SENATE TRANSPORTATION March 12, 1996 1:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Steve Rieger, Chairman Senator Lyda Green Senator Al Adams Senator Georgianna Lincoln (via teleconference from Fairbanks) MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Robin Taylor, Vice Chair COMMITTEE CALENDAR Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan WITNESS REGISTER Joseph Perkins, Commissioner Department of Transportation & Public Facilities 3132 Channel Drive Juneau, Alaska 99801-7898 POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed STIP and answered questions. John Tolley, Chief Planning & Administrative Services Central Region Department of Transportation & Public Facilities PO Box 196900 Anchorage, Alaska 99519-6900 POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions. Martin Ott, Chief Planning & Administrative Services Northern Region Department of Transportation & Public Facilities 2301 Peger Road Fairbanks, Alaska 99709-5316 POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions. Gary Hayden, System Director Marine Highway System Department of Transportation & Public Facilities 3132 Channel Drive Juneau, Alaska 99801-7898 POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 96-5, SIDE A STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM  CHAIRMAN RIEGER called the Senate Transportation meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. and invited Commissioner Perkins to begin his overview of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Number 010 JOSEPH PERKINS, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, began by introducing other members of the department who were present. Commissioner Perkins began his discussion with the Needs List that was published in November of 1994. The Needs List is the basic program for DOT which includes the STIP, the Aviation Improvement Program, the Ports & Harbors Program, and facilities. Public comment has been heard on the draft book and a revised book will be published within the next 30 days. This upcoming book will specify the final needs of Alaska. The STIP, a three year spending plan for federal highways and federal transit authority funding, is one portion of the Needs List. Commissioner Perkins emphasized that the STIP is fiscally constrained to a predicted funding level, $215-$220 million for FY 96 which is a federal contribution. Hopefully, the same constraint would be used in FY 97. The program that apportions this money, ISTEA, is only considered for 1996 and 1997. Commissioner Perkins said that funding for 1998 is assumed to be at the same level, but there is no way to know before October of 1997. The STIP is also based upon the Governor's 1995 Transportation Initiative. The STIP follows federal guidelines and regulations; there are constraints on what is placed in the STIP as well as how it is organized. 092 Commissioner Perkins pointed out that within the STIP there is a section for AMATS (Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study) which is developed by AMATS and included as an addendum. AMATS is given a lump sum in which they must select projects within that sum. He believed that the draft of that program was available. AMATS will be included in the federal submission as an addendum because Anchorage is a federally chartered metropolitan planning organization. With regards to AMATS, the department's responsibility is to establish a funding limit. The STIP contains projects which are for the National Highway System (NHS). The NHS bill was authorized by Congress last year and specific roadways in Alaska were designated as part of the NHS. The federal government has mandated the NHS which is basically a replacement for the old interstate system. The STIP also contains the Community Transportation & Economic Development Program, the Trails & Recreational Access for Alaska (TRAAK), and the Federal Lands Highway Program. The Federal Lands Highway Program consists of the Indian Reservation Road Program, the Forest Highway Program, and the Parks Road and Parkway Program. Number 135 The NHS is established for interstate routes, strategic highways, access to intermodal facilities, rural and urban connectors, and routes to international borders. Most of the ferries and many of the terminals in Alaska are included as part of the NHS. Commissioner Perkins explained that with regards to the NHS, the focus of the STIP is to bring the system up to minimal standards. The minimal standards are as follows: 12 foot lanes with 4-8 foot shoulders depending upon the area, the elimination of 15 and 20 mile per hour curves, and the replacement of old and aging bridges. Under the NHS program, a regional evaluation was done on all the routes. The evaluation looked for deficient widths, needed grade reductions, alignments, capacity constraints, and level of use in order to determine how much would be required to upgrade Alaska's entire NHS. The evaluations were also reviewed at the state level. Finally, DOT developed a program to upgrade NHS and published a draft book in September 1995 detailing what would be necessary to upgrade the NHS to a minimal standard. Since that time there have been additions to the work needed on the NHS. In order to bring NHS routes up to the minimum standard, $1.72 billion will have to be spent. Within the Governor's Transportation Initiative, the department decided to allocate $120 million per year to the NHS upgrade. If the $120 million per year allocation could be maintained, the upgrade of the NHS routes to a minimal standard would still take 14 and a half years. Commissioner Perkins noted that this amount did include rehabilitation projects. Some of the biggest