Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124

01/29/2026 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

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Audio Topic
01:04:40 PM Start
01:05:42 PM Presentation(s): Winter Road Maintenance
02:37:54 PM HB216
03:05:23 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Presentation: Winter Road Maintenance by the TELECONFERENCED
Department of Transportation
*+ HB 216 TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
            HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                           
                        January 29, 2026                                                                                        
                           1:04 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair                                                                                         
Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair                                                                                           
Representative Genevieve Mina                                                                                                   
Representative Louise Stutes                                                                                                    
Representative Kevin McCabe                                                                                                     
Representative Steve St. Clair                                                                                                  
Representative Garret Nelson                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PRESENTATION(S): WINTER ROAD MAINTENANCE                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 216                                                                                                              
"An Act approving the transfer of land owned by the Alaska                                                                      
Railroad Corporation to the City of Whittier; and providing for                                                                 
an effective date."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB 216                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER                                                                              
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HOLLAND                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
05/02/25       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
05/02/25       (H)       TRA, CRA                                                                                               
01/29/26       (H)       TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE LANGLEY, Division Director                                                                                            
Data Modernization & Innovation Office                                                                                          
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:    Co-offered the  Winter  Road  Maintenance                                                             
presentation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison                                                                                                 
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION  STATEMENT:    Co-offered the  Winter  Road  Maintenance                                                             
presentation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
BURRELL NICKESON, Maintenance and Operations Manager                                                                            
Central Region                                                                                                                  
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION  STATEMENT:    Co-offered the  Winter  Road  Maintenance                                                             
presentation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
JASON SAKALASKAS, Regional Maintenance and Operations Chief                                                                     
Northern Region                                                                                                                 
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                
Fairbanks, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:   Answered questions  during the  Winter Road                                                             
Maintenance presentation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MARCUS ZIMMERMAN, Maintenance and Operations Manager                                                                            
Southcoast Region                                                                                                               
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   Answered questions  during the  Winter Road                                                             
Maintenance presentation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KY HOLLAND                                                                                                       
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  As prime sponsor, presented HB 216.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
AYDEN NICHOL, Staff                                                                                                             
Representative Ky Holland                                                                                                       
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   On behalf of  Representative Holland, prime                                                             
sponsor, presented  a PowerPoint, titled "HB  216 Whittier-Alaska                                                               
Railroad Land Transfer."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
JACKIE WILDE, City Manager                                                                                                      
Whittier, Alaska                                                                                                                
POSITION STATEMENT:   Gave invited  testimony during  the hearing                                                             
on HB 216.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MEGHAN CLEMENS, External Affairs Director                                                                                       
Alaska Railroad Corporation                                                                                                     
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:   Gave invited  testimony during  the hearing                                                             
on HB 216.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:04:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR Ted  Eischeid called  the House  Transportation Standing                                                             
Committee meeting to order at  1:04 p.m.  Representatives Stutes,                                                               
St.  Clair,  Mina, Nelson,  McCabe,  Carrick,  and Eischeid  were                                                               
present at the call to order.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
^PRESENTATION(S): Winter Road Maintenance                                                                                       
            PRESENTATION(S): Winter Road Maintenance                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
1:05:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  EISCHEID announced  that  the first  order of  business                                                               
would be the Winter Road Maintenance presentation.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:07:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE  LANGLEY,  Division   Director,  Data  Modernization  &                                                               
Innovation   Office,  Department   of  Transportation   &  Public                                                               
Facilities  (DOT&PF), gave  a presentation,  titled "Winter  Road                                                               
Maintenance" [hard  copy included  in the  committee file].   She                                                               
began  on slide  2,  stating that  it is  important  not just  to                                                               
respond to  winter events, but  to prepare  for them.   She noted                                                               
that  DOT&PF has  been modernizing  its approach  to winter  road                                                               
