HOUSE BILL NO. 230 "An Act designating Pipeline Road 34-ALP-3 as Arctic Man Way." 2:21:41 PM Vice-Chair Saddler MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee substitute for HB 230, Work Draft 29-LS1135\W (Bruce, 3/25/16). There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. BRODIE ANDERSON, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE STEVE THOMPSON, explained the changes in the Committee Substitute (CS). The CS removed the identifying pipeline road marker number reference and inserted the old name for the road: "Old Isabel Camp Access Road." He detailed that Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were amenable to the change. Representative Wilson asked if the road covered by the bill was a state-owned. Mr. Anderson deferred the question to the bill sponsor. Representative Kawasaki asked for the history of the road name and who Isabel was. He spoke to a recent platting board issue in Fairbanks related to whether Terminal Road should be renamed to Citizen's Way to reflect that the road lead to the borough chambers area of town. He explained that there was a historic reason why the name had not been changed. Mr. Anderson deferred to DOT or the bill sponsor. He relayed that the name change had been requested by property owners to use the pipeline road marker reference rather than its old name. He believed the property owners had requested a better designating name. REPRESENTATIVE JIM COLVER, SPONSOR, spoke to the bill. He relayed that on the pipeline drawings and in the original version of the bill, the access route to what once was the Isabel Pass camp was designated 34-ALP-3 (a design designation included on a drawing). He relayed that the road ran across general state land. He detailed that the Arctic Man held an event down the road. He explained that in the area that had been called Isabel Pass there was a pad, which once contained trailers and buildings the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company had used to build the pipeline. The site was currently the location of one of the largest events in Alaska; attendees at the Arctic Man event were estimated at 13,000 in 2015 and 15,000 in the current year. He elaborated that the race included a combination of skiing and snow machines where speeds reached up to 80 miles per hour. He noted that the governor had participated as a forerunner on the race in 2014. Representative Colver explained that the reason for the proposal to change the name was mostly to commemorate that it was the event location. He elaborated that there was not really any signage indicating the location; part of the purpose was to point to the location of the event. He believed the name change was appropriate due to the popularity of the event. The name in the bill had been worked out with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company; the company had wanted the Old Isabel Camp Access Road included in the bill. He relayed that Arctic Man had agreed to cover the cost of the sign and had committed to pay $800 to $1,000 for installation; he did not expect DOT to do the work. The department had initially included a fiscal note of $200, which had been zeroed out by the House Transportation Committee; the Arctic Man Classic organization would provide funding and resources to install a new road sign - up to $1,000. He relayed that Mr. Howard Thies (Arctic Man president), had testified on record that they would replace the sign in the event it was ever knocked down. He spoke to the unique nature of the event; there was no other race like it in the world. He asked members to support the legislation. 2:29:06 PM Representative Wilson wondered whether it was a state road. She relayed that if it was not a state road, a statute was not required. She explained that if it was not a state road they could work with the property owner to put the sign up - she was unsure whether the owner was the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company or the state. MIKE LESMANN, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, relayed that the road was not maintained by DOT. The department believed the road was on DNR land with an easement to Alyeska. Representative Wilson did not believe a statutory change was necessary. She relayed that she lived on a road that was not owned by the state - they had to go through the borough to change the street name. She wondered if there was currently anything preventing Arctic Man from making and posting a sign on its own. She explained that once it was in statute it would become DOT's responsibility. Mr. Lesmann replied that he did not know. Representative Wilson reiterated that if the road name was put in statute it would become a DOT issue. Alternatively, if the road was on private property, they could request DNR to install the sign, but if it came down, no one would be responsible for putting it back up. Co-Chair Thompson did not know what the regulations were for putting up a sign along a state road. He explained that the bill ensured that the state had been amenable to having a sign put up in the state right-of-way along the Richardson Highway. Representative Wilson explained that road service area commissioners could not put up a sign that falls down; the borough would not allow it. She explained that it would be a public road and would have to abide by those rules. She elaborated that if the entity had permission from the property owner it was much easier to hang the sign that way. She was trying to simplify the situation if statute was not needed. 2:31:57 PM Representative Colver answered that the road was on state property; it was not about the sign it was about the event. He furthered that the sign had a safety implication. He elaborated that without the road-sign people had gotten lost in the area; ambulances responded to the area when needed [and needed to be able to find their way]. He explained that there had recently been an unfortunate incident involving an avalanche. He reiterated that it was state land and was appropriate for the state to designate right-of-way. He reasoned that if the sign went away, the sign went away; but the statute memorialized that Arctic Man took place in that location. He stated that pipeline camps came and went; likewise, Arctic Man may come and go. He restated that it was state land and it was appropriate to designate the road a certain name. Representative Wilson explained that she did not have a problem with the sign. She elaborated that her concern was about the proper process and procedure. She detailed that it was helpful to know