Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
02/20/2025 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Highway Safety in Alaska | |
| Presentation: a Public Perspective on Highway Safety | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
February 20, 2025
1:01 p.m.
DRAFT
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair
Representative Genevieve Mina
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Kevin McCabe
Representative Cathy Tilton
Representative Elexie Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: HIGHWAY SAFETY IN ALASKA
- HEARD
PRESENTATION: A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE ON HIGHWAY SAFETY
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
SHANNON MCCARTHY, Communications Director
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint on highway safety
in Alaska.
PAM GOLDEN, State Traffic and Safety Engineer
Design and Construction Standards
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint on highway safety
in Alaska.
DAN SMITH, Director
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint on highway safety
in Alaska.
CARLOS ROJAS, Chief
Commercial Vehicle Compliance
Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint on highway safety
in Alaska.
JENNIFER CAMPBELL, member
Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint, titled "A Public
Perspective on Highway Safety."
MARY FARRELL, member
Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint, titled "A Public
Perspective on Highway Safety."
BARBARA SCHUHMANN, member
Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a PowerPoint, titled "A Public
Perspective on Highway Safety."
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:01:35 PM
CO-CHAIR TED EISCHEID called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. Representatives McCabe,
Moore, and Eischeid were present at the call to order.
Representatives Mina, Stutes, Tilton, and Carrick arrived as the
meeting was in progress.
^PRESENTATION: Highway Safety in Alaska
PRESENTATION: Highway Safety in Alaska
1:02:58 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the first order of business
would be a presentation from the Department of Transportation
and Public Facilities on highway safety in Alaska.
1:03:49 PM
SHANNON MCCARTHY, Communications Director, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT&PF), co-presented the PowerPoint on highway safety in
Alaska [hard copy included in the committee packet]. She noted
the roadway fatality in the state that had occurred the previous
night, and she reminded the committee that statistics represent
lives. She displayed the graph on slide 2 that showed the
statistics of the overall monthly roadway crashes in the state
from 2014 to 2023. She pointed out that this data is divided
into rural and urban crashes. She noted that most of these
crashes occurred in the winter months in urban areas when roads
were icy, and daylight was limited. On slide 3, she indicated
that crashes resulting in a serious injury or fatality follow a
different pattern, with the peak of these being in the summer
and fall months. She noted that the highest number of these
crashes occurred along rural roadways.
MS. MCCARTHY, in response to a question from Representative
McCabe, expressed agreement that drivers would be more careful
during the winter months, as opposed to the summer months. She
added that rural highways allow for faster traffic in the
summertime, and this would also be an element of the statistics.
MS. MCCARTHY moved to slide 4, which listed the reasons for
roadway fatalities in the state, with lane departures having the
highest rate. She moved to slide 5, which addressed the
designated safety corridors in the state. She pointed out that
these safety corridors were created in conjunction with the
legislature. These include corridors along the Seward Highway,
the Parks Highway, the Knik Goose Bay Road, and the Sterling
Highway. She pointed out that these highways were chosen
because they have elevated rates for serious crashes. She
stated that this designation has allowed resources to be used to
inform the public of these crash rates.
MS. MCCARTHY, in response to a question from Representative
McCabe, stated that urban areas would be next on the list to
receive safety corridors.
MS. MCCARTHY, in response to a question from Co-Chair Eischeid
concerning the most dangerous highway in the state, expressed
uncertainty. She stated that the Knik Goose Bay Road had been
considered one of the most dangerous highways, along with the
stretch of the Seward Highway just south of Anchorage.
1:10:11 PM
PAM GOLDEN, State Traffic and Safety Engineer, Design and
Construction Standards, Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities, co-presented the PowerPoint on highway safety in
Alaska. In response to Co-Chair Eischeid's question concerning
the most dangerous highway in the state, she added that the
statistic for this ranking still needs to be determined. She
moved to slide 6 and discussed seatbelt usage in the state. She
noted that this is generally trending upward in the state;
however, the statistics in Juneau and the Matanuska-Susitna
Valley are trending downward.
MS. GOLDEN, in response to a question from Representative
Tilton, expressed uncertainty concerning the downward trend.
She suggested that attitudes change over time. In response to
Co-Chair Eischeid, she expressed uncertainty on the fine for not
wearing a seatbelt.
MS. MCCARTHY responded that the fine would be $50.
