Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
02/19/2008 02:00 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB190 | |
| SB189 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 190 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 189 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 189-APPROP.: BRIDGES, SERVICE ROADS, TRAILS
2:52:40 PM
CHAIR KOOKESH announced consideration of SB 189.
SENATOR THERRIAULT, sponsor of SB 189, said it was introduced to
spur some discussion in the legislature on capital needs for
road infrastructure and bridge infrastructure in particular. The
second section addresses concerns from Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) design
professionals. It was spurred by the collapse of a major bridge
in Minnesota last year and the fact that bridge infrastructure
all across the nation is in serious need of repair.
He explained that appropriations for road infrastructure are
dealt with by the Finance Committee because those are capital
appropriations. However, he thought the subject of road and
bridge infrastructure needed discussion specifically in the
Transportation Committee. He asked the drafter to make that
discussion the focus of the bill and didn't expect it to really
"get legs" and shoot through the system. He suggested a figure
of $25 million for bridge infrastructure on the state highway
network. In addition, he heard from a number of DOTPF design
professionals about the desire to refund a program that has been
on the state books for 20-30 years called the Local Service
Roads and Trails Program that divvies up general funds into all
regions of the state to care for smaller basic transportation
needs. It is 100 percent state funding.
2:55:47 PM
SENATOR THERRIAULT remembered back to when he was an aide in the
legislature, he would routinely ask DOTPF about a little road
connector that was between road projects that just made sense or
a particular intersection that needed a little work. He was
always amazed, in going through the federal system, at the
length of time it took to design a project and the ultimate
expense of building it when it seemed to be fairly minor. This
fall he spoke to a number of DOTPF design professionals in
Fairbanks and couple of them said they were also frustrated by
that and the fact that because the state was depending on a 90
percent match from the federal government for its road money, it
had to jump through all their hoops and that drove the expense
up even more. So they indicated to him that they didn't need to
reinvent the wheel and that a program was already on the books,
but it just hadn't been funded for over 10 years. It would dole
money out through a formula to all the regions of the state to
do these little fixes in a much timelier and less costly manner.
Section 2 of SB 189 speaks to this fund.
2:58:04 PM
He said DOTPF has provided a list of bridges along with some
pictures. The pictures showed that some of the bridges have
major structural failures. He said keeping up with maintenance
seemed to be a human failing whether it's our own personal
infrastructure or the state infrastructure.
SENATOR COWDERY said lots of heavy modules are built in
Anchorage and maybe hundreds had been hauled up to the North
Slope this year. They have a route to follow, but they are far
heavier than anything else that travels the road.
SENATOR THERRIAULT said he sensed that DOTPF keeps in mind that
it needs at least one route between the state's ports and the
North Slope to make sure these heavy modules can be transported.
They need to be mindful of having a strong transportation system
ready to support building a natural gas pipeline. "Investment in
our bridge infrastructure now would be money well spent."
3:03:35 PM
SENATOR OLSON asked who would contribute to this pot of money.
SENATOR THERRIAULT replied because it talks about the state road
network it would all come from general funds; it would also
relieve the DOTPF personnel from jumping through the extra hoops
required to get federal money. He said he would also consider
adding a separate pot of money to help municipalities deal with
some of their bridge infrastructure that is not part of the
state network if the committee wanted to have some kind of a
match.
SENATOR COWDERY asked if he had a list of Anchorage roads that
are state roads and municipal roads in MatSu.
SENATOR THERRIAULT replied that DOTPF could better address the
question of state roads and John Duffy, MatSu Borough Manager,
could address MatSu roads.
He said the $25 million in the bill talks about bridges
specifically, but the second section of the bill proposes a
separate pot of money that could be used by DOTPF to fund
improvements to the state road network. He offered to work with
DOTPF to get a complete list of the state road network.
3:06:48 PM
AVES THOMPSON, Executive Director, Alaska Trucking Association,
supported SB 189 and stated, "The simple truth is that if you
got it, a truck brought it." In the normal course of their
business, highways and bridges are the important link that
allows them to move freight. In light of the potential for a
gasline, the association identified improvement of the state's
infrastructure as one of the most important projects to insure
that highways and in particular, bridges, are ready to allow the
transport of the hundreds if not thousands of loads. He has
found through experience, that one old or substandard bridge can
be the weak link in an entire system; timing is everything and
it's critical to move forward to eliminate any "choke points" in
the state's transportation system. Further, he said, it's clear
that federal funding will not meet Alaska's transportation
infrastructure needs in neither the short nor the long term. So,
Alaska needs to invest some of its dollars in it; he felt that
given the enormous need, the appropriation should be even
higher.
3:10:11 PM
JOHN DUFFY, Borough Manger for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough,
supported SB 189. He was encouraged that they are considering
developing a long-term funding solution for the state's
transportation system. He hoped along with considering funding
for bridge maintenance, they would consider the creation of a
local bridge appropriation program to address non-state bridges
that are an important part of the state's overall transportation
system. They are willing to provide a local match for such a
program, and he said the MatSu Borough Assembly had already
appropriated funds for such improvements.
He stated:
An effective and efficient transportation system is a
basic requirement for growing economies. Without
adequate roads and bridges, our transportation system
will be hampered by congestion which results in higher
costs of doing business through the long travel-time
delays. Other problems associated with poor bridges
include higher fatalities and injury rates that result
in higher health costs and higher insurance costs, low
work productivity....
He said the cost of living increases with an aging
infrastructure. For example, many bridges in the Matsu Borough
have been "D" rated because of their structural conditions. As a
result, commercial vehicles such as fuel trucks, building
delivery trucks, freight delivery vehicles, ambulances and fire
trucks are not able to use these bridges. They are unable to
clear the bridges of snow because of the weight restrictions.
Citizens now rely on pickup trucks to plow snow and snow
machines and sleds to move these close when an emergency occurs.
Many citizens must provide their own fire response.
MR. DUFFY said other communities throughout Alaska share this
situation and face similar challenges. He said the MatSu Borough
presently maintains about 40 bridges and this is paid for by
local taxpayers. The existing bridge inspection program is
conducted by the State DOTPF for bridges of 25 ft. or longer
while the borough completes inspections on roads less than 25
ft. Inspections are conducted by both parties every two years.
MR. DUFFY said the MatSu Borough taxpayers pay about $11.2
million for these improvements and much of these funds are
dedicated to day-to-day maintenance. The Assembly recently
appropriated $400,000 for bridge repair, but unfortunately,
their bridge repair needs are about $3.6 million.
He concluded by again putting forward his request for funding
local bridge repair with a provision or requirement for local
match in the form of cash, materials such as gravel, right-of-
way and in-kind which would encourage local governments to match
state funds.
SENATOR COWDERY asked if the MatSu Borough charges for gravel on
the state's road system.
MR. DUFFY replied that most gravel for local projects is donated
if it makes economic sense. He said the MatSu Borough donated
all of the gravel used on the Pt. MacKenzie project. On state
projects, if a gravel source is available, they would work with
DOTPF to come to some reasonable agreement.
3:16:10 PM
CHAIR KOOKESH found no further questions or comments and said he
intended to pass SB 189 out at the next meeting.
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