Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
02/21/2023 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Presentation: Roads, Highways and Bridges by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (dotpf) | |
| 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
February 21, 2023
1:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator James Kaufman, Chair
Senator David Wilson, Vice Chair
Senator Löki Tobin
Senator Jesse Kiehl
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Robert Myers
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: ROADS~ HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES (DOTPF)
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
KATHERINE KEITH, Deputy Commissioner
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Delivered the presentation "Roads, Highways
and Bridges."
LESLIE DAUGHERTY, Chief Bridge Engineer
Division of Statewide Design and Engineering Services
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Participated in the presentation "Roads,
Highways and Bridges."
WOLFGANG JUNGE, Regional Director
Central Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Participated in the presentation "Roads,
Highways and Bridges."
LANCE MEARIG, Regional Director
Southcoast Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Participated in the presentation "Roads,
Highways and Bridges."
JOE KEMP, Acting Regional Director
Northern Region
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Participated in the presentation "Roads,
Highways and Bridges."
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:33:57 PM
CHAIR JAMES KAUFMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Wilson, Tobin, Kiehl and Chair Kaufman.
^PRESENTATION: ROADS, HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES (DOTPF)
PRESENTATION: ROADS, HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES (DOTPF)
1:34:47 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN announced the committee would hear a presentation
about roads, highways and bridges by the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF).
KATHERINE KEITH, Deputy Commissioner, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities, Anchorage, Alaska,
introduced herself.
LESLIE DAUGHERTY, Chief Bridge Engineer, Division of Statewide
Design and Engineering Services, Department of Transportation
and Public Facilities, Juneau, Alaska, introduced herself.
MS. KEITH delivered the presentation "Roads, Highways and
Bridges." She began with slide 2, "DOT&PF Organizational Chart."
She detailed the chart beginning with Commissioner Ryan Anderson
who oversees the three regions represented: northern, central
and south coast. The commissioner also oversees the deputy
commissioners including herself and John Binder. The deputy
commissioners oversee several divisions including the
international airports, program development, statewide design,
engineering and the Alaska Marine Highway System. She
highlighted the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program
also known as the Iways program. She noted that the Glenn and
Seward Highways utilize Iways. The ferry system also benefits
from ITS.
1:38:33 PM
MS. KEITH continued with slide 3, "Functional Resources." She
explained that the slide was created in response to legislator
queries about how the department shares resources in Alaska. The
slide depicts the three regions displaying project delivery
programs. She added that functional resources like procurement,
communications, human resources, recruitment and planning are
shared throughout the regions. The commissioner's office is
working to develop project teams that cross regional boundaries.
She provided an example of a high risk project that benefits
from multiple people working together. The high risk projects
are termed Transportation X projects. With workforce depletion,
sharing resources is even more important. She opined that the
departments new strategies are effective.
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked if the model on display was fully
implemented.
MS. KEITH said yes. She remarked that the statewide teams are
less focused on boundaries and employ a modal approach. She
mentioned options for a hybrid approach when experts are
involved.
1:41:51 PM
MS. KEITH continued with slide 4, "Performance Management
(EVM)." She noted that EVM is a project management technique
that includes key metrics of project performance against an
established baseline. The metrics include scope, schedule and
budget. She mentioned status reports from the system that
exclude earned value, performance indexes or schedule variance.
One change initiative for the department involves best practices
for project management, so common metrics are especially
valuable.
1:43:40 PM
MS. KEITH continued with slide 5, "Project Delivery Methods."
She remarked on the waterfall approach to project management.
Funding authorization is often based on stage gates with
authority to proceed following the achievement of a certain
developmental stage. She spoke about the value of agility with
reference to project management and delivery. Project management
tends to follow initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and
closing phases. The department strives for agility throughout
the phases, which allows time for community engagement and
federal partnerships.
CHAIR KAUFMAN wondered about other states' project management
systems and benchmarking.
MS. KEITH replied that a few states' transportation agencies
provide valuable data. She pointed out that Texas and Oregon
utilize online project management resources. She noted the lack
of background in agile deployment within transportation
communities. She remarked that the department plans to establish
further partnerships.
1:46:36 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked about functional resources and the diffusion
of planning resources. She asked if regional planning offices
are obsolete.
MS. KEITH replied that a statewide approach to program
development and planning is evolving. Local offices provide
community involvement, but the transition is toward a unified
planning approach.
