ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE  March 25, 2025 1:32 p.m. DRAFT MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Ashley Carrick, Co-Chair Representative Ted Eischeid, Co-Chair Representative Genevieve Mina Representative Kevin McCabe Representative Cathy Tilton Representative Elexie Moore MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Louise Stutes OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT  Senator Cathy Giessel Representative Ky Holland COMMITTEE CALENDAR  CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 47(RES) "An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date." - HEARD & HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 47 SHORT TITLE: CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL 01/17/25 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/17/25 01/22/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/22/25 (S) TRA, RES 02/04/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/04/25 (S) Heard & Held 02/04/25 (S) MINUTE(TRA) 02/11/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BURTOVICH 205 02/11/25 (S) Moved SB 47 Out of Committee 02/11/25 (S) MINUTE(TRA) 02/14/25 (S) TRA RPT 2DP 1DNP 1NR 02/14/25 (S) DP: BJORKMAN, KIEHL 02/14/25 (S) DNP: SHOWER 02/14/25 (S) NR: TOBIN 02/17/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/17/25 (S) Heard & Held 02/17/25 (S) MINUTE(RES) 02/26/25 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 02/26/25 (S) Moved CSSB 47(RES) Out of Committee 02/26/25 (S) MINUTE(RES) 02/28/25 (S) RES RPT CS 6DP 1NR SAME TITLE 02/28/25 (S) DP: GIESSEL, HUGHES, DUNBAR, CLAMAN, MYERS, WIELECHOWSKI 02/28/25 (S) NR: KAWASAKI 03/10/25 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 03/10/25 (S) VERSION: CSSB 47(RES) 03/11/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/11/25 (H) TRA, RES 03/20/25 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124 03/20/25 (H) Heard & Held 03/20/25 (H) MINUTE(TRA) 03/25/25 (H) TRA AT 1:30 PM BARNES 124 WITNESS REGISTER ROGER MARKS, Board Member Board of Glen Elks Road Service Area Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Provided invited testimony on CSSB 47(RES). ACTION NARRATIVE 1:32:44 PM CO-CHAIR ASHLEY CARRICK called the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:32 p.m. Representatives Moore, McCabe, Mina, Eischeid, and Carrick were present at the call to order. Representative Tilton arrived as the meeting was in progress. SB 47-CHUGACH STATE PARK EASEMENTS  1:33:20 PM CO-CHAIR CARRICK announced that the only order of business would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 47(RES) "An Act relating to Chugach State Park; and providing for an effective date." 1:33:57 PM ROGER MARKS, Board Member, Board of Glen Elks Road Service Area, provided invited testimony on CSSB 47(RES). He explained that road service areas are small, independent districts that manage the road maintenance in the uphill areas around Anchorage. This includes road repair, maintaining drainages, and snow removal. He stated that this service is paid for by the property taxes of the local residents. He noted that the original intent for this service was to manage snow removal in the higher altitude areas around Anchorage. MR. MARKS explained that the two busiest roads to the Chugach State Park are located within the Glen Elks Road Service Area. He stated that the constant traffic coming from outside of this area to the park is the leading cause of depreciation of the roads. He pointed out that the park is busy with around 1.5 million visitors a year. Because of the low density of population in the area, he explained that there is a lack of funding for the necessary upgrades needed on roads going to the park. He argued that these road service organizations were never meant to manage road service to the park. MR. MARKS noted that the need has been recognized, but the state has not delivered the resources to maintain the roads. In 2023, Anchorage voters created the Chugach State Park Access Service Area to finance road maintenance to the park. In 2024, the municipality passed a $4 million bond to upgrade Canyon Road, a major access to the park; however, two segments of this road are located on park land, and he indicated that the Municipality of Anchorage cannot bond for assets it does not own. He explained that the solution is for the park to grant easements to the municipality across the segments so these areas could be included in the bond. He stated that the proposed legislation would allow the state to grant these easements, so bond funds could be used for these park roads. He argued that this would make the park entrance safer for locals and tourists. He continued that the Glen Elks Road Service Area manages the road now, and it would continue to do this. 1:38:36 PM CO-CHAIR CARRICK opened public testimony on SB 47. After ascertaining that there was no one who wished to testify, she closed public testimony. 1:39:07 PM CO-CHAIR CARRICK made closing remarks. [CSSB 47(RES) was held over.] 1:39:40 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:39 p.m.