Dock, rail spur give borough bright future

MAT-SU — Showing no signs of slowing down with the national economic climate, the Valley is seeing real progress on some key infrastructure projects, according to Mat-Su Borough officials.

At the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce community forum on Wednesday, borough Economic Development Director David Hanson gave a positive progress report on the port, the rail spur and other plans key to the Mat-Su’s future growth.

The bid for expanding Port MacKenzie by more than twice its current size was awarded to Scarsella Brothers, Inc., Hanson said, the same Washington company doing the Trunk Road updates.

“They had the low bid,” Hanson said. “People say, ‘Why didn’t you go with a local firm?’ The truth is, those outside companies are really hungry. Their bid wasn’t even close.’”

The expansion is being paid for by a $3 million federal grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The borough is matching those funds with $1 million, largely in the form of in-kind gravel donations for the dock.

The expansion of the port will include eight new acres of dock. Hanson pointed to the immediate interest in companies using the dock to stage pipeline and modular buildings for shipping north. A new trestle will allow trucks more efficient access to ships in the deep-water dock.

With the funding secured, and the contact now awarded, Hanson said the expansion “should be done by the end of next summer.”

Linked to the port’s success is the rail spur. The borough has plans to build a rail line from the port to connect with the Alaska Railroad to ship goods to and from the Interior. Hanson said potential customers are already giving great feedback.

“The borough has held meetings with many of the major companies associated with future gas line projects who showed major interest in using the dock for unloading pipeline,” Hanson said.

Hanson said the environmental studies should be done by the spring. The borough is building a road loop at the port, on which the rail will eventually run. A funding request is in to the state for money to construct foundation for the initial section of track.

“We want to complete it by 2012 or 2013. That is the timeline for use on possible importation and logistics on the pipeline construction,” Hanson said.

Outside of the Point MacKenzie area, Hanson pointed to the new recycling center being built in the borough and it’s relationship with Mat-Su College. The borough is committed to expanding the education sector, as well as health care and business partnerships.

“We are looking at working with property owners to dedicate more commercial and industrial space. In a borough the size of West Virginia, we need to set aside more land for that,” Hanson said.

The Bogard Road extension will open a new east-west arterial in the core area, Hanson said. The design is 95 percent complete, and the last major hurdle is securing funding for construction, he said.

Hanson mentioned the borough is working with the state to look at the feasibility of expanding the Glenn Highway to four lanes from Palmer to the Parks Highway interchange. There are also talks with Palmer on a regional transit hub somewhere in the city, he said.

Steering committees are looking at these projects and identifying how the borough can best move forward, Hanson said. Their results will be compiled in a document that will then guide future efforts, he said.

“The economic development plan is moving forward,” Hanson said. “This area is so full of opportunities.”

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.