SENATOR TOBIN asked about the deputy commissioner's comment
about resource constraint.
MS. KEITH responded that the department is resource constrained.
When a necessary skillset is not available within a regional
boundary, the department seeks expertise from a different
region.
CHAIR KAUFMAN voiced support for lean management operations
where resource constraint is expected.
1:48:32 PM
SENATOR WILSON asked about slide 5 and the term "release.
MS. KEITH replied that the term release indicates a final
product like an engineering study. She compared the linear
waterfall approach where the release phase is approached
differently.
SENATOR KIEHL wondered if the transition from the waterfall to
the agile approach to project delivery might result in
additional change orders.
MS. KEITH replied that the goal is to mitigate risk in the early
stages of a project. The move to cyclical planning allows for
external engagement while continuing to follow the stage gates
required by federal agencies. The project ends up with buy-in
from participants leading to less change orders.
1:51:02 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN commented that the lean management process guards
against waste.
1:52:04 PM
MS. KEITH slide 6, "Cooperative Partnerships."
RPO
• Copper River Valley - RTPO statutes
• Others on the way FNSB, NSB, and more.
AML MOU
• Clearinghouse "The HUB"
• AML Hosting NHI Courses
State Agencies
• AEA MOA - NEVI Plan & STEP
• DNR MOA ASTAR PEL
Business Partnership
• AGC
• ACEC
• Labor Unions
Team-Embedded Consultants Federal Land Managers More
Local Planning
• Coordinate with land-use, 'Plan for People'
Looking for more Partners!
1:53:37 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked for further information about local
planning.
MS. KEITH highlighted the department's focus on community driven
planning. She stated that the agency area plans work well with
local community plans. She mentioned that the Rural Planning
Organization (RPO) provided state funding for the planning and
creation of a rural Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
She remarked that communities are empowered to identify their
needs and submit them to the department.
SENATOR TOBIN highlighted her graduate degree in asset-based
community development. She asked if the funding was distributed
differently for rural organizations than larger municipalities.
MS. KEITH replied that the RPO funding is a new structure with
only two agreements formally signed. The funding will be renewed
on an annual basis.
SENATOR TOBIN asked about funding sources.
MS. KEITH replied that the department's planning budget is
approved by The Federal Highway Administration annually. The
workplan shows funding allocated toward the RPO. The federal
highway funding is provided to the rural communities.
SENATOR TOBIN wondered how state funding shifts from
metropolitan to rural areas.
MS. KEITH clarified that the RPO funding does not diminish the
Municipal Planning Organization (MPO) dollars.
1:57:21 PM
MS. KEITH moved to slide 7, "Roadmap of Transportation Project."
She reported that the slide was from the Oregon Department of
Transportation. She stated that the commissioner suggests
viewing the diagram as a racetrack versus a pathway. She
highlighted the project stage gates including preliminary
engineering and environmental studies.
SENATOR KIEHL noted that Oregon retains regional planning
structures. He expressed concern about the unified statewide
approach for Alaska. He pointed out the variation in state
geography.
MS. KEITH replied that the slide depicts various project
methodologies including project initiation and project charter.
She remarked that the transition to a statewide resourcing model
allows Alaska to leverage resources to different locations as
needed. The new model does not remove expertise that individual
planners have, but instead allows them to address other areas of
need. She noted that work needs ebb and flow among regions,
while the department strives to provide equal levels of service.
She stressed that expertise among planners is utilized flexibly
among the regions.
SENATOR KIEHL understood that planning and design staffing
requires the use of contract employees.
MS. KEITH stated that the vacancies lead to confusion about
community projects and their managers. She mentioned a
department engineer working on a variety of projects. The
engineer lives in Juneau but has northern expertise and is often
assigned to northern region projects.
MS. KEITH passed the presentation to Ms. Daugherty.
2:02:22 PM
MS. DAUGHERTY continued the presentation with slide 8, "Bridges:
Alaska Statistics."
DOT&PF inspects 1,055 bridges and 4 tunnels on
publicly owned roads.
• 851 bridges owned by DOT&PF
• 87 culverts 20' or greater in diameter
• 24 transfer bridges at AMHS terminals
• 3 bridges owned by other state agencies
• 171 bridges owned by cities and boroughs
• 1 Railroad tunnel
• 3 DOT&PF tunnels
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked about the term transfer bridges.