if another person in the future wanted to put a sign on a road in the area. She believed it would be easier if the designation was not in statute. She did not have a problem renaming the road. She wondered if because the road did not belong to DOT that Arctic Man could merely ask DNR for permission to post a sign. She thought that may be easier and less costly. She noted that the state was required to post certain kinds of signs (which were more expensive) as opposed to a sign purchased on the internet. Representative Kawasaki had never known the road to be Old Isabel Camp Access Road or anything else. He had always just known the location as where Arctic Man was held. He asked if the current name had historical meaning or value. Representative Colver answered that it had been designated as Old Isabel Camp Access Road on Alyeska Pipeline Service Company maps. The legislation would enable a person to look back to see that what the road had previously been named. Representative Kawasaki spoke to his concern about historical meaning. He remarked that the current name was historically speaking not extremely old - it was from the pipeline era. Representative Guttenberg did not understand the reason for putting the name in statute. He relayed that in his former district he had to threaten DOT that he was going to personally put up a sign if the department failed to do so. He stated that "in my neighborhood we put up road signs." He continued that when the state put in a subdivision, legislation did not name the roads or streets. He discussed that legislation was expensive. He remarked that the name change in the bill was a $200 issue. He would have merely bought a sign and installed it. He elaborated that a sign shop could make a sign that would be indistinguishable from a state sign. He asked about the precedence the bill was setting. He asked about Alyeska Pipeline Service Company's position. He would understand memorializing a highway after a group such as the Purple Heart Highway. He emphasized that the bill would name a street in statute. He wondered about other streets named by statute. He thought the commissioner could have merely checked the request off and put the sign up. Mr. Lesmann replied that he could not answer the question. He deferred to the Department of Law or Legislative Legal Services. Co-Chair Thompson relayed that to change the name of a street in Fairbanks it was necessary to go through the entire process with the city council; it had to be identified on maps for public safety (i.e. police, fire, and ambulance). He explained that inside the borough the name change had to go through a process. He explained that current bill went through the same process - if there was an accident and someone needed to find the location it would show up on a map. He believed it was important to get the information in the state's ledgers. 2:39:09 PM Vice-Chair Saddler suspected that an Arctic Man Way sign may be a target of opportunity. He thought it would be a souvenir for people to capture as part of their time spent at the Arctic Man event. He wondered about the potential for the sign to be stolen or vandalized. He wondered who would be responsible if so. Co-Chair Thompson relayed that Mr. Thies had provided a letter to the committee stating that the Arctic Man organization would pay for and replace the sign if it was vandalized or stolen. Representative Edgmon spoke in support of the bill. He reasoned that it was about naming a particular highway, but more importantly it was about formally designating an event - that was important to thousands of Alaskans - in state statute. He added that other infrastructure items throughout the state were enshrined in statute time and time again. He believed it was a worthy designation. He was ready to move on to more weighty matters before the committee. Co-Chair Thompson OPENED and CLOSED public testimony. Vice-Chair Saddler highlighted the zero fiscal note from DOT. Representative Wilson asked for verification that Alyeska did not currently have a sign posted at the location. Co-Chair Thompson replied that there was currently a numbered highway marker sign posted. He relayed that his office had spoken with Alyeska and DOT along with Representative Colver's office. He explained that because of various problems, Alyeska wanted the numbered marker reference removed from the bill so its designation of the location would not be included. All parties had agreed to the proposed change. Representative Wilson assumed that the numbers would remain posted on the highway along with the new sign. Co-Chair Thompson confirmed that the numbers would still remain. Vice-Chair Saddler voiced his concern that the sign could be stolen. He hoped the Arctic Man organization would commit to replacing the sign as often as necessary. 2:43:21 PM Representative Pruitt referred to a letter from Mr. Thies dated February 8, 2016 (copy on file). The letter stated that Arctic Man would "provide funding and resources to install a new road sign estimated by DOT to cost $800- $1000. Please pass this legislation." He echoed Vice-Chair Saddler's comments that the letter did not specify the organization would pay for and reinstall a new sign that if it was damaged or stolen. He relayed that he had looked through statutes during the meeting and had been surprised so many things were named. Representative Colver would provide the committee with a copy of Mr. Thies's testimony to the House Transportation Committee. He relayed that Mr. Thies had testified that the organization would replace the sign. He added that the Arctic Man event was currently underway. He noted that Mr. Thies had been the northern director for DOT. Co-Chair Thompson noted that Mr. Thies had been the director of maintenance and operations for DOT. Vice-Chair Saddler MOVED to REPORT HB 230 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. Representative Wilson OBJECTED. She emphasized that the bill would require DOT to do work on the issue. She explained that whether or not someone had specified that they would replace the sign, it would be another thing for DOT. She was concerned that there were many other events that happened. She understood that Mr. Thies would keep his word as long as he was with the organization. She remarked that the state was not going to sue someone over a sign. She WITHDREW her OBJECTION. HB 230 was REPORTED out of committee with a "no recommendation" recommendation and with one previously published zero fiscal note: FN1 (DOT). Co-Chair Thompson discussed the agenda for the following meeting.