and most expensive projects have been left to last. Number 193 Commissioner Perkins explained that the Community Transportation and Economic Development (CTP) portion of the program is comprised of local, community roads, non NHS highways, some ferry routes that are not designated in the NHS, transit projects, and transportation supporting economic development. The CTP portion is needs-based. The department solicited project nominations from local governments, agencies, and other groups. Projects were received and evaluated at the regional level. The highest projects, Priority I and II, were then sent to the department where a project evaluation board convened. This board consisted of one deputy commissioner, three regional directors, the director of the Marine Highway System, and the director of the statewide planning. The board graded and ranked the projects. The Community Transportation and Economic Development program allocated funds to the ranked projects. This program is funded at $80 million per year. Commissioner Perkins pointed out that the selection criteria favored community projects, 71 percent of the $80 million were allocated for community projects. Remote villages received 13 percent, transit received four percent, and community road needs received 54 percent of the funding. Also 29 percent of the funding served statewide travel. Alaska has many state roads that are not included in the NHS for example, the Denali and the Taylor Highways. State roads not included in the NHS received about 20 percent of the community funds, ferries received about one percent, and new access projects received about nine percent. The new access project is the Whittier road. Number 245 Commissioner Perkins continued his overview with the TRAAK portion of the STIP. As ISTEA mandates, the department must allocate $40.4 million for roadway enhancements in 1996 and 1997. The department choose those enhancement projects that would support TRAAK such as pulloffs for trail heads. In developing the TRAAK project list, the department is looking at a comprehensive development of the highway corridors. Commissioner Perkins reiterated that ISTEA requires that this money be spent for enhancement projects. The TRAAK program is funded at $20 million per year and the selection criteria again favored community projects which received 58 percent of the funding. Traveler oriented, roadside projects received about 38 percent of the funding of which a couple million will be spent on creating a nice facility for eagle viewing in Haines. The remaining portion of the TRAAK funding, about four percent, is allocated to winter trail markings in the bush. Commissioner Perkins directed the committee to the pie chart of the TRAAK allocations in the draft STIP book. Number 282 Commissioner Perkins used charts with color coded dots signifying the year in which the work on Alaska's NHS projects would begin and in which areas. A cluster of projects South of Anchorage and up the Glenn Highway, on the Parks Highway, and the Alaska Highway was illustrated by the chart. This cluster illustrated the department's priority of upgrading the main routes of commerce. With regard to the CTP projects, another chart was used to illustrate the distribution of the CTP projects. The next chart represented where the TRAAK projects would be located statewide. The NHS chart used red to signify NHS routes in Alaska. Commissioner Perkins noted that the Dalton Highway was not originally included in the NHS, but the department had that 500 miles added last year. He emphasized the importance of the inclusion of the Dalton Highway because in the future the federal government may only fund NHS routes. Other routes that have been added to the NHS are the Whittier Project, Little Access Road through Nenana to the port of Nenana, the portion of the road in Juneau to the rock dump. Alaska has approximately 2,000 miles designated roads in the NHS and 1,900 are on the Marine Highway System. Commissioner Perkins noted that Seward, Whittier and other Marine Highways are not designated in the NHS. Those portions of the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) that are included in the NHS are main lines. Number 330 Commissioner Perkins pointed out that the STIP also includes other ISTEA funds that are allocated in Alaska. The BIA programming for bush projects will receive $31 million in FY 96 and 97 and the Federal Lands Highway Program receives $17.2 million for various projects listed in the draft book. Commissioner Perkins directed the committee to the time line in the draft book which details the efforts to date. The Needs List and the STIP will be finalized April 8-12, 1996 and be sent to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Commissioner Perkins did not anticipate many changes; therefore, a legislative budget request has been submitted for new projects in the STIP. He directed the committee to the chart in the draft which illustrates the FHWA funding from 1985-1998. FHWA funding in the late 1980s averaged $150 million which increased to $220 million in 1992 when ISTEA came into effect. Since 1992, the funding under ISTEA has remained fairly constant. The last page of the draft has a chart which illustrates regional funding levels. Commissioner Perkins pointed out that the AMHS funding level increases considerably in 1997 due to a $50 million payment for a new vessel currently, under design. The increase in funding in 1996 for the Central Region reflects the Canyon Creek Project, a more than $20 million project. The department is balancing the workload between regions, projects would be transferred into a region that does not have sufficient work. For