MS. DAUGHERTY responded that transfer bridges pertain to bridges
at ferry terminals that enable cars to board ships.
SENATOR TOBIN asked who manages federal bridges.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied that several federal agencies manage
bridges in Alaska. The majority of bridges on federal land are
managed by the United States Forest Service.
2:04:05 PM
SENATOR KIEHL clarified that when a culvert exceeds 20 feet, a
bridge is indicated.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied in the affirmative.
SENATOR KIEHL asked which state agencies own bridges in Alaska.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied that the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) owns three bridges in Alaska. She continued with slide 9,
"Bridges; Federal Requirements." She explained to the committee
that every public bridge in the United States must be inspected
every 24 months. A bridge in poor condition is inspected more
frequently. She reported that the department inspected
approximately 500 bridges every summer. The information obtained
in the inspections is entered into a Bridge Management System
and the data is submitted to the federal government annually.
Bridge inspection data is utilized for planning purposes. The
state is required by federal law to have less than 10 percent of
the bridges on the national highway system in poor condition.
The target is for 40 percent of state bridges to be in good
condition.
• Inspect all bridges open to the public (except
federal ownership) at a minimum every 24 months
• Inspection results entered in Bridge Management
System
• Report to FHWA annually on 21 Bridge Metrics
• States set their own targets for percent poor and
good bridges
Alaska targets for National Highway System (NHS) by
deck area:
<10 percent poor
>40 percent good
2:06:09 PM
MS. DAUGHERTY continued with slide 10, "Bridges: Components."
She shared the bridge terminology and noted that three
components are rated: the deck, the substructure and the
superstructure.
MS. DAUGHERTY continued with slide 11, "Bridges: Condition
Data." She remarked on the positive trends and stated that the
bridges identified in poor condition are decreasing. She pointed
out that two large bridges will be moved to poor condition in
2022. She expressed the goal of 1 percent of bridges in the
"poor category by 2027. She stated that bridges in good
condition were decreasing, while the department is striving for
a larger percentage. She stressed that older bridges require
maintenance such as deck replacements or rehabilitation. The
goal for new bridge construction is to lessen maintenance needs
with careful construction planning.
2:08:35 PM
SENATOR WILSON requested a breakdown of the bridge data by
district. He pointed out that some bridges see more traffic than
others.
MS. DAUGHERTY stated that she would provide the committee with
the bridge data by district. She mentioned an interactive map
available through the Federal Highway Administration that
provides data about individual bridges within a district. She
offered to assist staff with the use of the interactive map.
2:09:46 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked about maintenance and the bias toward
preventative maintenance in other states. He asked if Alaska had
a similar bias.
MS. DAUGHERTY agreed that the state must focus on preventative
maintenance. She noted that the bridge preventative maintenance
is programmed in the Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program (STIP).
2:11:05 PM
MS. DAUGHERTY continued with slide 12, "Bridge Design:
Spotlight." She anticipated construction to begin in 2024 and
last three years.
Sterling Highway 45-60 Bypass
Likely to be the longest, fully erected, launched
bridge in the nation and state's highest crossing &
longest main span bridge (922') built in the state in
over 40 years.
MS. DAUGHERTY moved to slide 13, "Bridge Strikes: Spotlight."
15 Significant vehicle strikes in last 10 years
(+ Gastineau Channel Bridge barge strikes)
Anchorage Urban
• Hillcrest OC, Dimond Blvd OC, Huffman Rd. UC NB,
23rd Ave. OC A St., Tudor Rd.
Glenn Highway
• Hiland Dr OC, Artillery Rd OC, Eklutna OC, Tudor
Rd OC
Richardson Highway
• E-N Loop Ramp, C-N Ramp OC, W-W Ramp OC
Eagle River Urban
• Peters Creek UC - NB
Alaska Highway
• Johnson River, Gerstle River
SENATOR WILSON asked who repaired the bridges that were struck.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied that the department attempts to recover
costs and is often successful.
SENATOR WILSON asked about insurance for bridge strikes.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied that the state is self-insured.
2:14:04 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked about electronic devices that might provide
warnings for vehicles or vessels as they approach a bridge.
MS. DAUGHERTY agreed that technological solutions exist, but the
driver must participate and observe the law.
MS. DAUGHERTY moved to slide 14, "Bridges: More Information."
She explained to the committee that bridge inventory is listed
online for both state and federal entities.