MS. GOLDEN moved to slide 7 and discussed improvements to
roadway intersections. She pointed out that the department has
improved the conspicuity of its signals, as this adds to better
visibility. She discussed the use of leading pedestrian
intervals on crosswalks, so pedestrians would be more obvious.
She discussed the technology that could help clear routes ahead
of law enforcement and emergency medical services. Lastly, she
pointed out that roundabouts are safer than traffic signals.
MS. GOLDEN, in response to a question from Representative Mina,
stated that the terminology, "roundabouts first state," means
that the department would prioritize a roundabout over a traffic
light while planning for intersections. In response to a
follow-up question from Representative McCabe, she stated that
the federal government would not fund roundabouts specifically;
however, roundabouts would automatically qualify for funding
from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program
and other safety programs.
MS. GOLDEN, in response to a question from Co-Chair Eischeid
concerning four-way stops, stated that not all four-way stop
signs have flashing lights. She expressed the understanding
that, the more the flashing lights are used, the less effective
they become. She stated that using flashing lights on stop
signs would be saved for problematic locations. She noted some
of the other safety measures that have been added to four-way
stops, such as warning signs. Concerning pedestrian rights of
way, she clarified that pedestrians would not have the right of
way in an intersection when a do not walk sign has been
displayed.
1:20:10 PM
MS. GOLDEN moved to slide 8 and discussed safety measures for
rural two-lane highways, with lane departure crashes being the
main focus. She explained that guardrails would be installed
where roadsides are unforgiving. She noted that many upgrades
have been implemented, such as reflective tabs. She added that
passing lanes are also used to improve rural road safety. She
stated that other upgrades would include the use of curve
warning signs and rumble strips.
MS. GOLDEN, in response to a question from Representative Stutes
concerning the recall of some guardrails, expressed uncertainty
on the number of these still in use. She added that she would
follow up with this information.
MS. MCCARTHY, in response to a question from Representative
McCabe concerning driving behavior in passing lanes, stated that
the department would work with law enforcement officials on
educating drivers. She expressed agreement that when slower
drivers speed up in passing lanes, it is a dangerous situation.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK expressed appreciation of passing lanes, and
she noted that the described situation is "really frustrating."
She pointed out the new passing lanes on sections of the Parks
Highway, and she expressed the opinion that these areas are
prone to the described behavior. She questioned whether there
have been increased crashes in these passing lane sections.
MS. GOLDEN responded that there is a discussion on adding more
passing lanes on the Parks highway. She pointed out that the
Parks Highway had had more crashes with fatalities before the
installation of passing lanes. She commented that roadway
engineers and law enforcement have been responsible for the drop
in these crash numbers. In response to a follow up, she
expressed the understanding that fatalities on the Parks Highway
have come down. She offered to provide this data to the
committee.
1:27:00 PM
MS. GOLDEN stated that a safety edge has been installed on
highways with a sharp drop off from the pavement, as this could
cause drivers to over correct and crash. She discussed the
areas where the safety edges have been installed. She noted
that the department has also improved traveler information on
the Alaska 511 system with twice a day updates on winter
conditions.
MS. GOLDEN moved to slide 9 and described the partnerships
created through the department's Safe Systems Approach. She
noted that the Highway Safety Improvement Program and the
Highway Safety Office are both involved with this approach. She
gave details on the examples seen on the slide. She moved to
slide 10 and discussed the Winter Operations Dashboard. She
noted the link to the quick response (QR) code, which informs
users on the snowplow routes within the previous 12 hours. She
added that the dashboard also helps the department with its
internal fleet management.
MS. MCCARTHY, in response to a question from Representative
McCabe, expressed the understanding that the dashboard would
address snowplows and sanding trucks so drivers could be better
prepared. In response to a follow-up question, she stated that
the Alaska 511 tool would integrate with the Waze global
position system; however, Waze would not always receive
information back.
MS. GOLDEN, in response to a question from Representative Mina,
stated that there is a plan for the 511 tool to be able to show
the snow maintenance on sidewalks in Anchorage. She expressed
uncertainty on the timeline.