example, some airport projects have been transferred from the central region to the northern region. In conclusion, Commissioner Perkins offered to answer any questions. Number 378 SENATOR ADAMS asked if Anchorage receives a percentage of the lump sum initially. COMMISSIONER PERKINS replied no. Commissioner Perkins explained that the ISTEA language has a metropolitan planning organization formula from which Alaska was exempted. The following steps lead to the AMATS sum: the six year list of projects for AMATS was graded and placed in with all the other projects then the total amount of all the projects was determined and divided by six. The allocation to AMATS for CTP is $17.5 million per year. Commissioner Perkins said that the same was done with TRAAK and the AMATS allocation is $5.5 million per year. The total allocation then is about $23 million which is close to the historical average. In response to Senator Adams, COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that the Indian Road Program to which he referred earlier is the BIA program. SENATOR ADAMS asked if the commissioner could provide him with a scoring system report he could forward to interested communities. COMMISSIONER PERKINS passed out a general information sheet on scoring and agreed to provide a more specific report for Senator Adams. Number 413 SENATOR ADAMS pointed out that the TRAAK program included roadside rest stops; could that include boat ramps? COMMISSIONER PERKINS indicated that boat ramps probably should be included if they are not. SENATOR ADAMS remarked that often rivers and lakes are the only access into some communities. SENATOR ADAMS believed that without funding for auxiliary services, the Dalton Highway inclusion on the NHS would be problematic. Are communications, gas stations, pullouts, and protection of the wildlife and the pipeline going to be funded? COMMISSIONER PERKINS informed the committee that over $100 million is scheduled to rebuild the Dalton Highway which would add rest areas and roadside work. The Governor has appointed a Dalton Highway Task Force to review the master plans and other problems with the Dalton Highway. The maintenance, which would include the communication issue, of the Dalton Highway falls under the maintenance program of DOT. He emphasized that he was not happy with the funding of the maintenance program. The communications on the Dalton Highway are between all the DOT elements and the Alyeska Pipeline. So far, the emergency response has been good. He did view the increased traffic as a problem and noted that Commissioner Otte would probably assign more Fish and Wildlife people on the Dalton Highway. Commissioner Perkins informed the committee that he had driven the Dalton Highway and believed it to be one of the better gravel roads. He was impressed by the courtesy shown by all drivers; it is truly an Alaskan cooperative effort. Number 463 CHAIRMAN RIEGER said that was not his experience on the Dalton Highway. SENATOR ADAMS pointed out that money would be necessary to fund travel so that communities could participate. COMMISSIONER PERKINS said he would pass that on to Commissioner Shively in the Department of Natural Resources. SENATOR GREEN asked why there was a change in the funding of the Old Glenn Highway Matanuska River Bridge. JOHN TOLLEY, Planning Chief in the Central Region, explained that the new estimate is a better cost estimate. The funding is also being used in additional areas such as placing utilities on the bridge, pullouts, and pedestrian facilities. Mr. Tolley said that the project should be obligated this fall and construction would probably begin next year. CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if Commissioner Perkins' previous testimony was that when ISTEA came into affect, the amount of FHWA funds increased 50 percent, $150 million to $220 million. COMMISSIONER PERKINS replied yes. CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if Commissioner Perkins' testimony that the amount allocated to AMATS was in line with the former amount that had been allocated when it was a share of the $150 million total state funding. COMMISSIONER PERKINS deferred to Mr. Tolley. Number 490 JOHN TOLLEY clarified that the current funding allocation is a little greater than it has been historically. Historically, there was not an allocation and the projects were not ranked on a statewide basis in order to establish a specific target for AMATS. In the past few years, AMATS has received $16-18 million for non NHS projects. CHAIRMAN RIEGER inquired as to how much of that was during the ISTEA era. JOHN TOLLEY said that it was all when ISTEA was in effect. SENATOR ADAMS inquired as to how an Anchorage legislator would participate in determining the priority of which roads should be constructed or reconstructed. JOHN TOLLEY explained that such a person would inform the AMATS committee of the needs and concerns of the individual. The AMATS Policy Committee is the decision making body of AMATS. The committee consists of the Anchorage Mayor, two Assembly Members, a DOT representative, and a DEC representative who are all charged under federal rules with setting programs for AMATS. CHAIRMAN RIEGER understood that the NHS was not determined by AMATS, only the local roads and TRAAK projects. JOHN TOLLEY explained that the non NHS roads are to be developed in coordination and cooperation with the local government. Basically, the local government would develop projects and merely consult DOT on its priorities. The NHS requires that the state develops the priorities in cooperation with local governments. Cooperation as defined by Alaska's FHWA, means that the state must receive