ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE  February 15, 2024 1:00 p.m. DRAFT MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Kevin McCabe, Chair Representative Sarah Vance, Vice Chair Representative Tom McKay Representative Jesse Sumner Representative Louise Stutes Representative Genevieve Mina MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Craig Johnson OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT  Representative Dan Saddler Representative Dan Ortiz COMMITTEE CALENDAR  PRESENTATION(S): EXTREME WINTER AND EVENT RESPONSE - HEARD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER RYAN ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Extreme Winter and Event Response presentation. ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison Office of the Commissioner Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Extreme Winter and Event Response presentation. BURRELL NICKESON, Central Region Maintenance & Operations Manager Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented the Extreme Winter and Event Response presentation. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:00:49 PM CHAIR KEVIN MCCABE called the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Representatives McKay, Vance, Stutes, Mina, and McCabe were present at the call to order. Representative Sumner arrived as the meeting was in progress. Also present were Representatives Saddler and Ortiz. ^PRESENTATION(S): Extreme Winter and Event Response PRESENTATION(S): Extreme Winter and Event Response    1:01:35 PM CHAIR MCCABE announced the only order of business would be the presentation on Extreme Winter and Event Response by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. He further explained that the presentation would prompt inquiries on the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and although the intention was to address the questions following the slideshow, and the significance of the status of the STIP, he said the committee would prioritize the STIP discussion before the slides. 1:03:14 PM RYAN ANDERSON, Commissioner, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, co-presented the Extreme Winter and Event Response presentation. Before commencing the presentation, he thanked the committee for making modifications to the agenda today on the topic of the STIP for the recent findings from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). He reiterated that the construction program for 2024 is the top priority for DOT&PF. He noted he would go through some of the Tier 1 conflicts and wished to give a brief overview of the federal findings letter [included in the committee packet]. 1:05:46 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON continued to address the federal findings letter, highlighting that several concerns were raised, and that the final meeting was in January. He said he felt there was a good understanding of the concerns of DOT&PF's submittal and believed they could be resolved quickly. He explained the finding was not a denial of the STIP, but what the letter contains are conditions for the STIP approval called a Tier 1 analysis. He offered clarity that Tier 1 contained five findings, and Tiers 2 and 3 are things DOT&PF continues to work on. 1:07:46 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON focused on Tier 1 for STIP approval and summarized what the findings meant [included in the committee packet]. He noted he had been on other committees and boards, understood the importance of local planning, and stressed that DOT&PF just "wants to do this right." 1:10:24 PM CHAIR MCCABE brought up a letter from the Fairbanks Area Surface Transportation (FAST) that commented about the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), and he noted that Fairbanks had little to do with the AMHS; therefore, he stated he was unclear if the Federal Government is relating that DOT&PF had to "bow" to the wishes of Fairbanks municipality planning organizations (MPO). 1:11:17 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON clarified he had not heard from FHWA outside of the boundary that the MPO has, and it has not been part of the conversation. 1:11:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE sought clarity on if there is a timeline the Federal Government has put on DOT&PF for a response. She added that people need to know what is next, and how the overlap has an impact. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied there are allocations and regulations in federal law as to how the money flows, and a certain amount of funds go to the MPOs for projects and to build plans. He stated he felt a resolution could be met quickly and there could be an agreement on the STIP in the next six months. REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked who the disagreement is with. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied there have been discussions with the FHWA. 1:14:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked about the STIP and if there were experienced people working on it. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied there were multiple teams working on all the different disciplines involved; for example, in relation to public involvement there was a communications team. He noted the importance of everything "matching up" in the STIP. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked whether it was a new team DOT&PF had put together. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied it was an experienced DOT&PF team. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked for clarity whether the team had experience formulating a previous STIP, or the team were not experienced in putting together a STIP. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded that the new STIP would have been in 2019/2020 development and there were minimal team members involved then. In response to a follow up question, he confirmed that as for a brand new STIP, there were a lot of new people. 