02/18/1997 01:40 PM Senate TRA

                                                                               
             SJR 12 CONSTRUCTION OF ALASKA HIGHWAY                            
                                                                              
 Number 425                                                                    
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WARD  introduced  SJR 12  as the next order of business             
 before the committee.                                                         
                                                                               
  SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS  thanked the committee for SJR 12 which               
 requests $94 million for the completion of the                                
 reconstruction/repavement to the Shakwak project.  Senator Phillips           
 pointed out that the Shakwak project is highlighted in the blue on            
 the map in the committee packet.                                              
                                                                               
  JOHN CORMIE , Deputy Minister for Community and Transportation               
 Services with the Yukon Government, referred the committee to the             
 1977 agreement signed by Canada and the U.S. which resulted in the            
 Shakwak agreement.  That agreement provided for the reconstruction            
 of the Haines Road from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon              
 and the Alaska Highway from Haines Junction north to the border               
 near Beaver Creek.  The provision of that agreement was that the              
 right-of-way and the materials for construction would be provided             
 by the federal government of Canada while the construction funds              
 would come from the U.S.  Over the past 20 years, much of the work            
 has been done; however, the center portion has not been completed.            
 Mr. Cormie said that the U.S. government would be encouraged to               
 provide the funding for the completion if the project is to be                
 continued.  There are safety benefits with this construction                  
 project.  Mr. Cormie noted that tourists are the main source of               
 traffic and Alaska and the Yukon jointly market tourism.                      
 Therefore, any improvement to that highway would be an asset to the           
 Yukon as well as Alaska.  Mr. Cormie also mentioned that Alaska               
 does utilize this highway for commercial traffic as well.                     
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WARD  asked how many bridges were part of this section.             
                                                                               
  ROBIN WALSH , Director of Transportation Engineering, said that              
 there are five major bridges in this section.  The White River                
 bridge is under construction and will be completed next year.  The            
 remaining four bridges are a future phase of the project.  The main           
 intent is to get the road surface reconstructed to a modern                   
 standard.                                                                     
                                                                               
  SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS  commented that the intent is to pass SJR 12          
 before the annual legislative exchange.                                       
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WARD  thanked everyone for their testimony and announced            
 that SJR 12 would be held until the next committee meeting when it            
 would be forward to the next committee of referral.