1:34:54 PM
MS. GOLDEN moved to slide 11 and stated that Alaska 511 has
around 400,000 users. She noted that the department has
partnered with Yukon 511, so any issues on either side of the
boarder could be reported. She moved to slide 12 and explained
that the focus of the Alaska Highway Office is on improving
roadway behavior. She noted that it offers a reimbursable grant
program to organizations promoting highway safety.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned whether the committee could have a
copy of the Highway Safety Improvement Program's current report.
MS. GOLDEN responded that the report was sent out before the
meeting.
MS. GOLDEN moved to slide 13 and pointed out the proven
countermeasures for highway safety. These included speed
management, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, roadway departures,
and crosscutting. She noted that most of these measures have
been implemented in the state. She added that the department
would not be implementing speed safety cameras.
1:38:03 PM
MS. MCCARTHY moved to slide 14 and discussed the Tetlin to Fort
Knox ore haul, pointing out that the department would apply the
Safe Systems Approach to this route. She noted that the
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) had helped to do the research
for the Kinney Report. As the mining company began its test
runs, she said that DOT&PF implemented some of the ideas from
TAC, including a $1 million brush-cutting project. Considering
the frequent bus stops on this route, she pointed out cutting
brush would give drivers more visibility and sight distance.
She stated that the Alaska 511 upgrades would coordinate with
the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District to integrate
bus alerts. She stated that other school districts are also
interested in using the 511 tool. She noted that this could
also be applied to snowplows. She explained that using
sequential layers of security would help reduce the risk of
crashes. She pointed out that the 511 tool now contains bridge
height data, as this would be useful to freight movers.
1:42:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE questioned the "100-year-old" bridges that
need to be replaced on the road between Tetlin and Fort Knox.
MS. MCCARTHY responded that two of the bridges are from World
War II, and these bridge replacement projects are moving forward
because they are in the Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP). She noted that these bridges have been built
well. She stated that the Chena River Flood Control Bridge is
located at milepost (MP) 346 on the Richardson Highway. She
noted that this bridge is younger, but it has load restrictions.
She added that this bridge project is also in STIP and moving
forward. In response to a follow-up question, she clarified
that a non-redundant bridge would be a bridge with no bypass if
the bridge were damaged.
1:45:45 PM
DAN SMITH, Director, Measurement Standards and Commercial
Vehicle Compliance (MS/CVC), Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities, co-presented the PowerPoint on highway safety
in Alaska. On slide 15, he stated that MS/CVC's goal is to
reduce commercial motor vehicle-involved accidents, fatalities,
and injuries through a consistent, uniform, and effective safety
program. He stated that the Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan
addresses vehicle inspections, carrier audits, size and weight
enforcement, outreach, and permitting. He highlighted the nine
weigh stations in the state and the number of employees at each,
as seen on the slide.
MR. SMITH, in response to a series of questions from Co-Chair
Carrick, stated that these trucks would be seen six times a day
going in each direction between Tetlin and the Fort Knox Gold
Mine. He responded that they would pass through the Tok weigh
station, the two Richardson Highway weigh stations, and the Fox
weigh station. He responded that the haul trucks from the mine
would not stop at each of the stations every time they pass. He
explained that trucks with a suitable safety score would pass
through an empty lane for a visual inspection. He continued
that these trucks are weighed consistently when they are
carrying a load, but they are not typically when empty. He
pointed out that certain weigh stations become backed up easily,
adding that trucks should not be backed up onto the highways.
He responded that every vehicle involved with the industrial
project between the Fort Knox Gold Mine and Tetlin would be
weighed three times when they are carrying ore northbound.
MR. SMITH, in response to a series of questions from
Representative McCabe, stated that they are weighed three times
because snow and ice accumulation could cause the trucks to gain
weight, but they would also be losing weight as they burn fuel.
He pointed out that these trucks can also raise or lower change
their axles, and this would change their weight.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned whether the Richardson weigh station
is located south of the Chena Flood Control Bridge.
MR. SMITH deferred the question to Carlos Rojas.
1:51:34 PM
CARLOS ROJAS, Chief, Commercial Vehicle Compliance, Measurement
Standards and Commercial Vehicle Compliance, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities, responded that the
Richardson Highway southbound weigh station is located at MP
358, which is two mile south of Fairbanks, while the bridge is
at MP 347, so it is 12-to-14 miles away. In response to a
follow-up question, he stated that the trucks would leave the
mine and be weighed at the Tok station, with the next fixed
station being after the Chena Flood Control Bridge. He noted
that portable scales could be set up between the Tok station and
the bridge. In response to a follow-up question, he stated that
the Tok station is fully staffed for all traffic with three
inspectors and one supervisor. He stated that all commercial
traffic would be inspected, so shifts are staggered throughout
the day and night. He explained that not every vehicle would be
weighed because sometimes officers are busy with other
inspections. He noted that this also includes safety
inspections.