local consensus support for the NHS program. COMMISSIONER PERKINS interjected that the money would have to stay in the NHS, the money could not be moved to the CTP. Number 525 CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if the Seward Highway all the way to Fifth Avenue was on the NHS. COMMISSIONER PERKINS replied yes. CHAIRMAN RIEGER noticed that the northern end of the Seward Highway is inactive in the six year STIP, although, that is the most congested part of Anchorage. COMMISSIONER PERKINS informed the committee that there is a project scheduled for next year to relay the pavement on the Seward Highway from Huffman Road to 36th. Another project on Tudor from Old Seward Highway to Boniface is also scheduled. CHAIRMAN RIEGER emphasized that a traffic improvement is necessary not new asphalt. There is much congestion in this area. JOHN TOLLEY stated that there is an additional ISTEA requirement with a major transportation investment on a controlled access facility involving large sums of money. A major investment study must be done before major improvements can begin. Mr. Tolley noted that Anchorage is currently pursuing the study. There is funding in the NHS plan to do that study. COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that the major investment study has proven to be a disaster. The department has not yet done such a study. Furthermore, New York City's experience has resulted in three years to even get the study going. In Commissioner Perkins' opinion, the new ISTEA will not include this study; however, the department is still beginning the study just in case. Number 563 In response to Chairman Rieger, JOHN TOLLEY explained that any additional lane or grade separated intersection on a controlled access facility or one that impacts a controlled access facility would be considered a major investment. The Seward Highway up past Tudor is a controlled access. CHAIRMAN RIEGER pointed out that the portion needing improvement is north of Tudor. JOHN TOLLEY said that the existing Long Range Transportation Plan for AMATS calls for grade separation through the midtown area. CHAIRMAN RIEGER said that he did not see that in the six year plan. JOHN TOLLEY clarified that some of the preliminary funding is present to begin the major investment study and preliminary engineering. CHAIRMAN RIEGER pointed out that Mr. Tolley had just said that a major investment study would not be necessary for the area north of Tudor. JOHN TOLLEY did not mean to give that impression. That area is currently not a controlled access area; however, it is intended to be a controlled access facility under the existing AMATS Long Range Transportation Plan. A major investment analysis is necessary because the area would become a controlled access area. SENATOR LINCOLN believed that any DOT plan for the state would impact practically all state business which could impact how education is provided. She expressed difficulty with the shortness of the three year plan. Senator Lincoln discussed her experiences on the Dalton Highway which were opposite those of Commissioner Perkins. TAPE 96-5, SIDE B Number 584 SENATOR LINCOLN assured Commissioner Perkins that his one nice experience does not occur on a regular basis on the Dalton Highway. Furthermore, there is a massive garbage problem on this road. The Dalton Highway is not a safe road. She echoed Senator Adams' concerns with the need for auxiliary services such as pullouts. How would DOT make the Dalton Highway safe and monitor it? Senator Lincoln believed that there would be more development in that area. She did not know why the Dalton Highway was being opened to this extent. She asked if the Denali Highway was included in the NHS; what about the Copper River Highway? She also asked about the McCarthy Road and the plans surrounding it? When planning transportation, are the off-road communities that use rivers for transportation being reviewed as a marine highway? Number 539 COMMISSIONER PERKINS informed the committee that DOT is trying to reduce maintenance costs wherever possible. Hard surfacing roads is a way to decrease maintenance costs. Commissioner Perkins pointed out that the most expensive material on the road during the construction period is the crushed rock. Many of Alaska's road, like the Dalton Highway, lose all of the fines from the surface of the road and the rocks act like marbles and are lost in the ditches and shoulders. The subgrade is left to drive on and it is impossible to maintain. Commissioner Perkins said that in the 1980s the legislature had to appropriate about $26 million in order to surface the Dalton Highway. The long range plan is to pave whatever possible in order to maintain the gravel surface. This applies to the Denali Highway as well. The first paving project on the Denali Highway, from milepost 80-104, is scheduled for FY 97. This portion of the Denali Highway is one of the worst and is very expensive to maintain. Commissioner Perkins discussed another plan for the Denali Highway scheduled in FY 99. He clarified that pavement meant asphalt with chips on the top which would cut maintenance costs because of the easy repair with this type road. With regards to the Copper Highway, there is a contract to repair the pier. The state matching money is included in the department's supplemental request. The department received $2.2 million in emergency disaster money from the federal government as a special appropriation to repair the bridge pier. The bridge will then be passable. Commissioner Perkins informed the committee that a transportation study of Prince Williams Sound will begin in about three months in order to determine how to serve