalton Highway to the 03 National Highway System in 1995; and 04 WHEREAS highway traffic to Deadhorse has increased 34 percent since the Dalton 05 Highway was opened to the public; and 06 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway offers unparalleled scenic beauty and access to the 07 Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, the 08 Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and 09 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway was designated a State Scenic Byway in 1998; and 10 WHEREAS the Dalton Highway is under consideration as an All American Road 11 eligible for additional federal funding; and 12 WHEREAS the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities in 13 cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and other 14 agencies are adding waysides, campgrounds, and other facilities for the increasing number of 15 travelers on the Dalton Highway; and 16 WHEREAS there is an increasing demand from these travelers for unrestricted private 17 vehicle access to visit the Arctic Ocean; and 18 WHEREAS the division of tourism's official state map and Alaska's National 19 Highways map both show the Dalton Highway reaching the Arctic Ocean shores; and 20 WHEREAS it is illogical to block a 500 mile long route just seven miles short of the 21 Arctic Ocean, especially when the infrastructure is in place to accommodate beach access; and 22 WHEREAS the only public access to the Arctic Ocean is through a $20 payment to 23 an oil company-sanctioned private tour operator for a guided half hour on the beach; and 24 WHEREAS a report by the University of Alaska states, "A large number of visitors 25 expressed disappointment in not being allowed ocean access without payment, others with 26 large families could not afford the cost, and others were livid with the restriction"; and 27 WHEREAS AS 38.05.127(c) states "Nothing in this section affects valid existing 28 rights or limits in any way the constitutional right of the public to use and have free access 29 to the navigable or public waters of the state"; and 30 WHEREAS an existing seven mile road, designed to state highway secondary 31 standards, leads to East Dock on the shore of the Arctic Ocean; the East Dock, which is
01 mostly vacant, provides a reasonable and suitable site for a visitor wayside; and 02 WHEREAS in an era of declining oil revenues, Alaska's tourism industry will benefit 03 from travelers' desires for unrestricted access to the Arctic Ocean; and 04 WHEREAS tourism is now the second largest employer in Alaska; and 05 WHEREAS state and federal regulatory agencies have offered assistance in working 06 with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, the oil industry, and the 07 North Slope Borough in assuring that the opening of the East Dock Road would be safe for 08 industry, wildlife, and tourists; and 09 WHEREAS the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the 10 Department of Natural Resources, by taking the lead in working with industry, regulatory 11 agencies, and the North Slope Borough, can work to resolve concerns that would allow 12 citizens to journey to the Arctic Ocean without charge; 13 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports opening the last few 14 miles of the Dalton Highway to provide increased public access to the Arctic Ocean; and be 15 it 16 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests 17 Governor Tony Knowles to direct the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and 18 the Department of Natural Resources to work with North Slope operators, the tourism 19 industry, the North Slope Borough, and the public to resolve issues associated with providing 20 improved and increased public access to the Arctic Ocean and to move expeditiously to 21 provide public access to one of America's most incomparable destinations, the shores of the 22 Arctic Ocean, for the 1999 tourist season.