1:17:29 PM CHAIR MCCABE commented about MPOs in Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Matanuska-Susitna. If they are given authority by the Federal Government to manage Alaska's highways, he opined, then "we are going to have a mess." He asked whether there should be an "overarching" department to manage the planning organizations. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that currently, there is not a formal policy but there are federal regulations in statute and DOT&PF will work through that. He continued to the number 2 finding on project groupings where DOT&PF finds a lot of flexibility in how projects are moved along. He provided an example of a bridge and pavement program. 1:20:36 PM CHAIR MCCABE asked whether the answer was removing the groupings or working to figure out how to group them back together. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied some groupings resulted in solicitations from communities to apply for project needs, and there are now lists of projects that have been ranked. 1:21:31 PM CHAIR MCCABE referenced that a new MPO is Matanuska-Susitna ("Mat-Su"), and he asked Commissioner Anderson whether the MPO would go away or the projects would still be done. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that the intent is to make the Mat-Su Valley MPO "whole," but that would not be in the STIP and would have to wait for an amendment. CHAIR MCCABE surmised that is frustrating for those who put the STIP together. 1:22:37 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE referred to previous conversation regarding setting up a position at DOT&PF that would work directly with municipalities to increase communications, and she asked Commissioner Anderson whether putting MPOs under that umbrella would be a fitting place to cultivate the conversations needed. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that is an idea DOT&PF had thought about, but he stated that the department is not far enough along on it. 1:23:39 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON continued on the third finding under Tier 1. He said DOT&PF worked a lot during previous months on the STIP and made sure every year the revenues were balanced. 1:25:44 PM CHAIR MCCABE observed a new requirement from the FHWA that was not required in previous STIPS or other states' STIPS. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded that DOT&PF had not done a 50- state review. CHAIR MCCABE opined that even if a highly experienced team were present, this would have been something unexpected. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON agreed that was a fair statement. 1:26:28 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether DOT&PF found out about expectations changing after the submission of the STIP or whether any rules or information were communicated by the Federal Government to flag any of the changes in advance. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON explained that as DOT&PF went through the development process, after the public involvement, the FHWA provided an email attachment with several issues outlined with the STIP that it wanted addressed, and this was the basis for multiple meetings after that to work with those concerns. He added there were many changes made to the document [included in the committee packet]. 1:28:26 PM CHAIR MCCABE stated he knew Commissioner Anderson was working with the FHWA and offered his understanding of the frustration of working with attorneys and negotiations only to have [the report] "kicked back." COMMISSIONER ANDERSON confirmed there were a lot of virtual meetings and discussions, but not in writing. 1:29:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked Commissioner Anderson whether a STIP had ever been rejected. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that he was not aware, but discussions go back decades. REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether other states are in a similar spot in terms of getting their STIP approved or having recommendations. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said he was not aware. REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether Alaska had the same timeline as other states in terms of starting the development of the STIP and all the processes involved. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied yes, and he related that back in July DOT&PF tried a new platform called an eSTIP, but the department had to pivot and the FHWA offered an extension of the current STIP. 1:33:06 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA sought clarity that Alaska had the same timeline as other states to develop the STIP, but that there were new methods that delayed components of the public involvement process in submitting different drafts to the Federal Government. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON confirmed yes, and typically, DOT&PF would have a new STIP by the new fiscal year. He added the deadline wasn't met due to having to refocus after the eSTIP. 1:34:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES pointed out that Alaska is the only state out of 50 "in this predicament," and she expressed her confusion that if DOT&PF has been working with the Federal Government the whole way through, then "how did we end up here?" COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said that in July, it was evident the eSTIP wasn't going to work, so DOT&PF then established a new platform for the STIP and also have the public involvement period in August, and the FHWA offered the 180-day extension. Since then, he explained, DOT&PF received comments from FHWA and started resolving those over the past several months. 