2:15:46 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked about the Bridge Investment Program with the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). She wondered how
the legislature can advocate for communities requiring bridge
replacement or maintenance.
MS. DAUGHERTY replied that the new federal funding enabled the
state to complete a series of bridge projects.
SENATOR TOBIN requested a better bike path on the Government
Hill bridge.
2:17:12 PM
WOLFGANG JUNGE, Regional Director, Central Region, Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) Anchorage, Alaska,
moved to slide 15, "Anchorage Municipality 2023 Construction."
The slide depicts 17 area-wide projects with an estimated
construction value of $216 million. He highlighted the Dowling
Road and Seward Highway interchange reconstruction project,
which was the first original round-about in the state. The
design standards have been modified since the initial
construction. The estimated cost of the project is $43 million.
He pointed to the O'Malley Road reconstruction, phase 2, which
will reconstruct O'Malley from Livingston St. to Hillside Dr.
The estimated project cost is $41 million.
CHAIR KAUFMAN asked about the O'Malley road construction and
concerns about crosswalks.
MR. JUNGE offered to present the findings of a study related to
crosswalk needs.
SENATOR WILSON asked if a community could design a crosswalk
with DOTPF standards, paint and signage.
MR. JUNGE recalled communities implementing improvement actions
on state routes, but safety, coordination and standard
compliance were primary.
SENATOR KIEHL asked about a grant dedicated to frost-heave
problems. He wondered if the department offered the same
strategy to other designs.
MR. JUNGE replied that the applications were applied to other
road structural sections.
2:22:00 PM
MR. JUNGE moved to slide 16, "Seward Highway O'Malley Road to
Dimond Boulevard." He remarked that the total cost of the
project is $113 million.
• Improve safety throughout the corridor
• Improve connections between both sides of the
highway
• New bike and pedestrian routes
• Increase capacity at O'Malley interchange
• Expand from two to three lanes in each direction
SENATOR TOBIN asked specifically about the Scooter-Academy
Roundabout Interchange. She wondered about a more aggressive
approach from the state to defund the project.
MR. JUNGE agreed that a resolution from the Rabbit Creek
nd
Community Council questions the vehicular undercrossing at 92
and Scooter in Anchorage. He explained to the committee that the
project was developed over the last 15 years. The impact of
traffic moving from west to east affects neighborhoods east of
the Seward Highway. He recalled similar concerns with
th
construction on 76 avenue between Dimond and Dowling that
eventually led to a good outcome. For both projects, the data
and analysis are valid. An additional request to the Federal
Highway Administration requires a rationalization for the
reorganization of the well-vetted project.
2:28:22 PM
SENATOR TOBIN requested the traffic data and analysis related to
the project. She sympathized with the effort to lessen vehicular
transportation because it contributes to degradation of the
environment and increases the chance of vehicular injury. She
wished to respond appropriately to her community's needs.
MR. JUNGE offered to provide the requested data and project
analysis to the committee.
2:29:24 PM
CHAIR KAUFMAN stated that the planning duration demands change.
He shared that the planning cycle is quite long. With a planning
duration of 15 years, new construction and community growth
might affect the original plan. The long planning cycle can
sometimes result in solving a problem whose time has passed.
MR. JUNGE responded that the department attempts to project
needs appropriately via traffic modeling projections. Accident
data is tracked to ensure a project is aligned with current
goals and objectives.
CHAIR KAUFMAN encouraged future conversation about reducing the
planning cycles.
MR. JUNGE responded that $100 million projects require
environmental assessments lasting five to six years. He shared
concerns about property acquired for capital improvement when a
project is discontinued. The department strives for a consistent
message throughout the development of transportation projects.
CHAIR KAUFMAN stated that he understood the challenge.
2:32:52 PM
MR. JUNGE continued with slide 17, "Seward Highway O'Malley Road
to Dimond Boulevard." He stated that 2022 bids for large capital
improvement projects ran approximately 10 percent over the
department's engineer's estimate. He hoped that prices might be
lower now, as fuel prices dropped. He added that roadwork on a
major highway presents challenges to the traveling public.
Risks/Challenges
• Increased costs due to inflation
• Travel impacts
• Unanticipated utility relocations
Opportunities/Solutions
• Collaboration to minimize travel impacts
• Public communication
• Process for addressing unknown utilities
SENATOR TOBIN asked about efforts to accommodate heavy
utilization of Alaskan highways with the predicted increases in
tourism.