MR. ROJAS, in response to a question from Representative McCabe,
expressed uncertainty on the number of violations for commercial
trucks hauling ore from Tetlin to the Fort Knox Gold Mine. He
stated that these ore haulers are typically newer trucks and
trailers, and he expressed the understanding that these trucks
have not had many safety violations. In response to a follow-up
question, he expressed uncertainty on the amount of weight an
uncovered truck would gain in a rainstorm. He noted that
depending on the weather, these trucks could pick up thousands
of pounds of snow and ice along the route. He pointed out that
snow would stick to all parts of the vehicles and not just stand
on top of loads.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned the entity that would set the weight
limits on bridges across the state.
MS. GOLDEN responded that DOT&PF's bridge engineers would set
the load calculations, and a bridge engineer would need to
answer this question.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK expressed interest in hearing about the weight
limit at the Chena Flood Control Bridge and other bridges in the
state. She suggested that this would ensure trucks are not in
violation of DOT&PF's rules on weight limits.
1:58:41 PM
MR. SMITH moved to slide 16 and discussed MS/CVC's safety
efforts during the fiscal year 2024 (FY24). He aknowledged that
enforcing weight restrictions would be a challenge on the longer
vehicles. He pointed out that the department is aware of the
seasonal weight variations for these trucks, and the inspectors
would check for this. He stated that fixed weigh stations would
weigh around 69,000 vehicles a year. He noted that MC/CVC is
also in charge of driver vehicle safety inspections, so
monitoring truck weights would only be one aspect of the
requirements. In regard to safety, he discussed the importance
of permit accuracy.
MR. ROJAS, in response to a question from Representative McCabe,
stated that there is one weigh station between Vine Road and the
Parks Highway that would capture the weights of the Interior
Alaska Natural Gas Utility (IGU) tankers. He stated that this
weigh station is in Ester, which is just south of Fairbanks.
MR. SMITH, in response to a follow-up question, reiterated that
the trucks would be weighed in Ester, just south of Fairbanks.
In response, he stated that this load would not be eligible for
an overweight permit on this highway. He expressed uncertainty
whether IGU has applied for an overweight permit.
2:02:19 PM
MR. ROJAS co-presented the PowerPoint on highway safety in
Alaska. He moved to slide 17 and pointed out the statistics on
the number of vehicles weighed per station. He moved to slide
18 and pointed out the statistics on the driver and vehicle
safety inspections done per area. He noted that 47 percent of
these inspections are being done in the Anchorage area and 29
percent in Fairbanks. He pointed out that MC/CVC has partnered
with the Alaska State Troopers, the Soldotna Police Department,
the North Pole Police Department, and others. He stated that
these partners would do safety and driver inspections, which
consists of 6 percent of the workload in areas without
established personnel or fixed-weight facilities. On slide 19,
he discussed public education and outreach.
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID expressed appreciation to the presenters.
2:05:29 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:05 p.m. to 2:08 p.m.
^PRESENTATION: A Public Perspective on Highway Safety
PRESENTATION: A Public Perspective on Highway Safety
2:08:40 PM
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID announced that the final order of business
would be a presentation from Advocates for Safe Alaskan
Highways.
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID requested that the committee hold questions
until the end of the presentation.
2:09:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE, for the record, objected to holding
questions, as questions have always been taken during the
presentations. He argued that it would be more time consuming
to have to go back through the slides at the end.
2:10:33 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:10 p.m. to 2:13 p.m.
2:14:08 PM
JENNIFER CAMPBELL, member, Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways
(ASAH), co-presented a PowerPoint, titled "A Public Perspective
on Highway Safety," [hard copy included in the committee
packet].
MARY FARRELL, member, Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways, co-
presented a PowerPoint, titled "A Public Perspective on Highway
Safety."
BARBARA SCHUHMANN, member, Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways,
member, Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways, co-presented a
PowerPoint, titled "A Public Perspective on Highway Safety."