1:36:00 PM CHAIR MCCABE recalled a discussion with Mr. Mills about the timeline and the public comment, and even if comments come in after the deadline, he expressed his support for a platform that allows this. 1:37:03 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE noted still being on finding number 3 and pointed out the corrective actions regarding fiscal constraint. She observed that it was a very detailed expectation of wanting each allocation and maintenance for the projects. She questioned letter "e" in the finding report and asked about the funding and timeline flexibility in relation to supply chain issues. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded to the section on the discretionary grant funds and explained DOT&PF thought it had a good strategy on that. He added DOT&PF is having to rethink and get some clarifying information from the FHWA. 1:39:33 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON continued on finding number 4, which had the STIP amendment and modifications and that the section runs through the rules for it. He noted the short construction season in Alaska and that there would not be time to go through an amendment; therefore, certain things must be kept in the STIP. CHAIR MCCABE asked if that was a new requirement. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON affirmed that was his understanding. 1:41:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked in terms of the change and FHWA requests, whether FHWA included information or flags about any of these changes that could have been addressed to submit to the Federal Government. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that typically, there would be a discussion in virtual settings to resolve issues, but these would require additional discussions after submittal. REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether any changes here or in previous findings were brought up in the meetings. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded no, "these are new for us." He moved to finding number 5 under Tier 1 and explained that it is essentially about air quality conformity in Fairbanks, Alaska. 1:45:21 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked for clarity on whether resolutions will or will not affect this year's schedule of jobs. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON confirmed the Tier 1 issues must get resolved to have the STIP approved. 1:45:56 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE mentioned the corrective actions in Fairbanks and asked what DOT&PF's authority is in the process. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON stated he had not been brought up to speed on all the details, but he will provide more information soon. REPRESENTATIVE VANCE added that she had concerns about the amount of corrective actions and many more conditions that have not been communicated to Commissioner Anderson. 1:47:26 PM REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE expressed frustration about the corrective actions section, and he opined it is an EPA air quality issue in Fairbanks brought on by temperature inversion and wood stoves not by cars. He restated his frustration at having to see DOT&PF deal with this. 1:48:37 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether there was a consultation with FAST on some of the issues raised by the Federal Government. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said that during the public comment period, DOT&PF met with FAST planning and provided a presentation to the policy board. 1:50:32 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked how many grants for AMHS would be affected pertaining to toll credits, as she had noticed that the toll credits had not been accepted as matching funds. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that the plan for approval was submitted to FHWA, and he would get back to the committee to make sure everything is "crystal clear." REPRESENTATIVE STUTES additionally requested the status of any grant funds and how many have been accepted. 1:52:22 PM CHAIR MCCABE questioned whether the committee should go into Tier 2. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON responded it would be at the pleasure of the committee. 1:52:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES referred to ineligible projects under Tier 1 and asked whether it was the intent for DOT&PF to go back and find out why. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that the department had been going through the list and would like to resolve as many as possible. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES noted that DOT&PF had been working on the STIP at least a year and she inquired how it would be resolved in two weeks. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that there had been a lot of work and many changes. The Tier 1 findings are doable and can get done in the next two weeks, he said. 1:56:59 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA commented on the inclusion of MPOs and making sure there is coordination between their perspective tips and the STIP, given that some of the MPOs had previously commented that they were not included in the development of a STIP. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON said the process is ever evolving work, and a new STIP is a new endeavor; however, it is being worked on all the time. He added that DOT&PF would commit to a policy to make sure all their staff are clear on how to work with MPOs. 1:59:00 PM CHAIR MCCABE brought up projects not even close to FAST districts and asked whether it was just another way to shut down the Manh Choh ore haul. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON offered his belief that was not the intent of the policy board; there is an investment there and new activities on the highways. He further explained bridge projects in that they already have bypasses, and the Manh Choh ore haul can continue. CHAIR MCCABE referred to previous correspondence referencing the replacement of bridges, and FAST stated they needed to be consulted. He opined there is disingenuousness in the letter. 