maintenance.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:08:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANDY MILLS,  Legislative Liaison, Department of  Transportation &                                                               
Public Facilities,  moved to slide 3,  which illustrated DOT&PF's                                                               
increased role in emergency response assistance.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:09:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID noted the members  from DOT&PF available online                                                               
to answer questions.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:09:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  spoke to  the emergencies in  his district                                                               
and thanked DOT&PF for its  willingness to help communities solve                                                               
problems themselves.   He said that  people truly do not  see the                                                               
work that DOT&PF does in this respect.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:10:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  responded that DOT&PF  is uniquely apt  to participate                                                               
in emergency responses  due to its vast  contract communities and                                                               
established relationships.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:11:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY moved to slide  4, which demonstrated more tools that                                                               
can  perform  predictive  weather  analysis,  enabling  proactive                                                               
planning and  decision-making.   She noted  that there  have also                                                               
been great  improvements in satellite communications.   She moved                                                               
to slide 5, explaining that  increased data allows people to make                                                               
safe decisions for themselves.   She described the role of Alaska                                                               
511 in providing important safety  and weather information to the                                                               
public.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:13:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LANGLEY,  in  response to  a  question  from  Representative                                                               
Stutes, said that she does not  know how long Alaska 511 has been                                                               
operational.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES  described her experience using  Alaska 511                                                               
on her drive  from Kodiak to Juneau and  emphasized how efficient                                                               
and effective it was on that trip.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY  said that  DOT&PF is actively  working to  add ferry                                                               
travels to Alaska 511.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:15:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ST.  CLAIR said  he has  driven the  Alcan Highway                                                               
many times in  the winter, and Alaska 511 has  been a great asset                                                               
on those  travels.  He noted  that some of the  cameras have been                                                               
down recently and asked if there is a plan to upgrade them.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY  replied that  DOT&PF has  been working  on upgrading                                                               
camera systems and shifting funding  sources to create more real-                                                               
time results for users on the highways.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:17:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE G. NELSON asked about  how reports are prioritized                                                               
in the DOT&PF mobile reporting application ("app").                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LANGLEY  responded that  DOT&PF  uses  mobile reporting  for                                                               
staff and will  soon be releasing a "report a  concern" report to                                                               
the  public.   She described  the  paths that  reports take  when                                                               
submitted.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:18:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LANGLEY,  in   response  to  a  series   of  questions  from                                                               
Representative McCabe, said  that the app shows  plow trucks, and                                                               
DOT&PF  hopes  to expand  Alaska  511  for  air travel  as  well,                                                               
including the ability for pilots  to know if airport runways have                                                               
been plowed.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS added  that DOT&PF  is sensitive  to not  creating too                                                               
many separate  dashboards of information and  that the department                                                               
hopes  to   centralize  Alaska  511   as  the   main  information                                                               
dashboard.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:21:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY,  in response to  a question from  Co-Chair Eischeid,                                                               
stated that DOT&PF is using  more artificial intelligence (AI) in                                                               
its data collection  and described how the department  uses AI in                                                               
its weather condition research.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  added that  there is  a real  tension at  the American                                                               
Association of State Highway  and Transportation Officials, where                                                               
there is a lot of  consternation regarding how much states should                                                               
use AI in their data collection and analysis.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:23:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LANGLEY moved  to slide  6, emphasizing  that all  these new                                                               
tools and technologies  require training, both for  staff and the                                                               
public.  She added that  DOT&PF is releasing tools, like samsara,                                                               
that  allow  the  department  to   access  the  same  visuals  as                                                               
operators to  better help them  remotely.   She moved to  slide 7                                                               
and highlighted  Drivewyze.   She described it  as a  useful tool                                                               
for dispersing  safety information across the  commercial driving                                                               
industry and said it would enable  DOT&PF to alert people that an                                                               
accident is ahead.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:26:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  CARRICK  asked  about  safety  initiatives  to  support                                                               
vulnerable road users (VRUs).                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS.  LANGLEY responded  that DOT&PF  is looking  at many  ways to                                                               
utilize technology to support VRUs,  including software that will                                                               