2:14:39 PM
MS. CAMPBELL stated that the presentation would address the
results of a safety study conducted by the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF).
MS. SCHUHMANN, on behalf of ASAH, expressed opposition to the
planned ore haul on the effected highways. She stated that the
presentation would address the report from Kinney Engineering
and the Alaska-Richardson-Steese Highway Corridor Action Plan
(ARS-CAP). On slide 2, she stated that ASAH is a volunteer
group of interior residents who are opposed to the use of heavy
industrial equipment on the state's highways. She expressed the
opinion that the road conditions in the winter months are
already very dangerous without adding these ore haulers. She
argued that the roadways have not been designed to carry heavy
ore haul trucks.
MS. SCHUHMANN moved to slide 3, which showed the 240-mile route
from the Manh Choh Gold Mine in Tetlin to the Fort Knox Gold
Mine, which is north of Fairbanks. She stated that the roads
used to haul ore include the Alaska Highway, the Richarson
Highway, and the Steese Highway. She pointed out that these are
two lane rural roads with many driveways and 86 school bus
stops. She spoke to the everyday use of these roads. She
continued that the route runs through downtown Fairbanks, where
there are multiple stoplights and steep hills. She pointed out
that currently there are around 60 round trips per day, and they
run 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, for 365 days a year. She
expressed the understanding that this activity would continue
for a minimum of 4.5 years.
MS. SCHUHMANN referenced the photo of the truck on the bottom of
the slide, stating that these long ore haulers are known as "B-
Trains." She stated that the B-Trains are 95 feet long and
weigh 30 tons unloaded and 80 tons if legally loaded. With the
estimate of 8 grams of gold per ton of ore, she suggested that
each 50-ton truckload would contain around 14 ounces of gold,
with the rest of the weight being industrial waste rock. She
expressed the understanding that the Fort Knox Mining Company is
planning to transport ore from other mines within a 300-mile
radius. The ore would be milled at the Fort Knox facility, and
the tailings would be disposed of there. She discussed other
proposed mine projects that would also affect public roads in
the state.
MS. SCHUHMANN moved to slide 4 and pointed out the timeline and
ARS-CAP's recommended actions concerning the ore haul. She
noted that ASAH, state agencies, local municipalities, and
others were members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
that was formed to discuss ARS-CAP. She stated that in 2023,
TAC recommended that the ore haul not begin before ARS-CAP was
finalized; however, trial ore haul runs began in October 2023,
with full-scale operations starting in the summer of 2024. She
noted that TAC was unexpectedly shut down by DOT&PF in November
2023. She moved to slide 5, which showed a press release from
DOT&PF concerning safety; however, she expressed the
understanding that DOT&PF has not fulfilled all its promises.
She continued, expressing hope that DOT&PF would protect the
state's roads and bridges from heavy industrial use by requiring
specific permits. She expressed the hope that ARS-CAP would be
considered by the legislature and the state.
2:22:57 PM
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 6 and stated that ASAH's most basic
concerns are with safety and cost, and she urged the committee
to review ARS-CAP. She argued that unless the safety measures
outlined in the plan are met, super-heavy industrial vehicles
that are extra-long would create an unacceptable risk to
passenger vehicles on rural two-lane highways. She expressed
the understanding that from DOT&PF's calculations, the ore haul
would cost billions of dollars in state expenditures. She noted
that this was related in the TAC meetings. She listed the
responses needed before ore hauls would be considered safe. She
urged that the following be addressed: deficient highways and
bridges, school bus stops that share lanes with the B-Train
trucks, probability of increased crashes, overweight trucks, and
the state's obligation to provide for road safety. She
expressed appreciation for DOT&PF's presentation, and she argued
that the state could not afford to subsidize industrial
operations on state roads.
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 7 and discussed the safety impacts
of B-Trains. She argued that because of their weight, B-Trains
have a very high weight-to-power ratio. This means they are
slow to accelerate and cannot keep speed on hills. She stated
that DOT&PF's consultant [from Kinney Engineering] has related
that the speed ratio for these trucks would add to higher crash
rates. She opined that this slower speed would push other
drivers to take more risks. She expressed the understanding
that there have already been three collisions over the last nine
months. According to the ARS-CAP's report, she stated that more
collisions could occur in 15 roadway sections along the route.