2:01:20 PM The committee took an at-ease from 2:01 p.m. to 2:07 p.m. 2:08:28 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON deferred to his colleagues to begin a PowerPoint presentation [hard copy included in the committee packet]. 2:09:00 PM ANDY MILLS, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, began on slide 2, titled "October 10, 2023 - Snow Summit." He noted that it [The Snow Summit] is online for anyone to go back and listen to any portion of it. The slide read as follows [original punctuation provided]: • Keeping Winter Roads Clear (M&O*) • Winter Maintenance Priorities for Sidewalks Paths (FAST Planning) • Designing for Complete Streets in Northern Climates (Pedestrian and Bike Planning) • 511 Innovations and RWIS*** (DMIO**) • Winter Snow Removal Operations (M&O*) • Extreme Events: How DOT&PF Prepares (Commissioner) • Avalanche Program and Innovations (Avalanche/Drone Teams) • Seasonal and Ice Roads (UAF Arctic Infrastructure Development Center) • Snowtrails: Snowmachine Grants (DOT&PF Resiliency Coordinator) • Innovations: Winter Operations Dashboard and Mobile RWIS*** (DMIO**) * Maintenance and Operations (M&O) ** Data Modernization and Innovation Office (DMIO) ***Road Weather Information System (RWIS) MR. MILLS moved to slide 3, titled "Snow Summit Follow-Up: New Tools." The slide featured a map of DOT&PF winter maintenance priorities by district. The bottom of the slide featured a winter operations dashboard that was discussed at the Snow Summit and was a follow-up to real time tracking of snow operations, such as when roads are being cleared. 2:12:08 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON continued on slide 4, titled "Winter Operations and Budgets," which featured a shot of the 14 maintenance districts across the state. He said when looking at the regions, that is where the budget goes. 2:13:02 PM CHAIR MCCABE pointed out the Palmer district and whether shifting closer to Wasilla would be a "complete shift." COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied there is a designated location. BURRELL NICKESON, Central Region Maintenance & Operations Manager, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, added that there is an area designated for a new station and it is waiting on funding. CHAIR MCCABE asked where it would be located. MR. NICKESON stated he did not know currently but would get the information to the committee. 2:14:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE referred to slide 3 and spoke of Homer's tsunami evacuation route. She asked why it is a priority three, and what could be done to get a priority change being it is a public safety issue. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON briefly explained priority levels one through four for a more clear understanding of how priorities are designated. MR. MILLS added that with the road priority review, several roads are treated as a priority one because of the road type, not because of the resourcing of the maintenance activity on them. 2:16:54 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON moved through slides 5 and 6, titled "Winter Operations and Budgets," which he stated ties into road priorities and featured a chart of categories A through E regarding conditions and a brief description of each. Slide 6 featured a map with Alaska airports that he stated have a different level of treatment in terms of maintenance and resourcing. 2:18:18 PM CHAIR MCCABE asked about doing a state DOT&PF dashboard of the high use areas such as Willow and Big Lake, for example, so people could find out whether something would be or has been plowed. MR. MILLS agreed that was an excellent suggestion and he confirmed it had been passed on. 2:19:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked whether incentive pay has impacted rural airport contracting. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON explained that it may stabilize things, but when it comes to rural contracting, the contract prices are going up and that is based on many factors; therefore, he said he could not make a correlation. 2:21:02 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON moved to slide 7, titled "Winter Operations Staffing." The slide featured various maintenance districts throughout the state, equipment operator positions by district, and the vacancy rates as of January 29, 2024. He proceeded quickly through slides 8 and 9, titled "Supporting Divisions: Statewide Equipment Fleet and Division of Facility Services," featuring a map of 51 maintenance shops statewide, and "Statewide Equipment Fleet and Division of Facility Services Staffing," featuring a chart with mechanic and facilities positions and vacancy rates. 2:22:52 PM CHAIR MCCABE offered his belief that all the winter events are on primarily on DOT&PF, whereas the previous discussion regarding STIP was primarily contractors. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that is correct. He explained that the vast majority of federal funds and the STIP are to contract out for projects, and DOT&PF has the expectation of staffing and administering. 2:24:05 PM CHAIR MCCABE reiterated his belief that it was important to discuss the STIP because contractors are a huge issue with employment in Alaska. MR. MILLS underscored Chair McCabe's point and said the Snow Summit was keen on the winter operations that DOT&PF has. CHAIR MCCABE presumed that the Snow Summit had a lot to do with mitigation, and when roads are being planned there are areas left where snow can be pushed. 2:25:34 PM MR. NICKESON circled back to a previous inquiry and confirmed that mile 2.2 on Knik Goose Bay (KGB) Road is where the new station would be. He continued the presentation on slide 10, titled "Winter Event Response: Southcentral November 8-12, 2023." He gave examples of equipment challenges that occur during heavier than normal snowfall. 