03/25/2025 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION

              SB  47-CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:33:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR CARRICK  announced that the only order  of business would                                                              
be CS  FOR SENATE  BILL NO.  47(RES) "An  Act relating  to Chugach                                                              
State Park; and providing for an effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:33:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROGER MARKS, Board  Member, Board of Glen Elks  Road Service Area,                                                              
provided invited  testimony on  CSSB 47(RES).   He explained  that                                                              
road service  areas are small,  independent districts  that manage                                                              
the road maintenance  in the uphill areas around  Anchorage.  This                                                              
includes  road repair,  maintaining drainages,  and snow  removal.                                                              
He stated that this  service is paid for by the  property taxes of                                                              
the local residents.   He noted that the original  intent for this                                                              
service was  to manage snow removal  in the higher  altitude areas                                                              
around Anchorage.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. MARKS  explained  that the two  busiest roads  to the  Chugach                                                              
State Park  are located  within the Glen  Elks Road  Service Area.                                                              
He stated  that the constant traffic  coming from outside  of this                                                              
area  to the  park is  the leading  cause of  depreciation of  the                                                              
roads.   He pointed  out that  the park  is busy  with around  1.5                                                              
million  visitors  a  year.    Because   of  the  low  density  of                                                              
population  in the  area, he  explained that  there is  a lack  of                                                              
funding for  the necessary upgrades  needed on roads going  to the                                                              
park.   He  argued  that  these  road service  organizations  were                                                              
never meant to manage road service to the park.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. MARKS noted  that the need has been recognized,  but the state                                                              
has not delivered  the resources to maintain the roads.   In 2023,                                                              
Anchorage  voters created  the Chugach State  Park Access  Service                                                              
Area  to finance  road  maintenance to  the  park.   In 2024,  the                                                              
municipality passed  a $4 million  bond to upgrade Canyon  Road, a                                                              
major access to  the park; however, two segments of  this road are                                                              
located on  park land, and he  indicated that the  Municipality of                                                              
Anchorage cannot  bond for assets it  does not own.   He explained                                                              
that  the solution  is  for the  park to  grant  easements to  the                                                              
municipality  across   the  segments  so  these   areas  could  be                                                              
included in  the bond.   He stated  that the proposed  legislation                                                              
would  allow the state  to grant  these easements,  so bond  funds                                                              
could be  used for these  park roads.   He argued that  this would                                                              
make  the  park  entrance  safer  for locals  and  tourists.    He                                                              
continued that  the Glen Elks Road  Service Area manages  the road                                                              
now, and it would continue to do this.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:38:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on SB 47.  After                                                                       
ascertaining that there was no one who wished to testify, she                                                                   
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:39:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR CARRICK made closing remarks.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[CSSB 47(RES) was held over.]