The report recommended that 18 miles of climbing lanes should be
constructed in these areas, and this would cost the state $50.6
million. She moved to slide 8 and discussed the probability of
increased severe-to-fatal crashes, noting that DOT&PF's
consultant had modeled the probability of crashes resulting from
B-Trains. She expressed the understanding that there could be
an increase of 10 severe-to-fatal crashes per year. To
understand the predictability of this, she stated that TAC had
questioned DOT&PF's consultant, and the consultant had related
that the statistic was likely underpredicted. This was because
the model used had not included B-Trains on these highways. She
added that nationwide studies show that rural two-lane highways
have the biggest crash concerns. She expressed the
understanding that if the state continues to allow the ore haul
without the safety considerations, the cost to the state "could
be immense."
2:31:00 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
2:31:40 PM
[During the at-ease, Co-Chair Eischeid passed the gavel to Co-
Chair Carrick.]
2:32:12 PM
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 9 and discussed the safety concern
for children riding school buses. She stated that on two-lane
rural highways, the school buses would stop directly in the
lane. She reiterated that there are 86 school bus stops along
the two-lane portions of the route. She added that DOT&PF's
consultant had pointed out that during the winter months, 35 of
these bus stops would not have adequate stopping-sight
distances. She relayed that the report has recommended that
immediate conversations be had between the trucking company, the
school bus contractors, and the school district. Concerning
safety recommendations in the report, she asserted that no new
systems have been put in place to connect bus drivers with the
trucking company. She acknowledged that DOT&PF has updated the
Alaska 511 system; however, this would not work in areas with no
cell phone coverage.
MS. CAMPBELL, in response to a question from Representative
Moore, stated that the first documented incident has recently
occurred, and this was reported to the state troopers. In
response to a follow-up question from Representative McCabe, she
stated that on December 3, a fully loaded B-Train passed a
school bus. The school bus had its lights flashing, signaling
that children were getting off the bus. She expressed the
understanding that the truck did not stop but went by "blasting
its horn." In response to a follow up, she stated that she has
not seen the trooper report; therefore, she expressed
uncertainty concerning any actions that might have been taken.
She offered to report back to the committee with more
information.
MS. CAMPBELL, in response to a question from Representative
McCabe, expressed uncertainty on the number of bus stops on the
Parks Highway between Wasilla and Trapper Creek. In response to
a follow-up question, she stated that ASAH is interested in all
highways and all school buses in the state. She expressed
uncertainty about the area referenced; therefore, she declined
to comment.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE suggested that the Parks Highway would not
be of concern to ASAH, and he expressed surprise because the
highway has many two lanes stretches where buses stop in the
middle of the road, and it is a regular route for Interior
Alaska Natural Gas Utility (IGU) trucks hauling fuel. He
expressed confusion why this would not also be a focus of ASAH.
He expressed the opinion that ASAH is only an "advocate for one
highway."
CO-CHAIR CARRICK suggested that there should be a comment on how
and why ASAH was formed.
MS. CAMPBELL expressed appreciation for Representative McCabe's
comments. She stated that ASAH was formed specifically because
of the new industrial use of the state's highways. She
expressed the opinion that DOT&PF should fund a study focusing
on school buses and other needed issues because "our roads are
unsafe." She added that solutions to this problem are
complicated. For example, she stated that making one
consolidated bus stop off the road would be difficult because as
children age, the bus stop would need to change locations.
MS. FARRELL reminded the committee that the presentation is only
addressing the study funded by DOT&PF, which had not included
the area on the Parks Highway. She expressed agreement that
further studies need to be funded.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE expressed the understanding that the study
was at the request of ASAH because ASAH had "created a problem."
He argued that the Parks Highway is not the concern because the
trucks on this highway would be delivering needed fuel and goods
to Fairbanks. He suggested that the IGU trucks on the Parks
Highway are just as dangerous as the B-Trains on the Richardson
Highway. He requested a presentation addressing the number of
bus stops and the number of IGU trucks on the Parks Highway.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK reminded the committee that it is capable of
disagreeing on an issue without being disagreeable.
2:43:59 PM
MS. CAMPBELL, in response to Representative Moore, stated that
the three accidents referenced had been other vehicles that
rear-ended B-Trains.