2:28:10 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked about the different ways DOT&PF could help reduce equipment down time. MR. NICKESON replied that it could be due to staffing issues but also equipment componentry. He related that the COVID-19 pandemic "slowed the system," and getting proper pieces for repair can be tough. He stressed that prioritization must be in place. REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked how communications have been with the municipality. MR. NICKESON explained that there were various forms of communication, "down to the weeds," that occurred sometimes daily or hourly, and there are conversations that happen all the time. Maintaining relationships is of importance, he said, and it is all about creating an efficiency. REPRESENTATIVE MINA referred to the single haul snow sites and how that coordination works. MR. NICKESON replied that it goes back to the conversations with the superintendents, and they plan their snow hauls to take place at night. It is about sharing trucks, blowers, resources, and that they can tackle the same areas of town. 2:32:51 PM MR. NICKESON moved to slide 11, titled "Winter Event Response: Example - Anchorage November 2023." The slide featured components of the Anchorage district in-house resources, emergency contracts, and the memorandum of agreement (MOA). 2:34:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked how comments get processed when there is a sidewalk that has an ADA issue. MR. NICKESON replied that when a specific area receives a complaint, usually it is acted upon, but he was not sure if it gets recorded. He added that DOT&PF has a civil rights office that he hears from, and he offered his understanding that the civil rights staff documented issues. 2:36:13 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether it was more affordable for the state to be able to provide the service to do the contracting, or whether the state should look to having more blades and operators. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that it depends on what kinds of winters there will be in the future, and he confirmed that discussions have happened, but noted the vacancy rates are also an issue. He said contracting options give the state more flexibility. 2:39:12 PM MR. MILLS moved to slides 12 and 13, titled "Winter Event Response: Moving Forward," which illustrated priorities for pedestrian and non-motorized facilities. The slide also reiterated that limited snow storage created a compounding issue, which adds to the problem, but he noted that solutions are in the works, and he highlighted a pending policy called "Complete Streets." 2:41:54 PM REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked what was factored into the different priorities. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that there are many factors to look at, for instance, traffic volumes, efficiency, and operations. MR. NICKESON added that prioritization is largely built on average daily traffic (ADT) and oftentimes with an understanding where that traffic needs to go such as hospitals and schools. 2:44:22 PM MR. NICKESON moved to slide 14, titled "Winter Event Response: Avalanche and Highway Closures," which featured an avalanche mitigation program accompanied by a chart showing areas, mitigation measures, and ratings. He proceeded to slide 15, titled "Winter Event Response: New Technology in Avalanche Mitigation," which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Pioneering Drone Dock Testing: First in the nation to test drone docks for automated imagery collection. Purpose: Enhances snow depth modeling and weather observation. Digital Transformation with GIS: Leading in digitizing avalanche paths for improved asset management. Avalanche Hazard Reduction: Nationwide first to receive approval for using explosives with drones for avalanche control. Bridging the Gap: Utilizing UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) as a step towards longterm hazard mitigation. Future Focus: Implementing RACs (Remote Avalanche Control Systems) for enhanced safety. 2:47:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE VANCE sought clarity whether the Federal Government was more comfortable dropping cannons from the air on avalanches than from a stationary means. She opined that the risk seemed higher with a drone. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON replied that the first test was near Whittier with a drone, and practice runs were performed proceeded by live runs. He reassured the committee that these practices are being looked at very closely. MR. NICKESON added that DOT&PF does have mitigation methods, for example, closing down a road in Hatcher Pass [during exercises], and the department continues to look into other systems. 2:50:31 PM COMMISSIONER ANDERSON moved on to slide 16, titled "Scalable Solutions: Contracting and Funding," which showed annual supplemental appropriations. CHAIR MCCABE, on the topic of reappropriating, asked for clarity that these funds are separate from STIP funds. COMMISSIONER ANDERSON stated that he could provide a full list of funds for the committee. He concluded the PowerPoint on slide 17, titled "Scalable Solutions: Contracting and Funding," focusing on successes in contracting models: Northern region, Matanuska-Susitna, and local service areas. The slide also featured a chart of the Fairbanks area winter maintenance contract. 2:52:41 PM CHAIR MCCABE commented that he and some other legislators went to the Snow Summit, and he appreciated the dialogue and presentations; however, he noted the ice roads were not covered. He thanked DOT&PF staff for the presentation today and the Q&A session that preceded it. 2:53:52 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:54 p.m.