01/23/2024 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

                  SB 129-MATT GLOVER BIKE PATH                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:38:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 129                                                                
"An Act naming the Matt Glover Bike Path."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
This bill was  previously introduced in committee on  May 4, 2023.                                                              
The intention  is to take  public testimony  and look to  the will                                                              
of the committee.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:38:59 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  ROBERT  MYERS,  District  Q,  Alaska  State  Legislature,                                                              
Juneau, Alaska,  sponsor of SB  129, explained that  currently the                                                              
Department of Transportation  is building a bike  path from Badger                                                              
road to the  Fairbanks area, where  presently there is  no bike or                                                              
pedestrian path; this  would be the first time  connecting the two                                                              
areas.  The  bike  path  should  be  complete  by  summer  and  is                                                              
honoring Matt  Glover, who was an  avid cyclist and well  known in                                                              
the Fairbanks Cycling  Club. Mr. Glover lived in  North Pole area,                                                              
worked for the Alaskan Railroad and biked to work every day.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
In  October 2022  he  was  tragically killed  in  a  crash on  the                                                              
Richardson highway  while riding  to work. Naming  the path  is an                                                              
appropriate  honor  to  him  and   a  reminder  about  safety  for                                                              
cyclists,  pedestrians, and  motorists on  the roads,  which  is a                                                              
growing concern around Alaska.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:41:05 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR TOBIN asked  Mr. Mills about the fiscal  note. She pointed                                                              
out the two  naming signs to be  placed on either end  of the bike                                                              
path and asked how  the signs will be covered by  a future project                                                              
in terms of fiscal impact.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:41:33 PM                                                                                                                    
ANDY  MILLS,  Legislative Liaison,  Department  of  Transportation                                                              
(DOT), Juneau,  Alaska, replied  that because  the department  has                                                              
an existing  project at  that site, the  signage would  be covered                                                              
under that project.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  TOBIN  asked  about the  replacement  timeframe  for  the                                                              
signage.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:42:24 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  MILLS responded  that normally  the signage  has a  lifecycle                                                              
dependent  on where  it is  and  its future  replacement would  be                                                              
covered  by the  department's sign  replacement  program; in  this                                                              
case  because  the  signage  is covered  by  the  existing  active                                                              
project,  there is  no additional  cost and future  cost would  be                                                              
accounted for.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:43:00 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN opened public testimony on SB 129.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:43:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CELIA  STAPLES,   representing  self,  Family  Relation   to  Matt                                                              
Glover,  Kansas,  thanked Senator  Myers  for bringing  this  bill                                                              
forward.   She  expressed   her   hope  that   committee   members                                                              
understand why it  is important. She affirmed that  Mr. Glover was                                                              
an avid bike rider,  riding 1000 miles per year.  She said he will                                                              
always be  her son-in-law and  described him as  kind, thoughtful,                                                              
generous,  and helpful  to  those in  need.  He had  an impact  on                                                              
Fairbanks and  the whole community.  She contended that  this path                                                              
comes  too  late   for  Mr.  Glover,  but  not   for  others.  She                                                              
encouraged support of SB 129.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:45:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN thanked Ms. Staples for her testimony.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:45:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN closed public testimony on SB 129.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:45:45 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:46:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN reconvened the meeting.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:46:20 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MYERS  expressed his appreciation  that SB 129  was moving                                                              
forward.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:46:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN solicited a motion from the committee.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:46:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR TOBIN moved to report SB 129, work order 33-LS0694\A                                                                    
from committee with individual recommendations and attached                                                                     
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:47:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN found no objection and SB 129 was reported from                                                                   
the Senate Transportation Standing Committee.