Cordova with transportation. He predicted that the department would have recommendations for this area by this time next year. SENATOR LINCOLN asked where the money went that was appropriated for the Copper River Highway. COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that the money went to other projects which he could not specify. MARTIN OTT, Planning Chief for the Northern Region, clarified that the original appropriation was for preliminary design work. Mr. Ott believed that all of that was spent when developing EIS. Mr. Ott did not recall an appropriation for construction. Number 484 COMMISSIONER PERKINS noted that there is a project to upgrade the McCarthy Road which is scheduled with funding for FY 99, 00, and 01. The department is working closely with the Park Service on this road. The department wants to pave the road as well as have shoulders that will support bike riders and automobiles that pull off the road. Commissioner Perkins acknowledged that everyone does not agree with that concept. He indicated that a maintenance problem would be created if the road was not paved. With most of these roads, the paving can be funded by the federal government which would save state money. SENATOR LINCOLN asked if the communities of McCarthy and Kennicot want the road to be paved. COMMISSIONER PERKINS did not know what the communities preferred. However, the state should not invest in McCarthy Road if it is not paved because approximately $.5 million in maintenance costs would be incurred. SENATOR LINCOLN stressed that the road is for the residents of those communities and they should be a part of the design and implementation of a transportation system in their community. COMMISSIONER PERKINS agreed with Senator Lincoln. Whether or not to use a hard surface, DOT is not going to build roads that would increase maintenance costs. The department would probably look for someone else to maintain a road that is not hard surfaced. MARTIN OTT indicated that this program is in the initial stages. The department will be working with the Parks Service and the people of the communities with regard to the standards established for the McCarthy Road. SENATOR LINCOLN asked if community meetings had been held in McCarthy and Kennicot in order to determine the type of road they want. MARTIN OTT said that he had numerous correspondence from the people of McCarthy. The people of McCarthy by and large do not support a paved road. Number 444 SENATOR LINCOLN noted that these communities are in her district. The communities want to improve their roads. She expressed concern with the state having the money to build an infrastructure once an area is opened. CHAIRMAN RIEGER pointed out that the STIP includes $15 million for the construction of McCarthy Road; what kind of road would that cover? MARTIN OTT specified that the road would be a 22-24 foot surface along the existing alignment with new surfacing, some pullouts, waysides, and facilities for the travelers. SENATOR LINCOLN reiterated that if a transportation plan is developed, the impacts on resource development in the area as well as the impact to the state should be reviewed. In response to Senator Adams, COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that the new $50 million ferry would come on-line in 1998. SENATOR ADAMS recognized that the marine highway portion of the NHS does not include the ferry systems in Homer, Seward, and Valdez. However, where roads exist most urban centers include roads that go between communities in the NHS; why is that the case? COMMISSIONER PERKINS did not know. Commissioner Perkins noted that he was not present when the initial NHS was developed. It seems that all the main lines of the ferry where included. SENATOR ADAMS stressed that the marine highway goes into Valdez, Homer, and Seward and that should also be part of Alaska's NHS. COMMISSIONER PERKINS did not believe that much could be done at this stage. Perhaps, those could be nominated and would have to go back to Congress. Commissioner Perkins agreed to work on that issue. CHAIRMAN RIEGER requested that Commissioner Perkins provide the committee with traffic counts on the following NHS segments: the Richardson, the Parks, the Seward, the Glenn and outside of those urban areas. COMMISSIONER PERKINS agreed to provide what the department had on those areas. CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if the minimal standards that had been mentioned earlier would be a standard for all roads that are improved. Number 384 COMMISSIONER PERKINS explained that the NHS would be designed for commerce which means truck traffic. For example, the Canyon Creek bridge is one of the most dangerous areas for trucks which is why that project was upgraded. The NHS standard should allow the movement of commerce in Alaska. Therefore, a standard for grades, curves, and bridges would be established. Commissioner Perkins specified that those roads under ISTEA, not on the NHS, would allow much flexibility with the standards. There is also flexibility under the NHS in the mountain areas where prohibitive costs would allow four foot shoulders. Commissioner Perkins reiterated that the NHS standard would be for the safe movement of commerce. CHAIRMAN RIEGER summarized that on a NHS road there must be 12 foot lanes with at least a four foot shoulder. COMMISSIONER PERKINS did not know if the federal government required that, but he did not want to do less than those standards. Commissioner Perkins believed that these roads would be rebuilt once due to the expense. A transportation system looking ahead 25-40 years should be developed because realignment and rebuilding probably will not occur before