Legislature(2013 - 2014)BARNES 124
03/12/2013 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB153 | |
| HB23 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 23 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 153-NAMING WALTER J. HICKEL EXPRESSWAY
1:05:15 PM
CHAIR P. WILSON announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 153, "An Act designating Minnesota Drive and a
portion of O'Malley Road in Anchorage the Walter J. Hickel
Expressway."
1:05:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, speaking as the bill sponsor, stated
that HB 153 would name a portion of Minnesota Drive in Anchorage
the Walter J. Hickel Expressway. He explained that Mr. Hickel
was the U.S. Secretary of Interior and was twice governor of
Alaska. One of Mr. Hickel's roles was to oversee the permitting
process and so it is appropriate to name a portion of Minnesota
Drive after Mr. Walter J. Hickel.
1:06:59 PM
FORREST WOLFE, Staff, Representative Bob Lynn, Alaska State
Legislature, stated that it is fitting that this heavily
trafficked area of roadway be named after Mr. Walter J. Hickel.
1:08:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON asked whether the Municipality of
Anchorage (MOA) has a view of this action.
MR. WOLFE answered that in the past the MOA has been in favor of
naming the roadway after Mr. Hickel.
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON asked whether he was referring to a
similar measure last year that died in the Senate Finance
committee.
MR. WOLFE agreed, but was unsure of why the bill didn't pass.
He deferred to MR. Wickersham.
1:09:29 PM
SCOTT THOMAS, Traffic Engineer, Department of Transportation &
Public Facilities (DOT&PF) stated that O'Malley Road curves
around from the Hillside and becomes Minnesota at Old Seward
Highway and then at Tudor Road it becomes a six-lane highway.
Additionally, the road is partly an expressway 15th Avenue to
New Seward Highway. He agreed it is possible to put in signs as
per the fiscal note.
1:11:25 PM
CHAIR P. WILSON asked whether there is any reason not to rename
the entire roadway.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said not too many personal addresses are on
the current Minnesota Drive although 15th Avenue has some
businesses and addresses.
1:12:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON referred to the fiscal note which
requires two signs, one sign in each route direction will
introduce the expressway. He related that the fiscal note
indicates the memorial sign should be located at an appropriate
location in each route direction as an independent sign
installation. He interpreted this to mean the bill would not
change the roadway name but would memorialize a section of the
road.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN recalled a similar situation in which the
Eisenhower Highway or bypass was named, as well. He
acknowledged this would be a memorial to Mr. Hickel, but he also
thought it would also change the addresses for those residences
and businesses on Minnesota Drive.
1:13:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON asked whether the "A" street designation
is still known as "A" street and not as Eisenhower [Corridor].
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN offered his belief that it is known as the
Eisenhower Corridor. He explained that the proposed roadway is
from 15th Street, which turns south and east and becomes
O'Malley Drive once it passes Seward Highway.
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON stated that the Eisenhower Corridor is
still referred to as "A" Street. He asked whether this memorial
designation would be known as the Walter Hickel Expressway, but
it wouldn't change the name.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said he thought it would change the name of
the highway.
1:15:04 PM
CHAIR P. WILSON asked whether it would be easier to rename
Minnesota Drive to the Walter J. Hickel Expressway and only
change the single designation rather than individual addresses.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN pointed out that north of 15th Street the
roadway would remain as Minnesota Drive.
CHAIR P. WILSON asked whether it would create any problem to
change Minnesota Drive to the Walter J. Hickel Expressway.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN responded that if the committee chose to do
so it would be fine with him. He just would like to minimize
any cost.
CHAIR P. WILSON thought it would be easier and less expensive
[to have the memorial roadway].
SCOTT THOMAS, Engineer, Division of Statewide Design &
Engineering Services, Department of Transportation & Public
Facilities (DOT&PF), concurred that the fiscal note was
calculated for two signs to designate the highway as a memorial
name, but not to change all of the street sign names such as the
ones on top of stop signs or signal poles. He stated that the
cost would be significantly higher to go through the proposed
corridor and replace the name of Minnesota Drive on all signs.
