SB 189-APPROP.: BRIDGES, SERVICE ROADS, TRAILS    2:52:40 PM CHAIR KOOKESH announced consideration of SB 189.   SENATOR THERRIAULT, sponsor of SB 189, said it was introduced to spur some discussion in the legislature on capital needs for road infrastructure and bridge infrastructure in particular. The second section addresses concerns from Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) design professionals. It was spurred by the collapse of a major bridge in Minnesota last year and the fact that bridge infrastructure all across the nation is in serious need of repair. He explained that appropriations for road infrastructure are dealt with by the Finance Committee because those are capital appropriations. However, he thought the subject of road and bridge infrastructure needed discussion specifically in the Transportation Committee. He asked the drafter to make that discussion the focus of the bill and didn't expect it to really "get legs" and shoot through the system. He suggested a figure of $25 million for bridge infrastructure on the state highway network. In addition, he heard from a number of DOTPF design professionals about the desire to refund a program that has been on the state books for 20-30 years called the Local Service Roads and Trails Program that divvies up general funds into all regions of the state to care for smaller basic transportation needs. It is 100 percent state funding. 2:55:47 PM SENATOR THERRIAULT remembered back to when he was an aide in the legislature, he would routinely ask DOTPF about a little road connector that was between road projects that just made sense or a particular intersection that needed a little work. He was always amazed, in going through the federal system, at the length of time it took to design a project and the ultimate expense of building it when it seemed to be fairly minor. This fall he spoke to a number of DOTPF design professionals in Fairbanks and couple of them said they were also frustrated by that and the fact that because the state was depending on a 90 percent match from the federal government for its road money, it had to jump through all their hoops and that drove the expense up even more. So they indicated to him that they didn't need to reinvent the wheel and that a program was already on the books, but it just hadn't been funded for over 10 years. It would dole money out through a formula to all the regions of the state to do these little fixes in a much timelier and less costly manner. Section 2 of SB 189 speaks to this fund. 2:58:04 PM He said DOTPF has provided a list of bridges along with some pictures. The pictures showed that some of the bridges have major structural failures. He said keeping up with maintenance seemed to be a human failing whether it's our own personal infrastructure or the state infrastructure. SENATOR COWDERY said lots of heavy modules are built in Anchorage and maybe hundreds had been hauled up to the North Slope this year. They have a route to follow, but they are far heavier than anything else that travels the road. SENATOR THERRIAULT said he sensed that DOTPF keeps in mind that it needs at least one route between the state's ports and the North Slope to make sure these heavy modules can be transported. They need to be mindful of having a strong transportation system ready to support building a natural gas pipeline. "Investment in our bridge infrastructure now would be money well spent." 3:03:35 PM SENATOR OLSON asked who would contribute to this pot of money. SENATOR THERRIAULT replied because it talks about the state road network it would all come from general funds; it would also relieve the DOTPF personnel from jumping through the extra hoops required to get federal money. He said he would also consider adding a separate pot of money to help municipalities deal with some of their bridge infrastructure that is not part of the state network if the committee wanted to have some kind of a match. SENATOR COWDERY asked if he had a list of Anchorage roads that are state roads and municipal roads in MatSu. SENATOR THERRIAULT replied that DOTPF could better address the question of state roads and John Duffy, MatSu Borough Manager, could address MatSu roads. He said the $25 million in the bill talks about bridges specifically, but the second section of the bill proposes a separate pot of money that could be used by DOTPF to fund improvements to the state road network. He offered to work with DOTPF to get a complete list of the state road network. 3:06:48 PM AVES THOMPSON, Executive Director, Alaska Trucking Association, supported SB 189 and stated, "The simple truth is that if you got it, a truck brought it." In the normal course of their business, highways and bridges are the important link that allows them to move freight. In light of the potential for a gasline, the association identified improvement of the state's infrastructure as one of the most important projects to insure that highways and in particular, bridges, are ready to allow the transport of the hundreds if not thousands of loads. He has found through experience, that one old or substandard bridge can be the weak link in an entire system; timing is everything and it's critical to move forward to eliminate any "choke points" in the state's transportation system. Further, he said, it's clear that federal funding will not meet Alaska's transportation infrastructure needs in neither the short nor the long term. So, Alaska needs to invest some of its dollars in it; he felt that given the enormous need, the appropriation should be even higher. 3:10:11 PM JOHN DUFFY, Borough Manger for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, supported SB 189. He was encouraged that they are considering developing a long-term funding solution for the state's transportation system. He hoped along with considering funding for bridge maintenance, they would consider the creation of a local bridge appropriation program to address non-state bridges that are an important part of the state's overall transportation system. They are willing to provide a local match for such a program, and he said the MatSu Borough Assembly had already appropriated funds for such improvements. He stated: An effective and efficient transportation system is a basic requirement for growing economies. Without adequate roads and bridges, our transportation system will be hampered by congestion which results in higher costs of doing business through the long travel-time delays. Other problems associated with poor bridges include higher fatalities and injury rates that result in higher health costs and higher insurance costs, low work productivity.... He said the cost of living increases with an aging infrastructure. For example, many bridges in the Matsu Borough have been "D" rated because of their structural conditions. As a result, commercial vehicles such as fuel trucks, building delivery trucks, freight delivery vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks are not able to use these bridges. They are unable to clear the bridges of snow because of the weight restrictions. Citizens now rely on pickup trucks to plow snow and snow machines and sleds to move these close when an emergency occurs. Many citizens must provide their own fire response. MR. DUFFY said other communities throughout Alaska share this situation and face similar challenges. He said the MatSu Borough presently maintains about 40 bridges and this is paid for by local taxpayers. The existing bridge inspection program is conducted by the State DOTPF for bridges of 25 ft. or longer while the borough completes inspections on roads less than 25 ft. Inspections are conducted by both parties every two years. MR. DUFFY said the MatSu Borough taxpayers pay about $11.2 million for these improvements and much of these funds are dedicated to day-to-day maintenance. The Assembly recently appropriated $400,000 for bridge repair, but unfortunately, their bridge repair needs are about $3.6 million. He concluded by again putting forward his request for funding local bridge repair with a provision or requirement for local match in the form of cash, materials such as gravel, right-of- way and in-kind which would encourage local governments to match state funds. SENATOR COWDERY asked if the MatSu Borough charges for gravel on the state's road system. MR. DUFFY replied that most gravel for local projects is donated if it makes economic sense. He said the MatSu Borough donated all of the gravel used on the Pt. MacKenzie project. On state projects, if a gravel source is available, they would work with DOTPF to come to some reasonable agreement. 3:16:10 PM CHAIR KOOKESH found no further questions or comments and said he intended to pass SB 189 out at the next meeting.