DOT selects route: Trunk Road realignment plans underway

PALMER -- The Department of Transportation has selected a route to realign Trunk Road, and although not everyone is pleased about the route, most residents are just hoping to see the road built as soon as possible.

However, construction likely won't begin until 2005, according to Jim Sawhill, engineering and project manager with Lounsbury and Associates, the company hired to complete the project environmental assessment.

Miriam Tanaka, DOT's project manager, said problems acquiring permits during the environmental assessment phase have pushed the project back as far as a year.

The public comment phase of the environmental assessment ends on Feb. 5. But Sawhill assured those at a public hearing on the project Tuesday at Colony Middle School that there will be plenty of time after this round of public comments to make their wishes known as far as the actual route of the road.

"The next phase of the project is the design phase," Sawhill said. "Through the design phase, we're going to have many more public hearings."

DOT whittled the route alternatives down to two, then submitted the analysis to the Federal Highway Administration. That agency signed off to allow the 45-day public hearing to begin and, when the comments are collected, they will be submitted to FHA for final approval.

The agency chose alternative two as their preferred route, Sawhill said, mainly because it would create less impact on established homes.

"Alternative three requires nine homes to be taken," Sawhill said. "Alternative two only requires two homes and a barn. It was much less impact on the social and human environment."

According to the completed environmental assessment, alternative two would impact a total of 35 properties, including the three buildings Sawhill mentioned, and one business. This is contract with alternative three, which would affect 55 properties, nine residences and one business.

But one resident reminded those at the meeting that there was another alternative -- no action.

"Have we, in this plan, thought about the social impacts of whether we see moose?" asked one woman who testified. "I'm just feeling very uncomfortable with the idea of 'C'mon you guys, let us build four lanes now!'"

But the majority of residents said they want something done as soon as possible.

"Build two, build three, just build something -- it's long overdue," said one man at the meeting.

Tanaka said once the matter is approved and the design phase begins, it's likely that process will take up to two years. Right-of-way acquisitions, she said, can begin toward the end of the design phase in 2004, and that process generally takes a year to 18 months.

Some residents at the meeting disagreed over which alternative should be constructed. A bone of particular contention was which side of the Shelly Woods subdivision the realignment should follow.

One resident, who requested that alternative three be selected instead of alternative two, said removing a home may not be the worst-case scenario.

"I'm not so sure removing a house is much worse than putting an interstate in somebody's backyard," the man said.

A map of alternative two can be seen at www.frontiersman.com. Comments about the proposed alternative can be directed to Tanaka at (907) 269-0546, or by e-mail at miriam_tanaka@dot.state.ak.us.