MR. JUNGE shared that the department requires contractors to
submit traffic control plans to minimize delays for the
traveling public. He mentioned traffic control price adjustment
penalties in place. Frontage roads are often utilized for
alternate routes during reconstruction of main thoroughfares.
2:35:42 PM
MR. JUNGE continued with slide 18, "Mat-Su Area." He pointed to
the 12 projects displayed with an estimated construction value
of $230 million. He highlighted the Seward Meridian Parkway Road
upgrade and the Glenn Highway milepost 34-42, Phase II.
2:37:44 PM
MR. JUNGE moved to slide 19, "Knik Goose Bay Road
Reconstruction." He stated that the project will improve the
safety and capacity of the segment of the Knik Goose Bay Road by
constructing the four-lane highway. The project includes
constructing bike and pedestrian facilities, implementing
appropriate safety engineering and accessing management
strategies. Construction will be complete in 2024 with Phase II
beginning in 2025 for a cost of $75 million.
2:38:41 PM
MR. JUNGE reviewed risks and challenges for "Knik Goose Bay Road
Reconstruction" on slide 20.
Risks/Challenges
• ROW Acquisition 13 parcels remaining at bid
• Utility Relocations MEA, MTA, GCI, & Enstar
Opportunities/Solutions
• Scheduling Double Shifts Day and Night
• Project Phasing Split project into two halves
2:40:19 PM
MR. JUNGE continued with slide 21, "Kenai Peninsula 2023
Construction." The estimated construction value is $314 million
for all projects except the Cooper Landing Bypass, estimated at
$690 million. The project will upgrade 12 miles of the Sterling
Highway from Anchor Point to Baycrest Hill. Upgrades include
widening, passing lanes, resurfacing, drainage improvements and
scenic pull outs. The total project cost is approximately $100
million.
MR. JUNGE moved to slide 22, "Sterling Highway MP 45-60 (Cooper
Landing)." He noted that the project will construct a new
roadway north of Cooper Landing. The project will provide
widened shoulders, bring roadway curves into compliance with
design speeds, and add passing lanes, pathways and wildlife
crossings. A new Resurrection Pass trailhead and parking lot
will be constructed. The project began in 2021 and is slated to
be completed in 2027 with an estimated cost of $690 million.
CMGC: Phase 1-6 from 2021 to 2027
New CMGC contractor March 2022
Cost Estimate: $690 million
Phase 1A under construction-west end, creating
Alaska's first wildlife overcrossing, bringing highway
up to modern design
Phase 1B-east end is scheduled to start in 2024 with
completion in 2026
2:44:19 PM
MR. JUNGE continued with slide 23: "Sterling Highway JP 45-60
(Cooper Landing)." He stated that the largest project risk
involves the long timeline relative to delivery.
Risks/Challenges
• Increased costs due to inflation
• Short construction season in the Pass
Opportunities/Solutions
• Collaboration with local planning and development
• Collaboration with other agencies
2:45:19 PM
LANCE MEARIG, Regional Director, South Coast Region, Department
of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), Juneau, Alaska,
began with slide 25, "Juneau Area 2023 Construction." He spoke
about projects in Southeast Alaska. He continued with slide 25,
"Juneau Area 2023 Construction." He detailed the list of
projects. He highlighted the Egan Yandukin Intersection
improvements, a safety improvement project to reduce crashes in
the intersection between Fred Meyer and the airport. He spoke
about multiple resurfacing projects in Juneau.
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the Egan Yandukin Intersection
improvements and the collaborative planning process. He assumed
the project involved preliminary work, but the more
comprehensive repair would connect Glacier Highway to Yandukin
Dr.
MR. MEARIG concurred and highlighted the phased implementation
recommendation. The initial effort involves a seasonal speed
zone change to encourage slower speeds in winter. Another
improvement lies in separation between left turn lanes to allow
for better visibility.
SENATOR KIEHL looked forward to collaborating with the director
on the rest of the project, which he deemed essential.
2:49:14 PM
MR. MEARIG continued with slide 26, "Ketchikan Area 2023
Construction." He highlighted the Wolfe Point slope stability
improvements. Three projects aim to improve connections between
the town and airport. He pointed to a series of projects on
Tongass avenue.
MR. MEARIG continued with slide 27, "Haines Highway
Reconstruction."