then. CHAIRMAN RIEGER indicated that perhaps, some of the less travelled roads would be better served with pullouts rather than wider roads. Often the problem is many vehicles following a slow moving vehicle rather than high speed traffic. COMMISSIONER PERKINS mentioned that third lanes will be constructed in many areas. For instance, the Glenn Highway, which does not have any shoulders, would have passing lanes going uphill and wide shoulders where economical. Number 341 SENATOR GREEN asked if the previously requested status report of those projects that had been funded last year had been provided. COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that had been provided. The STIP includes some of the 1996 projects that have been previously authorized. Those projects that have not been authorized have been returned to the legislature for authorization this year. CHAIRMAN RIEGER added the Thane Road portion of the NHS to the list of those traffic counts that he requested. Chairman Rieger informed the committee that he had received correspondence from people who believed that $400,000 would be included in the STIP for the Prince of Wales ferry design or development. These people are concerned that the money is not present in the STIP. COMMISSIONER PERKINS believed that it was a matter of timing. The department did not receive the Prince of Wales' feasibility study until a month ago, after the selections had been completed and placed for public review. In fact, the Prince of Wales study is being reviewed now. Number 309 GARY HAYDEN, Marine Highway System, informed the committee that the City of Craig is the manager of the Prince of Wales project. The request was not for $400,000; the City of Craig requested $29 million for the total project costs. When the City of Craig gave its presentation about a month ago, discussion ensued about the money available to give them. The department let the City of Craig know that there was not $29 million to be given, so the amount was decreased to $13 million for phase 1. Then the City of Craig indicated that if $13 million was not possible, perhaps $10 million would be available to build the boat. Finally, the City of Craig said if there was not money for the boat, then money for the design would be desirable. Those were conversations, but nothing formal was submitted along those lines by the City of Craig. At the end of the reconnaissance phase, the City of Craig requested $29 million for the entire project. Mr. Hayden noted that the City of Craig did come after the projects had been scored. The project is a Community Transportation Project which did get scored late and is in the Needs List. However, the project did not score well with the other statewide needs and is not present on the six year list. CHAIRMAN RIEGER informed everyone that the letter said that there was a meeting with the FHWA on January 25, 1996 where the project was represented as being in the STIP; is that incorrect? GARY HAYDEN was unaware of such a representation. Mr. Hayden specified that $250,000 for the reconnaissance phase was funded. The City of Craig was told that the project would be on the Needs List and it is, but he did not believe that anyone said it would be included in the STIP. Mr. Hayden mentioned that sometimes people do not realize the difference between the Needs List and the STIP. CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if the Prince of Wales ferry project was not high on the evaluation of overall transportation needs or did the $400,000 request not score high? GARY HAYDEN explained that the $13 million request was scored which did not compete well. CHAIRMAN RIEGER noticed that the Governor's submission includes airport relocations; could you discuss what the criteria is for airport relocation? COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that he was not prepared to testify on airports today, but could be prepared and return. CHAIRMAN RIEGER requested an estimate of the amount of time and money necessary to fast track a major transportation study. There has been no budget being set aside for the Seward Highway project. COMMISSIONER PERKINS agreed to provide that information. Number 233 CHAIRMAN RIEGER noted that there was a letter from the AGC which requested an extended comment period on the STIP; is that possible? COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that it is possible, but time is running short. The 1996 construction program is already occurring and an extended comment period could stop some projects from being advertised. CHAIRMAN RIEGER said that a list of the construction projects for 1996 had been requested previously; can that be provided? COMMISSIONER PERKINS pointed out that it should be those projects in the STIP that are listed as four. MARTIN OTT clarified that those projects would be obligated as far as the federal funds. COMMISSIONER PERKINS explained that some of the projects do not get advertised until September or October; if the project has a four then a contract will occur in 1996. CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if any of those projects need this year's capital budget or are they prior authorizations? COMMISSIONER PERKINS said that there are projects that need this year's authorization and also the federal highway approval of the STIP. SENATOR ADAMS asked if Chairman Rieger was going to delay anything because of the letter from the AGC regarding extending the comment period. CHAIRMAN RIEGER said he wanted to convey their comments and determine if extending the comment period was even possible. There being no further business before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 2:55 p.m.