Clearing up misconceptions about crossing

I would be remiss if I didn’t stand up and correct some misstatements that were made in a recent piece published in this newspaper. In a Spectrum piece titled “Debunking Bridge Myths,” (published Aug. 14) the author severely misrepresents some of the most critical aspects of the Knik Arm Crossing project.

First, it is asserted in the column that the purpose of the bridge is to cut the driving time between Wasilla and Anchorage. This has never been a goal of the crossing. As I’ve stated many times before, the bridge is a bridge to the Interior, a way to open the Point MacKenzie area to development (remember, much of this area is industrially zoned) and an approach to saving the wear and tear, and congestion, on the Parks and Glenn highways through the Valley. It will also give Anchorage room to grow and spur economic development on the Mat-Su side of Knik Arm. No one, from policymakers to KABATA executives, has ever claimed the bridge was meant to cut driving times between the core area of the Valley and Anchorage.

Next, the writer misrepresents the purpose of the $150 million appropriation that has been requested through legislation still pending in the Legislature as money for construction. This money will go into a reserve fund to only be used during the first few years the bridge is open, until toll revenue ramps up. That initial money will satisfy the contractual availability payments that will be the state’s end of the deal with the private company that ends up partnering with the state to build the bridge. It’s important to stress that the bridge is being built using a public-private partnership model, where the private partner is responsible for financing, designing, building, operating and maintaining the bridge over the life of the agreement with the state. Plus, reliable traffic models show the full $150 million will not be necessary and tolls will catch up to replenish the reserve fund and then fully satisfy the obligations of the availability payments on their own. Remember, commercial truck traffic will pay tolls by axle, helping to generate revenue.

The final “fact” the piece asserts has to do with shortfall of toll revenue in the first years. The Spectrum column says additional state money will have to be pulled from other projects to make up for shortfall. That is false. This is what the reserve fund I mentioned above is designed to take care of. Any major road project in any state has a newness about it that takes motorists time to get used to. Traffic projections show a steady increase in users for the crossing in the years following its opening. The reserve fund solves the shortfall, while not using any more state money than what’s been appropriated for the fund. The fund is replenished by toll revenue in later years and, the cool thing is, additional revenue is available for other transportation needs.

Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright isn’t the only one who supports the bridge and realizes its benefits. Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, despite Anchorage’s technical lawsuit addressing the NEPA process, is still a vocal advocate of the bridge. As is the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, the Alaska Trucking Association, the Mat-Su Borough, Little Red Services (an oil field services company), the Alaska Railroad and thousands of Alaskans. A Dittman Research poll released in January shows 60 percent statewide support, 62 percent Anchorage support and 75 percent Mat-Su support for the bridge.

The opinion is correct in stating that Alaska needs infrastructure development, and the Knik Arm Crossing will be a big part of that. Building the bridge will not take funding away from other projects because state money is not being used to construct it. If anything, using the public-private partnership model will free up money for other state infrastructure and, as toll revenues increase the longer the bridge is open, surplus funds may be used on other transportation projects in the state.

I’ve heard from many folks in industry, real estate and other private sector areas who are beyond hopeful this bridge will be built. It has the federal nod of approval, a “no jeopardy” decision for the beluga whale question and it’s got the interest of investors from around the world. KABATA has performed almost a decade of due diligence to get to this point. The bridge is almost ready to go, and the history of Alaska’s next mega project is still being written, without naysayers in its way.

State Sen. Linda Menard lives in Wasilla and represents Senate District G.