CHAIR P. WILSON remarked that Mr. Thomas is confirming
Representative Isaacson's view that one sign would be at each
end to designate a memorial name; however, the sponsor indicated
he wanted to change the entire drive.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN responded that he is satisfied with the two
signs as a memorial.
1:17:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS recalled she previously served on a team
to address this. She further recalled that the team planned to
honor former Governor Hickel in a memorial fashion rather than
to rename the road. She did not think it was ever the intention
to rename the road.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN deferred to Mr. Wickersham as the resident
expert on this.
1:18:55 PM
CHAIR P. WILSON reiterated that the bill sponsor, Representative
Lynn, is fine with the memorial limited to two signs.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN answered yes.
CHAIR P. WILSON said the fiscal note is correct.
1:19:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON understood this would not change
residential or business addresses.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN interjected that he recalled Mr. Wickersham
was concerned about the signage, too. He reiterated that
keeping costs down was important to him such that it would not
exceed $15,000.
1:20:08 PM
CHAIR P. WILSON reiterated that two signs according to the
fiscal note will be fine as a memorial.
MR. THOMAS understood the signs would be the typical brown
[memorial] signs. He compared this to Knik-Goose Bay Road,
which has Joe Redington, Sr. Memorial Road signs at the
beginning and end, yet residence and business addresses did not
change. He brought up a point of clarification. He said it is
an honor to put up the signs to each person, but the specific
signage phrasing reads expressway. He pointed out some
community councils have been concerned about speed. He
explained the roadway is a controlled highway through
Westchester Lagoon with a median and continues through midtown
with driveways and six-lane urban arterials. He was unsure if
the title expressway conveys the message of limited speed until
the roadway changes south of Tudor Road. He asked for direction
on the signage wording.
1:21:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN, as sponsor, said he would be happy to
change it to highway rather than an expressway.
MR. THOMAS said from the department's perspective the sign could
read expressway, highway, or roadway.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS asked to also consider calling it a
parkway.
MR. THOMAS agreed that parkway would also work in terms of sign
spacing. He merely thought it might be best if it were
different than expressway south of 15th.
CHAIR P. WILSON read, "... Minnesota Drive and the portion of
O'Malley Road in Anchorage from Minnesota Drive to the New
Seward Highway are designated as the Walter J. Hickel ..." She
suggested the committee consider highway, roadway, and parkway.
MR. WOLFE suggested corridor should also be considered.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN suggested anything other than expressway
seemed appropriate.
1:23:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON asked whether the department has a
differentiation between names.
MR. SCOTT said that parkway or corridor would work, but
expressway has an obvious meaning. He referred to similar
roadways, such as the Eisenhower Corridor or "A" Street, and
Lake Otis Parkway, which is a five-lane arterial. Thus the term
parkway and corridor are very flexible terms, as well as
highway. In further response to Chair Wilson, he reiterated
Lake Otis is a parkway.
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN said he is comfortable with either corridor
or parkway.
1:24:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS moved to adopt Amendment 1, to change the
proposed name from Walter J. Hickel Expressway to the Walter J.
Hickel Parkway.
CHAIR P. WILSON assumed Amendment 1 would change line 2, 5 and 7
of the bill.
1:25:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS restated her motion. She made a motion to
adopt Amendment 1, which would amend the language of HB 153 on
lines 2, 5, and 7, from "Walter J. Hickel Expressway" to read
"Walter J. Hickel Parkway."
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE objected for the purpose of discussion. He
said naming a road depends on the part of the country as to the
name of a roadway. He suggested that parkways were typically
roads on the East Coast and were limited to cars. Expressways
were limited-access highways, without numerous streets, although
he did not have a preference. He suggested if expressway was
used it should be limited to the portion of Minnesota Drive from
Tudor Road to Old Seward.
1:27:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS understood the distinction between highway
and expressway, but she wanted to avoid the connotation of high
speed.
CHAIR P. WILSON offered her belief that corridor implies speed.
REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE removed his objection. There being no
further objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
1:28:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON moved to report HB 153, as amended, out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection the CSHB
153(TRA) was reported from the House Transportation Standing
Committee.