REPRESENTATIVE TILTON questioned the coordination efforts
between the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, the
school bus contracting company, and the ore trucking company.
MS. CAMPBELL expressed the understanding that conversations are
beginning to happen; however, it has been around two years of
making this request. She noted that Kinross Fort Knox and the
school board had members on TAC, and they had many conversations
on different types of communication devices that could be put on
the buses and trucks. She expressed the understanding that the
technology is not developed fully. She noted the cell reception
issue and the student privacy issue on the route. She asserted
that truck drivers want to be safe too, and she opined that no
one is driving recklessly on purpose; however, the environmental
conditions need to be recognized, and the infrastructure needs
to be upgraded. In response, she expressed agreement that the
safety of students should be considered over the privacy of
students.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned whether the testifiers reside along
the route under discussion.
[MS. FARRELL signaled that she lives along the route.]
MS. CAMPBELL responded that she does not live along the route;
however, she stated that her activities along the route have
been curtailed because of the dangers.
2:48:26 PM
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 10 and spoke about bridge integrity
on the route. She stated that Kinney Engineering is the
consultant for DOT&PF, and it has relied 100 percent on DOT&PF
data to determine the safety and integrity of the bridges. She
discussed a request for information that ASAH put into DOT&PF
concerning bridge safety and the weight of the ore haulers. In
response to this request, it was learned that 15 out of the 34
bridges along the route should be load posted. She expressed
the understanding that the trucks would weigh significantly more
than the posted weight. She noted that DOT&PF's response was to
put four of the bridges in the STIP, but to not load post any
other bridges. She noted that 60 trucks a day are being allowed
to run, with an updated bridge inspection schedule.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE requested a copy of DOT&PF's report. He
questioned the process of surveying the bridges and the
suggested load postings.
MS. CAMPBELL responded that the report is long, and it contains
dense information. She reiterated that there had been many
conversations between DOT&PF and Kinross Fort Knox. She
expressed the understanding that there had been questions on the
load formula for Alaska bridges, the difference between trucks
with axels down or axels up, and other elements. She shared
that she has worked as a structural engineer on bridges, and she
said, "It's really, really complicated." She moved to slide 11
and showed the load posting summary chart, and she noted the
bridges that were recommended for a posting. She reiterated
that the decision had been not to post. In response to a
committee question, she stated that she does not have the
information on how these numbers on the chart were determined.
In response to a follow-up question, she reiterated that many
conversations were had over a year on the bridges, and the
decision had been not to have load postings.
2:53:40 PM
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 12 and noted the bridges that the
department have added to the current STIP, with the updated
estimated cost of around $490 million. She moved to slide 13
and pointed out that pavement damage had been listed on the
report under capital improvements. She noted that a road could
be near the end of its useful life but still be useful for
traffic from passenger vehicles and smaller commercial trucks.
She expressed the understanding that there had been daily
reports of increased road damage during this past summer when
the ore haul trucks had moved to full operations. She expressed
the understanding that DOT&PF maintenance was out daily on the
route repairing damage. She noted that Kinney Engineering has
reported that a B-Train truck would impose 250 percent more
damage to highway pavement than other commercial trucks. She
added that there had been no information specific to IGU trucks.
She expressed the understanding that the pavement degradation
statistic had assumed that all axles were on the pavement;
however, when axles are raised for greater traction, this would
impose greater stress on the pavement. She stated that the
estimated cost to replace the pavement would be $489 million.
She moved to slide 14 and showed a chart of DOT&PF's estimated
cost to support the ore haul operation. She noted that this was
quoted at over $1 billion.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE questioned whether the $489 million
estimated cost to replace the pavement would benefit others, not
just Kinross Fort Knox.
MS. CAMPBELL responded that anytime DOT&PF has the funding to
upgrade a road, it would benefit everybody. She argued that the
issue is, because of the B-Trains, pavement would degrade faster
and need to be replaced sooner.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE expressed uncertainty on the current age
of the road and the last time it was repaved. He suggested that
as the road gets closer to the end of its life, it would not
matter the weight of the trucks. He suggested that DOT&PF might
know the answer to his question.