alert  pedestrians and  bicyclists  to rapid  changes in  traffic                                                               
patterns.   She noted  that crowd sourcing  solutions in  an area                                                               
with low population density is difficult.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  highlighted the  campaign for  "legends deserve  to be                                                               
seen," which has  been distributing reflective gear  to VRUs, and                                                               
emphasized  the  campaign's goal  of  changing  the scenario  for                                                               
VRUs, without changing the geometry of areas.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  CARRICK  asked how  DOT&PF  is  helping get  that  swag                                                               
material out in the community.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  said he can follow  up with more examples,  but he has                                                               
personally handed out  reflective gear and bus  drivers have also                                                               
been provided with gear to disperse.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:30:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  noted that  community councils are  a good                                                               
way to distribute gear to the  public and invited DOT&PF to do so                                                               
in Big Lake.   He shared that wreckers and  tow trucks on certain                                                               
highways  are  struggling because  drivers  don't  slow down  for                                                               
flashing yellow lights.   He asked for a better  way to light tow                                                               
trucks so  they can better do  their job of saving  people on the                                                               
sides of highways.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS  described an  initiative  that  would provide  better                                                               
lighting  for these  vehicles and  expressed  interest in  making                                                               
them more apparent.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:33:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES asked  where  a  representative could  get                                                               
this reflective gear to distribute in their own district.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY said  DOT&PF has multiple partners in  safety and can                                                               
share their contact information  to distribute reflective gear to                                                               
representatives.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS said  he would personally bring  every committee member                                                               
reflective gear to bring back to their own communities.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:34:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. LANGLEY moved to slide  8 and explained that DOT&PF practices                                                               
for  the days  that are  not  as good.   She  explained that  the                                                               
department  deploys  small teams  to  rural  areas to  share  the                                                               
information  they gather  with other  state agencies.   She  also                                                               
highlighted  Alaska Alerts,  which enables  two-way communication                                                               
with individuals in an area during an emergent event.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:36:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS moved to slide 9,  which provided a background on anti-                                                               
icing and  de-icing techniques.   He defined  brine, which  is an                                                               
anti-icing  and de-icing  agent,  explaining that  the same  salt                                                               
typically used  to de-ice,  can be rendered  into a  liquid form,                                                               
with  corrosion inhibitor  agents, for  application on  roadways.                                                               
Brine  can  be  used  to  prevent   or  break  down  ice  and  is                                                               
temperature specific, so  the department uses a  decision tree to                                                               
decide the  best time to  utilize it.   He noted that  DOT&PF has                                                               
also explored  the use  of beet  juice and  urea in  de-icing and                                                               
anti-icing products.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:39:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  asked about the  anti-corrosive properties                                                               
of brine.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  replied that there  are some  areas in the  state that                                                               
are  more  conducive  to  brine  usage  than  other  areas.    He                                                               
emphasized  that brine  is the  same compound  as the  solid form                                                               
salt that  is typically applied  to roadways, just rendered  in a                                                               
different form.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:41:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS, in response to  a question from Representative Nelson,                                                               
confirmed  that   temperatures  noted   in  the   PowerPoint  are                                                               
Fahrenheit degrees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:41:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   MINA  asked   if  DOT&PF   has  considered   the                                                               
environmental impacts of sand, salt, or brine.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS responded by highlighting  the Anchorage area, where it                                                               
sprays a mixture of sand and brine.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:43:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS moved to slide  10 and explained that de-icing requires                                                               
much less  brine than a  sand and  salt mixture.   He highlighted                                                               
the cost and time advantages of  brine, noting that there is also                                                               
an environmental advantage associated  with using less product on                                                               
the roads.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:45:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS, in  response  to a  question  from Co-Chair  Carrick,                                                               
stated  that  the  effectiveness   of  brine  is  very  location-                                                               
specific,  but he  would provide  a clearer  answer later  in the                                                               
presentation.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:46:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS moved  to slide 11, which  highlighted brine reductions                                                               
on the Kenai Peninsula, and explained  that brine is only used on                                                               
high-speed roads due to push back  from local concerns.  He noted                                                               
that there  are shopping  malls that use  a much  more aggressive                                                               
product on their parking lots than brine.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:47:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS, in response to  a question from Representative McCabe,                                                               
stated that DOT&PF does not  track the number of accidents caused                                                               
by reduced brine  usage, but maintains the  same safety standards                                                               
regardless of brine use.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:48:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS moved to slide  12, which displayed the "wash boarding"                                                               
that  has  occurred on  Mackey  Lake  Road since  DOT&PF  stopped                                                               
applying brine on the road.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:49:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  asked how much  more it costs  to maintain                                                               
roads to the same level of safety with less brine.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS   responded  that  he   does  not  have   that  safety                                                               
information but emphasized  that DOT&PF operators do  not want to                                                               
compromise the safety of the roads they live on and near.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:52:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS,  in response  to a series  of questions  from Co-Chair                                                               
Carrick,  stated that  the community  asked for  no brine  on the                                                               
peninsula.   He explained that  DOT&PF compromised by  using less                                                               
than 50 percent of the brine  it had previously used and that the                                                               
public  has been  much less  vocal  about the  concern since  the                                                               
brine  reduction.   He stated  that he  knows some  equipment was                                                               
necessary  to assist  in the  brine reduction,  but there  was no                                                               
divergence in funding.  He said  that one cannot compare the cost                                                               
of one lane mile of road in one area of Alaska to another.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:54:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS moved  to slide 13, which  highlighted the department's                                                               
brine  literature review,  which was  an effort  to consider  the                                                               
literature  on corrosion  and  brine usage.    He explained  that                                                               
DOT&PF  is  working  to  mitigate  corrosion  from  brine  usage,                                                               
including the options of undercoating and washing vehicles.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:56:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS, in  response to  a question  from Co-Chair  Eischeid,                                                               
stated  that   brine  is  being   adopted  to   manage  budgetary                                                               
constraints, not  staff vacancies.   He stated that the  state is                                                               
required  to  find  efficiencies, which  includes  employing  new                                                               
technologies like brine.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:59:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BURRELL  NICKESON, Maintenance  and  Operations Manager,  Central                                                               
Region,   Department  of   Transportation  &   Public  Facilities                                                               
addressed three questions  that had previously been  asked in the                                                               
meeting.  He confirmed that  DOT&PF does use corrosion inhibitors                                                               
and  described brining  techniques in  Anchorage.   He emphasized                                                               
that effectiveness  of brine is weather-dependent,  with the goal                                                               
being to see bare pavement.   He agreed with Mr. Mills that brine                                                               
is  being used  to  meet  the need  for  safer  roads, not  staff                                                               
vacancies.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:01:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICKESON  moved to slide  14, which showed  contracting costs                                                               
for snow and  ice removal in fiscal  year 2025 (FY 25)  and FY 26                                                               
by district.   He noted  that these contracts began  in Anchorage                                                               
three  years  ago  and   emphasized  that  contracting  increases                                                               
DOT&PF's efficiency.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:02:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICKESON, in  response to a question  from Co-Chair Eischeid,                                                               
stated that  DOT&PF is  quite successful  in clearing  Priority 1                                                               
roads within  12 hours and  he would provide  further information                                                               
on the department's ability to meet its road-clearing goals.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:04:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICKESON  moved to slide  15, which listed  sidewalk clearing                                                               
equipment  used  in  Anchorage,  the  Matanuska-Susitna  (Mat-Su)                                                               
Borough, and the Kenai Peninsula.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:05:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked how priority levels are decided.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:06:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASON  SAKALASKAS,  Regional  Maintenance and  Operations  Chief,                                                               
Northern   Region,   Department   of  Transportation   &   Public                                                               
Facilities,  explained that  DOT&PF  performed  an evaluation  of                                                               
several  different factors  to establish  priority classification                                                               
standards.   He  described  several factors  considered and  said                                                               
that he can provide further information to the committee.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS clarified that "ADT" refers to average daily traffic.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS,   in  response   to  a   series  of   questions  from                                                               
Representative  Mina,  stated  that  DOT&PF  performs  functional                                                               
classification  studies  every  census and  considers  roads  for                                                               
potential  reclassification.     He   stated  that   schools  and                                                               
emergency  services are  factors in  priority classification  for                                                               
both roads  and sidewalks.  He  also said that the  department is                                                               
working to increase  efficiency in the plowing of  both roads and                                                               
sidewalks.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKESON added  that the  Anchorage office  coordinates with                                                               
the  school  district   and  DOT&PF  stays  in   touch  with  the                                                               
municipality to best collaborate with plowing.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:11:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICKESON,  in response to  a question from  Co-Chair Carrick,                                                               
confirmed  that  there is  no  sidewalk  equipment on  the  Kenai                                                               
Peninsula  or in  the  Mat-Su  Borough.   He  noted that  limited                                                               
right-of-way requires  snow to  be pushed out  of roads  and into                                                               
sidewalks.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MILLS  added  that there  are  supplementary  contracts  for                                                               
Priority 3 and Priority 4 roads and sidewalks.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:14:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKESON,  in response  to  a  question from  Representative                                                               
McCabe, stated  that plowing can be  situational, explaining that                                                               
snow  machines  may  be  necessary on  certain  pathways  in  the                                                               
winter.   He said that DOT&PF  does maintain the bike  path along                                                               
the southern portion of the George Parks Highway.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:15:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID  shared his experience  as a  life-long runner,                                                               
who prefers running  on trails over roads, but often  must run on                                                               
the highway  in the  winter.   He emphasized  that some  of these                                                               
issues are important to people's quality of life.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:16:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKESON moved  to  slide 16  and stated  that  there is  no                                                               
right-of-way for snow storage on  certain roads in Anchorage.  He                                                               
described  the process  of  snow being  cleared  from roads  onto                                                               
sidewalks and  then removed  from sidewalks.   He moved  to slide                                                               
17, which highlighted  central region snow dump sites.   He noted                                                               
that Anchorage only has one snow  dump site and DOT&PF is working                                                               
on authorization for a second.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:20:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARCUS ZIMMERMAN, Maintenance  and Operations Manager, Southcoast                                                               
Region, Department  of Transportation  & Public Facilities,  , in                                                               
response to  a question from  Representative McCabe,  stated that                                                               
during the  December snow event,  the City and Borough  of Juneau                                                               
received  DOT&PF  authorization  to  dump  fresh  snow  into  the                                                               
Gastineau Channel.   He explained that there  is an environmental                                                               
concern  of dumping  contaminants,  along with  snow, from  roads                                                               
into the  ocean.  Some  of these contaminants include  oil, dirt,                                                               
debris, and trash.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:22:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MINA  asked about a  lane reduction test  strip at                                                               
the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport for snow removal                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKESON,  in response  to  a  question from  Representative                                                               
Mina,  stated that  the Municipality  of Anchorage  did set  up a                                                               
lane reduction pilot  at the Anchorage Airport  for snow removal.                                                               
He  said  that  increased  snow  storage  would  greatly  benefit                                                               
individuals who use sidewalks but  would require more signage and                                                               
higher costs.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:24:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ZIMMERMAN, in  response to  a  question from  Representative                                                               
Stutes, stated that the  Department of Environmental Conservation                                                               
regulates snow dumping in waterways.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:25:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICKESON  moved to  slide 18,  which provided  challenges and                                                               
opportunities  in the  central region.   He  listed the  specific                                                               
areas where brine  is used on the Kenai  Peninsula and emphasized                                                               
the  issue of  staff vacancies  in the  Mat-Su Borough  and Kenai                                                               
Peninsula.   He  also  highlighted the  typhoon  response in  the                                                               
southwest region.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:27:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  EISCHEID  asked  what   Mr.  Nickeson  needs  from  the                                                               
legislature to fully staff DOT&PF.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKESON responded  that the  Anchorage station  has done  a                                                               
great job  retaining staff.  He  believes that timing is  a major                                                               
factor  in the  peninsula  district and  that  staffing ebbs  and                                                               
flows.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS  added that  in FY 26  budget reductions  are requiring                                                               
maintenance chiefs to  be judicious in how  they spend resources,                                                               
which includes staffing and leads to more overtime hours worked.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:30:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  NICKERSON, in  response to  a  question from  Representative                                                               
Mina, stated  that DOT&PF plowing  metrics are not  always shared                                                               
with  the Municipality  of Anchorage,  but  he is  sure they  are                                                               
discussed almost daily.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:32:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. MILLS, in response to  a question from Representative McCabe,                                                               
said DOT&PF  provides a voluntary  exit survey to  employees when                                                               
they leave, which  is a standard across most state  agencies.  He                                                               
said that  he can ask for  that data to be  distributed but noted                                                               
that those reports are often scrubbed or redacted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID  added that that  data would be useful  for the                                                               
committee to  understand how  it can help  with the  DOT&PF staff                                                               
vacancy issue.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:35:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 2:35 p.m. to 2:37 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          HB 216-TRANSFER OF RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:37:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  EISCHEID announced  that  the final  order of  business                                                               
would be  HOUSE BILL NO. 216,  "An Act approving the  transfer of                                                               
land  owned by  the Alaska  Railroad Corporation  to the  City of                                                               
Whittier; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:38:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KY HOLLAND,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor, presented HB  216.  He began by  introducing himself and                                                               
the  geographic  features  of   his  district,  emphasizing  that                                                               
Whittier will become an essential  part of the state's ability to                                                               
move  freight.   He  stated  that he  has  attended city  council                                                               
meetings every month  for the last year and a  half and described                                                               
their  efforts  working  with  the  Alaska  Railroad  Corporation                                                               
(ARRC).  He  explained that by moving land into  ownership of the                                                               
city, HB  216 would help  Whittier continue to grow  its economy.                                                               
He explained  that the legislature  must approve the  transfer of                                                               
land from ARRC to a city  and the transfer is not completed until                                                               
both entities agree on the transfer cost.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:42:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AYDEN  NICHOL, Staff,  Representative  Ky Holland,  on behalf  of                                                               
Representative  Holland, prime  sponsor, presented  a PowerPoint,                                                               
titled  "HB 216  Whittier-Alaska  Railroad  Land Transfer"  [hard                                                               
copy  included in  the committee  file].   He began  on slide  2,                                                               
titled "History: Whittier and the Alaska Railroad", which read                                                                  
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   • Whittier (pop. 272) connects Anchorage with Prince                                                                         
       William Sound shipping and ferry routes, and is a                                                                        
     popular cruise destination                                                                                                 
   • For most of its history, the Alaska Railroad was the                                                                       
      only land route connecting Whittier with the rest of                                                                      
     the state, via the the Anton Anderson Tunnel                                                                               
   • The Alaska Railroad has long benefitted from its                                                                           
       significant land holdings within the city limits,                                                                        
     which constitute 85% of Whittier's developable land                                                                        
   • In 1998, the Railroad agreed to lease 250 acres to the                                                                     
     City for development                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICHOL moved to slide 3, titled "From a lease to City                                                                       
Ownership," which read as follows [original punctuation                                                                         
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
        • The status of the land under the City's lease                                                                         
          discourages investment and  prevents the City from                                                                    
          bringing in  tax revenue from  businesses situated                                                                    
          on the property.                                                                                                      
        • Early in 2024, negotiations began for the                                                                             
          transfer  of ownership  of  five  parcels of  land                                                                    
          from the Railroad to the City.                                                                                        
        • In December of 2025, the City Council authorized                                                                      
          the City  Manager to  negotiate a  final agreement                                                                    
          for three  parcels, and  the Railroad  submitted a                                                                    
          conditional letter  of intent to proceed  with the                                                                    
          sale.                                                                                                                 
        • Legislative approval is a critical element                                                                            
          required to  allow this deal to  proceed: under AS                                                                    
          42.40.285,   the  Railroad   is  prohibited   from                                                                    
          relinquishing  land without  the authorization  of                                                                    
          the legislature.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICHOLS moved to slide 4, which showed a map of AARC the                                                                    
area of interest.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. NICHOLS gave the sectional analysis [hard copy included in                                                                  
committee file], which read as follows [original punctuation                                                                    
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
      Section 1: Authorizes  the Alaska Railroad Corporation                                                                  
     to convey five parcels of  land to the City of Whittier                                                                    
     for fair market value.                                                                                                     
          (a)  Authorizes  the  transfer and  describes  the                                                                    
     five  parcels  authorized   for  sale,  including:  the                                                                    
     property where  the Sportsman's Lounge  currently sits,                                                                    
     the  harbor  parking  area below  Whittier  Creek,  the                                                                    
     Harbor  Uplands   area  abutting  the  bay,   the  area                                                                    
     surrounding   the  Whittier   Airport,  and   the  area                                                                    
     surrounding  the Whittier  Bay  Campground adjacent  to                                                                    
     the Glacier Creek Cruise Terminal.                                                                                         
          (b) Clarifies that  further platting and surveying                                                                    
     will be  necessary to  execute the  sale, and  that the                                                                    
     parcel boundaries  articulated in  this section  may be                                                                    
     reasonably modified  subject to  the agreement  of both                                                                    
     parties.                                                                                                                   
          (c)  Authorizes   the  Railroad  to   accept  cash                                                                    
     equivalent to the fair market value of the land.                                                                           
          (d)   Designates   this  section   as   sufficient                                                                    
     legislative approval for the  transfer of land under AS                                                                    
     42.40.285.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2:  Establishes  that  the  Act  takes  effect                                                                  
     immediately.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:46:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  CARRICK noted  that  HB  216 would  transfer  a lot  of                                                               
acreage  in  Whittier.    She  asked to  hear  from  an  opposing                                                               
viewpoint of the land transfer, if available.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:49:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HOLLAND,  in response to a  question from Co-Chair                                                               
Carrick,  stated that  due to  the nature  of the  land transfer,                                                               
both  entities wanted  the opportunity  to make  any last  minute                                                               
changes as needed and HB 216, as written, would allow for that.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:50:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   HOLLAND,  in   response  to   a  question   from                                                               
Representative  Mina,   explained  that   there  is   still  some                                                               
certainty regarding  the resolution of  the property at  the head                                                               
of the bay, while there  is full agreement regarding the property                                                               
value of the downtown parcel of  land.  He further explained that                                                               
the  intention  of  both  entities  involved is  to  come  to  an                                                               
agreement for  all five land  parcels, without needing  to return                                                               
to the legislature.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:52:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  confirmed the  legislature's role  in this                                                               
land transfer.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:52:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  CARRICK  asked to  hear  from  Whittier's city  manager                                                               
regarding HB 216.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:53:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JACKIE WILDE,  City Manager, City  of Whittier, began  by stating                                                               
that over  90 percent of Whittier's  land is either owned  by the                                                               
state or  non-taxable.  She  explained how the  current structure                                                               
of the Whittier community came to  be.  She said that Whittier is                                                               
home  to  273  year-round  residents  but is  much  more  than  a                                                               
residential community.   Whittier is  at an intersection  of many                                                               
forms of transportation  from across the state,  which serve much                                                               
more than  Whittier.   She emphasized  that most  of the  land in                                                               
Whittier  is  non-taxable  but is  needed  to  support  municipal                                                               
services.  Over  the years, Whittier has paid over  40 percent of                                                               
its total  revenue to ARRC.   She stated  that HB 216  would help                                                               
establish a better  structure that reflects how land  is used and                                                               
responsibilities  are distributed  today.    She reaffirmed  that                                                               
legislative  authority is  required to  convey ownership  and she                                                               
asked for the committee's support of HB 216.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:01:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEGHAN  CLEMENS,  External   Affairs  Director,  Alaska  Railroad                                                               
Corporation,  testified in  support  of  HB 216.    She began  by                                                               
stating that  selling land is  not something ARRC  takes lightly.                                                               
She highlighted that  over the last two years, ARRC  and the city                                                               
of Whittier  have engaged in  conversations regarding  a mutually                                                               
beneficial  land  sale.    She described  the  process  of  their                                                               
negotiations  regarding the  first three  land parcels  and noted                                                               
that parcels  4 and 5  would still  be available for  transfer in                                                               
the future.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:03:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CLEMENS,  in  response to  a  question  from  Representative                                                               
McCabe, compared this land transfer to the one Nenana.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:04:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:04 p.m.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:04:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR EISCHEID set an amendment deadline for HB 216.                                                                         
[HB 216 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:05:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:05                                                                 
p.m.                                                                                                                            

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 216 Version A Sponsor Statement.pdf HCRA 2/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HCRA 3/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216
HB 216 Version A.pdf HCRA 2/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HCRA 3/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216
HB 216 Version A Sectional Analysis.pdf HCRA 2/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HCRA 3/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216
HB 216 Supporting Docs Whittier Resolution.pdf HCRA 2/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HCRA 3/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216
HB 216 Supporting Docs AOI Maps.pdf HCRA 2/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HCRA 3/17/2026 8:00:00 AM
HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216
20260129 DOTPF Winter Weather Ops (H TRA).pdf HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216 Slides TRA.pdf HTRA 1/29/2026 1:00:00 PM
HB 216