03/21/2002 09:13 AM Senate FIN

      CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 226(TRA)                                                                    
     "An Act requiring  certain highway projects to  be designed and                                                            
     constructed   so  that  the  highways  will  adequately   serve                                                            
     anticipated traffic  levels for at least the next 30 years; and                                                            
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Donley   informed  the   Committee  this  bill   addresses                                                            
designing  and constructing  Alaska's major  road infrastructure  to                                                            
provide for longer usable road life.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
FRANK   DILLON,   Alaska   Trucking   Association,   testified   via                                                            
teleconference  from Anchorage to inform the Committee  the trucking                                                            
industry  supports legislation  that  would provide  for  long-range                                                            
infrastructure and useful road-life planning.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ward asked  if expanding to a 30-year useful  life road-plan                                                            
would affect federal funding.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Dillon  stated  federal agencies  would support  a 30-year  plan                                                            
since the  process of planning  and building  road projects  takes a                                                            
long time.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ward  asked if measures to  address changes should  be taken                                                            
at the federal level.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Donley commented  now is the time  to seek procedural  and                                                            
technical changes under the Federal Highway Funding Act.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Austerman  noted that roads in other states  are constructed                                                            
with  up  to  six inches  of  asphalt  while  roads  in  Alaska  are                                                            
constructed with  two inches of asphalt and often  are not sealed to                                                            
prevent absorption of moisture.  He asked if this bill would address                                                            
these sorts of construction issues.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Donley clarified  that design and  construction of  roads,                                                            
not regular  maintenance of  roads, is the  intent of this  bill. He                                                            
explained  current federal  law mandates  the design  life of  roads                                                            
range between  20 and 30 years, with bridge life of  up to 50 years.                                                            
He stated  Alaska's current  design practice  is 20 years;  however,                                                            
there is a question  as to whether the life of a road  begins at the                                                            
initial planning  stage, the authorization-to-proceed  stage,  or at                                                            
the  construction  stage. He  commented  this is  an  attempt to  be                                                            
consistent  with federal regulations  and design  a road to  last at                                                            
least 20 years.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Austerman reiterated  that laying four inches instead of two                                                            
inches  of  asphalt would  extend  road  life.  He opined  that  the                                                            
"philosophy"   of  the  Department  of  Transportation   and  Public                                                            
Facilities  is that more  road miles  can be paved  with two  inches                                                            
than with four  inches. He asked if  these sorts of issues  could be                                                            
addressed in this bill.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Donley stated they  could be; however,  the real  focus of                                                            
the design language addresses  "the geometry of a project," such as:                                                            
appropriate number of lanes;  feasibility of turn lanes; and merging                                                            
traffic concerns.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The bill was HELD in Committee.