SB 82 - OPENING THE DALTON HIGHWAY Number 174 CHAIR FOSTER announced that the next bill to be heard was CSSB 82. He asked Commissioner Campbell to give the DOT position on it. Number 176 COMMISSIONER BRUCE CAMPBELL, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT/PF), stated that he was supportive of CSSB 82. Number 184 MR. CHIP THOMA identified himself as a Juneauite who had the opportunity, as a teamster, to drive the Dalton Highway in the winters of 1974, 1975 and 1976, in a variety of vehicles, and that he had found the condition of the road to be such that opening it would create safety problems for people unfamiliar with driving in winter conditions. He concluded by warning that the state would have to look at making conditions as safe as possible, but even so, it'd be a safety hazard. Number 240 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY commented that the Dalton Highway was a superhighway back in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Number 245 SENATOR STEVE FRANK, Prime Sponsor of SB 82, thanked the committee for taking the time to hear the bill, and stated that CSSB 82 would open the James Dalton Highway (North Slope Haul Road) for public travel all the way to Prudhoe Bay. Currently, he added, access past Disaster Creek, which is about 200 miles south of Deadhorse, is limited to those with a "commercial purpose." However, the entire length of the road is maintained with state general fund monies. Unlike our other highways, federal dollars may not be used on the closed portion of the road because of its restricted use. If the road is opened, the state could use federal highway funds to upgrade the highway. SENATOR FRANK made the point that the commissioner would be able to close the road should safety problems arise, but his concern was primarily to allow people to drive their own road, including tourists. He hoped the DOT could work with the oil companies which have the leases up there to gain ocean access by the people. He concluded by once again thanking the committee for its consideration, and asserting his belief that people should be able to drive on the roads that they own. Number 340 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY made the point that there are federal highway monies in the Yukon River bridge and so, by law, that bridge must be kept open to the public. Number 345 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER stated that it was his understanding that if there are federal highway dollars involved, the state may not charge a fee to use that particular road, and asked if his understanding was correct. Number 348 COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL stated that a toll may be charged. Number 352 CHAIR FOSTER asked how much federal dollars Alaska is losing out on because of the restricted status of the road, and how much more the federal government would pay if the road were opened up for public use. Number 355 REPRESENTATIVE CURT MENARD replied that we would get none, because we've used all of the federal money that we're getting now and we won't get any more; it will just be allocated in another area. Number 360 CHAIR FOSTER asked if there would be another threat of lawsuit if this legislation passed. Number 362 SENATOR FRANK responded that he didn't believe there would be a threat, and the legal question would be whether or not the administration has the legal authority to open the road administratively, under their general authority. Number 373 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD asked about the current permit policy for traveling the road in the summer months. Number 376 SENATOR FRANK responded that one may obtain a permit if one has a commercial purpose, and people will claim they are photographers, or give other phony reasons, and obtain permits. He added that there is no checkpoint currently on the road; there used to be one, but it has been defunded for several years; and the way it currently stands, you can either lie to get a permit or just ignore the requirement. Number 390 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD stated that most of the renegades in his district just go driving and then come back with their moose or caribou. He then asked if the North Slope is gated off at the oil companies' end and if there are fuel facilities for the general public. SENATOR FRANK responded that he believed there were fuel facilities there, though the east and west docks may be gated off. Number 397 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY stated that the Dalton Highway goes to the Deadhorse airport and community, which is all public roads, but the oil company private roads are indeed locked off and have security pass requirements. He added that there are complete commercial services available in Prudhoe Bay, including hundreds of hotel rooms, and the next spot for commercial services is Coldfoot. Number 412 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON stated that he had had the pleasure of driving the haul road this summer and a couple of things had struck him as being important. First, the tremendous question of safety and who would respond to emergency situations. His understanding was that the oil companies were primarily the only ones available to respond to the safety needs of the people, which brought up two questions. Are the oil companies there to respond to disasters down the road, or to man the pump stations? And, when they do respond, do they assume some liability in their actions? He said if the road is opened, the legislature simply must provide the funds asked for in the bill, so that additional troopers may be added, as well as Fish and Game people. He concluded by wondering how DOT could give a zero fiscal note and still assume that they will have the safety on the road. REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY responded to Representative Hudson's comments by stating that the maintenance required to maintain a gravel surfaced road for commercial truck traffic is above and beyond the maintenance that would be required for passenger vehicles; if commercial vehicles can be safely transited, than the smaller vehicles are more than adequately taken care of. He added that the pump stations really do refrain from providing services, though they do provide communication. Number 452 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON commented that pump station attendants have participated in rescue operations, and his concern was simply that there must be the establishment of some types of essential services if the road is going to be open to the public. Number 464 COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL added that he was the one involved in the design of the road, so his interest is also personal. He stated that Alaska's fourth worst snow pass is along the Dalton Highway, so from the snow safety point of view he doesn't consider this road to be nearly as bad as some of the others which DOT keeps open year round. He asked that people, when thinking about safety along the road, consider how far it is from Willow to medical facilities along the Parks Highway to Fairbanks, concluding that the highway system in Alaska is faced many times with situations where there are no medical or police facilities available for long stretches. Number 496 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY moved that the CS for SB 82 be moved from the House Transportation Committee with individual recommendations. Number 502 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD stated that there are two troopers at the intersection of the Talkeetna and Parks Highways. Number 509 CHAIR FOSTER asked if there were any objections to the CS for SB 82 being moved out of committee. There were none, and he declared CSSB 82 to be moved out of committee. Number 513 CHAIR FOSTER adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m.