03/19/2013 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 153                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act designating Minnesota Drive and a portion of                                                                       
     O'Malley Road in Anchorage the Walter J. Hickel                                                                            
     Expressway."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:23:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, explained  that HB 153 would rename                                                                    
a portion of  Minnesota Drive in Anchorage as  the Walter J.                                                                    
Hickel Parkway.  He provided a brief  history about Alaska's                                                                    
first governor.  He stated that Governor  Hickel pushed hard                                                                    
to  open Prudhoe  Bay for  oil development  and oversaw  the                                                                    
permitting process for the Trans-Alaskan pipeline.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:24:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara stated that  he would like to co-sponsor                                                                    
the  bill. Representative  Lynn  stated that  Representative                                                                    
Gara was welcome to co-sponsor the bill.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki  asked   why  the  Minnesota  Drive                                                                    
portion of the highway was selected.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Lynn responded that  the portion of Minnesota                                                                    
Drive  was well-traveled  thoroughfare in  Anchorage deeming                                                                    
it the most appropriate highway for the name.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Holmes pointed out  that the proposed highway                                                                    
ran close to Governor Hickel's house and hotel.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki  asked  about the  Hickel  family's                                                                    
opinion  about   the  proposed  plan.   Representative  Lynn                                                                    
replied that Ermalee Hickel approved of the idea.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kawasaki   asked  if  the   designation  was                                                                    
honorary or if postal services be affected.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Lynn  replied  that the  plan  included  two                                                                    
large signs. The  street addresses would remain  the same to                                                                    
lessen the inconvenience.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:27:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KIRK  WICKERSHAM,  SELF,   ANCHORAGE  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
testified in  support of the  legislation. He  suggested the                                                                    
idea  of renaming  the  Minnesota  bypass to  Representative                                                                    
Lynn. He  pointed out  that the  Minnesota bypass  was named                                                                    
because the  street was  widened and  extended, which  was a                                                                    
random   decision  in   his  opinion.   He  encouraged   the                                                                    
elimination  of the  word  Minnesota from  the  name of  the                                                                    
expressway. A  combination of Minnesota and  Governor Hickel                                                                    
was proposed in a previous bill.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:30:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SCOTT  THOMAS, CENTRAL  REGION TRAFFIC  ENGINEER, DEPARTMENT                                                                    
OF    TRANSPORTATION    AND     PUBLIC    FACILITIES    (via                                                                    
teleconference), was available for questions.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Neuman CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Costello discussed the  two fiscal notes. The                                                                    
first  fiscal  note  was  a zero  note  from  Department  of                                                                    
Transportation and Public Facilities.  The second note had a                                                                    
fiscal   impact  of   $15   thousand   from  Department   of                                                                    
Transportation and  Public Facilities,  which would  pay for                                                                    
the cost of two signs.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Neuman noted  that  the second  fiscal note  was                                                                    
forthcoming.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kawasaki  remarked that  he lived  on Glacier                                                                    
Avenue while in Juneau.  Apparently Glacier Avenue was known                                                                    
previously as Glacier Highway and  Google maps included both                                                                    
names when searched.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Thompson  MOVED to  REPORT CSHB  153(TRA) out                                                                    
of  committee   with  individual  recommendations   and  the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal  note. There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                    
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSHB  153(TRA) was  REPORTED  out of  committee  with a  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendation  and  with  one  previously  published                                                                    
fiscal note: FN1 (DOT).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:33:13 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:34:25 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED