Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
03/29/2012 01:00 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Parks Highway - Wasilla Bypass | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 29, 2012
1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Albert Kookesh, Chair
Senator Linda Menard
Senator Charlie Huggins
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Joe Thomas, Vice Chair
Senator Dennis Egan
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: PARKS HIGHWAY - WASILLA BYPASS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
PAT KEMP, Deputy Director
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF),
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information related to the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass.
ROB CAMPBELL, Central Region Director
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented information related to the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass.
JIM AMUNDSEN, Project Manager
Central Region Design/Engineering
Department of Transportation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided information related to the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass.
KENNETH RAY, representing himself
Fairview, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the Parks Highway-
Wasilla Bypass.
DIANE WOODRUFF, representing herself
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass project.
ROGER PURCELL, representing himself
Houston, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
DALLAS MASSIE, Commander
American Legion Post
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
PAUL GARDNER, representing himself
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
BETH BASSNEY, representing herself
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
BETH FREAD, representing herself
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
ROBERT HALL, representing Mayor Thompson
Houston, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
TIM SWEZEY, representing himself
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass.
BILL KRAMER, President
Big Lake Community Council
Big Lake, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the Parks Highway-
Wasilla Bypass.
BERKLEY TILTON, Member
Knik Fairview Community Council
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified against the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
VERN RUPRIGHT, Mayor
City of Wasilla
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on the Parks Highway-Wasilla
Bypass.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:02:31 PM
CHAIR ALBERT KOOKESH called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Menard, Huggins, and Chair Kookesh.
^Presentation: Parks Highway - Wasilla Bypass
CHAIR KOOKESH asked Senator Menard to provide introductory
comments on the business before the committee, the Wasilla
Bypass.
SENATOR MENARD related that she requested the hearing so that
the Department of Transportation (DOT) can present its plan for
the Parks Highway from Lucas Road to Big Lake Road to the Senate
Transportation Committee. She noted that a petition with over
600 signatures has been circulating regarding this project.
CHAIR KOOKESH requested DOT to present their information on the
project.
1:03:41 PM
PAT KEMP, Deputy Director, Department of Transportation and
Public Facilities (DOTPF), introduced Rob Campbell.
ROB CAMPBELL, Central Region Director, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), described the
presentation format and noted that Jim Amundsen would speak on
technical questions.
MR. CAMPBELL showed a map that depicted the project, which is
located outside of Wasilla on the Parks Highway and is about 8
miles long. He said the primary focus of the presentation is on
the first segment of the project. He addressed the purpose of
the project, which is to move goods and services safely on a
National Highway System (NHS) route, the Parks Highway.
Currently, that purpose is not being met due to overcapacity.
The goal is to address safety problems caused by uncontrolled
access and congestion.
MR. CAMPBELL showed the proposed 4-lane divided highway with a
center median that separates on-coming traffic. He said that one
of the major causes of fatalities on the road now is head-on
collisions. It is ranked number one for head-on crashes. He
emphasized the need for a safety corridor on this section of the
highway. He said the 4-lane divided highway was selected due to
safety and efficiency advantages.
He continued to explain the goal of improving system efficiency.
He talked about the disadvantages of 5-lane sections.
CHAIR KOOKESH asked what AADT means.
MR. CAMPBELL replied that is means average annual daily traffic.
1:09:49 PM
MR. CAMPBELL reported on the public involvement during the
phases of the projects. He provided a brief synopsis of the
meetings DOT has held on the project, which has about an 8-year
history. He listed the meetings held during the Environmental
Assessment (EA) Phase and the Design Phase.
He listed the adopted plans currently in place. He pointed out
that the project was consistent with all of the local government
development plans.
He addressed the economic impact over which there has been some
controversy. He maintained that studies to date indicate that
median projects generally have little overall adverse impact on
business activity. He listed the advantages of having safer and
faster access to businesses.
He addressed right of way impacts, which are shared during every
public meeting. He described the process of working with
individual property owners on site-specific issues.
1:13:21 PM
SENATOR MENARD asked what percentage of property owners have
been dealt with.
JIM AMUNDSEN, Project Manager, Central Region
Design/Engineering, Department of Transportation, said 20
percent.
MR. CAMPBELL showed a picture of right-of-way issues that
includes how solutions are continuing to develop for each
property.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked for more information about frontage roads.
MR. CAMPBELL showed a slide that portrayed proposed frontage
roads. He deferred to Mr. Amundsen to add more information.
SENATOR MENARD inquired about side road width for frontage
roads.
MR. CAMPBELL said he did not know; they were determined on a
case-by-case basis.
SENATOR MENARD asked if frontage roads were three times the size
of a bicycle trail.
SENATOR HUGGINS opined that frontage roads should be parallel to
the main road.
MR. CAMPBELL agreed. He noted that some are not parallel and
require an intersecting road.
1:17:39 PM
CHAIR KOOKESH asked what the light green color on the slide
depicts.
MR. AMUNDSON explained that it is an existing roadway and an
existing right-of-way. He showed which roads were frontage roads
and those that would be extended without having to remove
businesses.
MR. CAMPBELL addressed environmental impact issues. He noted it
is a challenging project and involves a lengthy process that
includes numerous public meetings. He stressed the need to
improve the safety in the current corridor. He emphasized that
DOT is listening to people and the result would be a facility
that would greatly improve the safety and mobility of the people
in Alaska.
SENATOR MENARD noted the whole project was funded by federal
dollars.
1:21:10 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS said that people would have competing
perspectives on the project.
CHAIR KOOKESH opened public testimony.
KENNETH RAY, representing himself, testified in favor of the
Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He agreed that there have been
many public hearings and input; however, he said he did not
trust the special interest requests. He opined that DOT must be
sensitive to property owners and businesses. He said the project
has been fairly well run and he spoke in support of it.
1:24:40 PM
DIANE WOODRUFF, representing herself, testified on the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass project. She related a concern that there
has been no resolution by the Wasilla Planning Commission on the
project. She said that DOT made a presentation to Wasilla's
planning department and was told that it was consistent with
Wasilla's comprehensive plan. She noted that DOT was listening
to concerns and making changes.
1:26:45 PM
ROGER PURCELL, representing himself, testified against the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He opined that DOT has been deceptive
during the project in order to promote the preferred alternate
route. He said they misrepresented Houston's position. He opined
that there was inadequate public notice. He said that there is
no mention of the Houston comprehensive plan in the packet.
SENATOR MENARD requested DOT's opinion.
MR. AMUNDSEN related the process used to meet with the City of
Houston and how updates were communicated. He maintained that
DOT is meeting its obligations and commitments. He took offense
at Mr. Purcell's implications.
SENATOR MENARD asked if the project timeline would be two more
years.
MR. AMUNDSEN said yes.
SENATOR HUGGINS pointed out that the issue of extending the
project to Hawk Lane is not a dead issue. He addressed the issue
of the intersection of Big Lake Road and the Parks Highway and
stated that it is an ongoing discussion. He said he expected
progress to be made on those two issues.
1:32:57 PM
DALLAS MASSIE, Commander, American Legion Post, testified
against the Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He noted a problem
with the design plan and a traffic light on the project. He made
suggestions for changes to the plan, maintaining there was no
vision for the future.
PAUL GARDNER, representing himself, testified against the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He discussed the four DOT meetings,
which he found inadequate. He maintained that DOT wanted to push
their project through and did not listen to opposing views. He
spoke of his appeal to the planning officials, which was
granted. He continued to testify against the Parks Highway-
Wasilla Bypass and detailed his complaints.
1:43:39 PM
BETH BASSNEY, representing herself, testified against the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass. She said she was upset about her
building being torn down and the lack of communication.
BETH FREAD, representing herself, testified against the Parks
Highway-Wasilla Bypass. She spoke of her experience attending
meetings and making requests, which she said, were ignored. She
listed her reasons for opposition, such as lack of light and
space. She suggested a 5-lane road.
1:47:51 PM
ROBERT HALL, representing Mayor Thompson, testified against the
Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He disputed the location of the
project and said it divides two commercially zoned areas in
Houston. He complained about the details of the current plan. He
voiced concern about U-turns and the attitude of DOT.
CHAIR KOOKESH asked for clarification that Mr. Hall was speaking
for the City of Houston.
MR. HALL said he was speaking in place of the mayor. He noted
that a formal response from Houston would be forthcoming.
1:52:18 PM
TIM SWEZEY, representing himself, testified during the
discussion of the Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He suggested
that the Mat-Su Borough also participate in the discussion of
the project because they share concerns about highway
improvements. He described the Parks Highway transportation plan
as it relates to the Mat-Su.
BILL KRAMER, President, Big Lake Community Council, testified in
favor of the Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He described Big
Lake's current use of the highway and the goals of their
transportation committee. He said the 4-lane Bypass is
consistent with Big Lake's transportation plan. He shared his
own experience with improvements to his property. He was not
opposed to looking at other options, but stressed that safety
was of utmost importance.
BERKLEY TILTON, Knik Fairview Community Council, testified
against the Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He voiced concern
about a future road development in the Knik area. He noted a
negative economic impact from having a divided highway. He spoke
against changes to the main road in Houston. He did not know how
school busses would make turnarounds on the Parks Highway.
2:03:13 PM
MR. AMUNDSEN pointed out that there are still a number of issues
to be worked out on the project. There is a process DOT uses to
deal with the challenges. He said he expects to work for two
more years addressing businesses' concerns. He stressed that it
is a process and DOT is now at the point where they deal one-on-
one to solve right-of-way issues.
2:05:04 PM
VERNE RUPRIGHT, Mayor, City of Wasilla, testified against the
Parks Highway-Wasilla Bypass. He referred to a photo of Wasilla
to clarify the layout. He recalled the history of the George
Parks Highway in the 70's. He said that the Mat-Su Borough has
three organized cities.
He related that Wasilla has changed dramatically over the last
20 years. He suggested lowering the speed limit in Wasilla. He
said there is no room for the city to grow. He described two
areas with a divided highway and predicted that higher speeds
would cause more injuries. He described how the Parks Highway
became Wasilla's main street. He did not want Wasilla to become
a crossroad of two major highways.
He urged DOT to continue the public process and to look at the
possibility of using a divided 5-lane highway. He gave examples
of other communities that use 5-lanes to accommodate businesses.
2:15:12 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS suggested bypasses might be an answer. He
requested Mayor Rupright's opinion of a bypass to Wasilla.
MAYOR RUPRIGHT related how a bypass might work and the changes
it might present for the city.
2:18:05 PM
SENATOR MENARD thanked the committee for hearing this
contentious issue.
SENATOR HUGGINS echoed Senator Menard's ideas. He said the
process is about progress and better roads. He appreciated the
forum. He suggested DOT give consideration to moose crossings
and the Stanly light. He also suggested that there should be
more discussions with property owners.
CHAIR KOOKESH said he appreciated the discussion.
2:21:21 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Kookesh adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee at 2:21 p.m.
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