2:59:48 PM
MS. FARRELL moved to slide 16 and provided ASAH's
recommendations. She aknowledged that many of these suggested
recommendations would come with "large price tags," which is
difficult because currently the state is underfunded. She noted
that other problems include the length of time the projects
would take to build and the loss of federal money from the
state's STIP. She suggested that with the help of the
committee, some precautions could be implemented. She opined
that because many of the roads and bridges are reaching their
end of life, and the state does not have the funding for
replacement, the roads should be better cared for. She argued
that the traffic from overweight trucks would cause more damage.
MS. FARRELL moved to slide 17 and suggested that the Fox weigh
station is often closed. She stated that the report recommended
that the weigh stations be open more hours, but DOT&PF does not
have the staff or the funding to do this. She noted that a
report on the weigh stations showed 17 percent of the ore trucks
were overweight. She stated that this resulted in DOT&PF
posting a load limit on the Chena Flood Control Bridge; however,
she expressed the understanding that not all trucks are weighed.
MS. FARRELL listed ASAH's short-term requests to the committee,
as seen on slide 19, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
- Support funding of staffing in AKDOT's Commercial
Vehicle Compliance Division.
- Mandate full-time (24/7) operations of one weigh
station along ore haul route.
- Review Section 17 AAC 35.010 in the Alaska
administrative code which deals with industrial use of
highways to find a fair and equitable sharing of costs
among heavy, industrial users.
MS. FARRELL listed ASAH's long-term requests to the committee,
as seen on slide 20, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
- Support upper weight limit restrictions legislation.
- Federal law (FHWA) states that maximum gross vehicle
weight is limited to 80,000 pounds, however Alaska has
an exemption and has no upper weight limit. B-Trains
weigh 162,000 pounds.
- Assist AKDOT in using the regulations and policies
they already have in place to make our roads safer and
preserve our infrastructure.
MS. CAMPBELL moved to slide 21, which showed a map of
prospective mining projects in the state. She stated that at
least three projects in the Fairbanks area would haul ore on
secondary roads to Fort Knox. She stated that the concept known
as "the Alaska Strategy" would be to transport ore from
satellite mines to Fort Knox within a 300-mile radius. She
expressed the concern that this would make the public roads less
safe. She suggested that now is the time to address this. She
expressed the hope that changes would be made to assist DOT&PF
in its mission to keep the public safe on the state's roads.
She thanked the committee.
3:05:04 PM
CO-CHAIR CARRICK questioned the results of ASAH's petition and
the public's response.
MS. CAMPBELL answered that two years ago a petition was
circulated to ensure ASAH would be representing the public. She
pointed out the different locations where the petition was
distributed. She stated that in a two-month period, 3,456
responses were received. She stated that 2,100 of these were
from Fairbanks. She quoted the number of responses from other
corridor communities.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE commented that the road pictured on slide
16 "has been like that for decades because of the permafrost,
not because of the trucks." He questioned the number of
individuals that signed the petition from the Harding Lake area.
MS. CAMPBELL responded that 171 petitioners signed from the
Salcha, Harding Lake, and Birch Lake areas.
REPRESENTATIVE TILTON noted that the goal of developing Alaska's
resources is written in the state's constitution. If all ASAH's
requests were completed, she questioned whether ASAH would be
satisfied.
MS. CAMPBELL responded that the recommendations listed were
those that would be least expensive and could be done in the
short-term. She continued that these are the recommendations
that would be "more palatable." She noted that the report
recommends making the route as safe as possible, as seen on
slide 15. She stated that passing lanes would be the best
solution. In response to a follow-up question, she stated that
the issue concerns safety, not comfort. She asserted that the
question should be how to extract resources without compromising
safety on the state's roadways. She pointed out that the
solution is not an easy one, as it should concern what is best
for the state, and this is a complicated conversation.
3:12:58 PM
CO-CHAIR CARRICK pointed out that her earlier question
concerning the petition and its results spoke to the role of
public servants, which is representing their constituents. She
noted that concerns about the haul route have been expressed
during the meeting. She said, "The public spoke very, very
loud, and fairly clearly about this issue." She noted that
there are safety concerns, not only for those living on the ore
haul routes, but also for those working in the mining operation.
CO-CHAIR CARRICK thanked the presenters and made closing
comments.
3:15:10 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:15
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 02.20.25 Advocates for Safe Alaskan Highways Presentation.pdf |
HTRA 2/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |
|
| 02.20.25 DOT&PF Highway Safety.pdf |
HTRA 2/20/2025 1:00:00 PM |