Glenn Highway nominated for national scenic byway status

MAT-SU --If Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) officials and some local boosters have their way, the Glenn Highway will join 80 other U.S. roads in being designated a national scenic byway. A decision by federal authorities is expected next summer.

Alaska has a state scenic byway program that already recognizes the Glenn and 10 other Alaskan roads.

DOT spokesperson Murph O'Brien said the scenic byway designation stretches from Anchorage to the Mat-Su Borough line, which intersects the Glenn about 10 miles past the Eureka Lodge. O'Brien said the designation stopped there because the people in Anchorage, Eagle River and Mat-Su were more receptive to the scenic byway program than the people in Glennallen and the Copper River Valley.

A previous designation on the Richardson Highway bears this out. For 115 miles from Valdez to Glennallen the Richardson is designated a state scenic byway. The designation stops there, but the highway continues north through the Copper River basin. Presumably, its scenic beauty and historical significance continues north as well but the locals just don't want it advertised.

Tamara Lozano is executive director of the Greater Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce. Lozano said when DOT approached Copper Valley boosters for the Richardson's designation, they had trouble selling the idea.

"The demographics are totally different out here and they couldn't adapt their presentation to make it fit the real issues for the people," Lozano said. "I don't doubt that they're going to draw a line and just leave us out of it."

O'Brien said those meetings were before his time as a scenic byway spokesperson. He also said DOT officials hope that in time, the people who live in the Copper River area will see the amenities to the west and ask for the program along their own stretch of road.

"The emphasis of the byway program is recognition, not regulations," He said.

The philosophy of the scenic byway program is that the highway is a destination unto itself, according to O'Brien. "The most popular recreation in the nation today is driving for pleasure," he said.

In the state program the DOT commissioner designates the road as a scenic byway. Calling an Alaska road scenic might sound like the ultimate redundancy, but the state designation is one step toward capturing a share of the $25 million the federal government spends annually on the program, and spending it on amenities for the Glenn, O'Brien said.

The Seward Highway is currently the only Alaska highway to carry the federal designation. O'Brien also said the designation wasn't an autocratic move on the part of DOT, but was recommended by Palmer Chamber of Commerce members.

O'Brien said he was invited to the Palmer Chamber last year to speak about the byway program. He prepared a presentation about a stretch of the Parks Highway from Denali State Park to Healy, which carries the state scenic byway label.

"I started giving that presentation on the Parks Highway," O'Brien said. "I was interrupted by a person well-known to Palmer who said, 'Why are you talking about the Parks Highway? The Glenn Highway is the most beautiful drive in the state.'"

O'Brien said the resulting discussion, and local enthusiasm, prompted the commissioner's designation. O'Brien also said a committee is being formed to promote the byway and discuss ideas for amenities, and that interested people could contact DOT to get involved.

"In the meetings so far, we've had fantastic input in terms of people telling us what the highway means to them," he said. "We're very much impressed with the ownership that people have expressed."

As for the cold reception in the Copper Valley, Lozano said she couldn't speak for all the chamber members there. She did say that just maintaining existing roads is a big issue in the area. She also said some residents were wary of increased regulations to protect view sheds, others were wary of increased tourist traffic.

"Tourism was the only thing they could guarantee (the program) would bring in." she said, "But not everybody is in support of more tourism out here."