Project constructed in three phases from MP3.5 to
MP25:
• Phase I MP3.5 to MP12 (completed)
• Phase II MP12 to MP20 (underway)
• Phase III MP20 to MP25 (2024 const.)
Total project cost ~$120 million
(Phase III estimate $40 to $50 million)
The Project widens shoulders, realigns most curves,
and improves sight distance to provide more passing
zones. The project will improve recreation access and
make improvements to protect the highway from debris
and flood flows.
2:51:47 PM
SENATOR KIEHL asked about the culverts in the photo on slide 27.
He observed that the culverts were less than 20 feet wide. He
noted that some of the culverts are not withstanding the loads.
He wondered how the department could prevent similar issues with
future projects.
MR. MEARIG responded that bridges carry obligations for
inspections, leading the department to tend toward smaller
projects. He stated that the department was monitoring the
project and remains engaged. He added that the issue was complex
and required additional time for adequate discussion.
CHAIR KAUFMAN suggested a future discussion on the design.
2:53:59 PM
MR. MEARIG moved to slide 28, "Haines Highway Reconstruction."
Risks/Challenges
• Protect wildlife, large debris flows, armoring a
braided glacier river, allow for tourism
activities during construction, eagle preserve
management, and cultural and archeological
discoveries in the project corridor
Opportunities/Solutions
• Close coordination with resource agencies,
tribes, local government and businesses.
• Reduce ongoing maintenance costs with debris flow
structures
2:54:59 PM
MR. MEARIG moved to slides 29 and 30, "Kodiak Airport Perimeter
Fencing Upgrade."
Construction to begin in 2024
Estimated project cost: $6 million
Scope: Replace existing gates and fencing to FAA
standards. The project also improves the operability
for M&O staff and provides remote gate operation
capability as well as increased security redundancy
for access.
Risks/Challenges
• PFAS was discovered at the project site during
conclusion of the first advertisement of the
project
• Inflation and PFAS complications could result in
significantly higher bid 2/21/2023 30
Opportunities/Solutions
• Collaboration with USCG (landowner), DEC, EPA,
FAA
• Preconstruction sampling of post-hole locations
to help determine materials managing in the
absence of established guidelines from EPA and
DEC for PFAS handling
2:56:01 PM
JOE KEMP, Acting Regional Director, Northern Region, Department
of Transportation and Public Facilities Fairbanks, Alaska began
with slide 31, "Northern Region 2023 Construction." He spoke
about the conclusion of a project at University Avenue. He
highlighted projects in rural Alaska in the western district of
the region.
SENATOR TOBIN requested the department's analysis after Typhoon
Merbok. She wondered if additional resources were required to
replace necessary infrastructure for the affected communities.
MR. KEMP responded that the subject was vast and might require
an additional presentation. He noted that the projects presented
were designed over multiple years and the typhoon repairs are a
separate issue.
MR. KEMP replied that his projects were in design. He continued
with slide 32, "Bear Creek Washout-Richardson Hwy MP 233.5."
Previously identified at-risk corridor
PEL Study in process at time of storm (July '22)
• Allowed design already under way to be fast
tracked to completion and 2023 construction
• Emergency Repair funding used for 2023 work
• Saves STIP funding for other at-risk bridges
along Richardson MP 206-233 corridor
3:00:19 PM
MR. KEMP continued with slide 33, "Kotzebue-Cape Blossom Road."
Community led project to reduce freight costs for
Kotzebue and other NW Arctic Borough communities.
• 11.2 miles of two-lane gravel road connecting
city to better beach landing area
• Required 9% local funding match
• Match came from community through use of
materials site stockpile
CHAIR KAUFMAN expressed appreciation to the department and
presenters for the valuable update on Alaska's transportation
and bridge projects.
3:01:44 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Kaufman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing
Committee meeting at 3:01 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 2.21 DOTPF Roads, Highways & Bridges.pdf |
STRA 2/21/2023 1:30:00 PM |
|
| DOTPF Roads&Hwys Follow Up Answers to Questions 3.20.23.pdf |
STRA 2/21/2023 1:30:00 PM |
Follow Up |
| DOTPF Roads&Hwys Follow Up - Bridges Export 3.20.23.xlsx |
STRA 2/21/2023 1:30:00 PM |
Follow Up |
| DOTPF Roads&Hwys Follow Up - SH O2D Traffic and Safety 3.20.23.pdf |
STRA 2/21/2023 1:30:00 PM |
Follow Up |