LETTER: Glenn Highway fiasco proves we need to be better prepared

To the editor:

The recent disruption on the Glenn Highway has generated some concern about interaction between the Valley and Anchorage. A morning radio host suggested that a temporary commuter train should have been activated to address the problem. I think that would be impossible to put together the logistic network to make that happen on short notice, I think calling attention to the frailty of the connection between the Valley and Anchorage is a good thing, albeit quite inconvenient for commuters. While this is hopefully a disruption of a temporary nature, the possibility of a more serious problem should be addressed. What if an earthquake or similar disaster brought down many or all of the overpasses on the Glenn? Parents with children in school or daycare in the Valley could be trapped in Anchorage and the children could be without anyone to look after them, especially young children. The Anchorage workforce, including those who work in various capacities on the military bases, could be unable to report to work for an extended period of time. I am sure this has been considered on a state, municipal, and federal level, but I am unaware of any solutions found. Some plan should be developed using air and water resources if one is not already in place.

On a simpler level, for small, temporary disruptions like the recent one, “X” connections should be installed on the Glenn to allow traffic to be diverted from one side to the other for a short distance instead of having to exit the roadway and travel through congested residential and business areas. I have seen these in other states and often wondered why such connections were not utilized in Alaska. They are simple paved or gravel “X” areas across the median at intervals controlled by locked gates. Public safety personnel can use those to divert traffic from one side to the other of a divided highway and make the unobstructed side of the highway a temporary “two-way street”. This would avoid the traffic situation just encountered and could be used for any major accident, safety issue, or major construction project where the safety of motorists and workers needs to be protected. I also think that the major hotels in Anchorage missed a major windfall during the latest disruption. I think if the hotels, which probably have many vacancies at this time of year between seasons, had offered special rates to allow Valley commuters the opportunity to avoid the commute for several days in a row during this problem, they could have saved much commuter inconvenience and made profit on empty rooms in the bargain. There could be a special rate for anyone presenting a driver’s license with an address in the Valley during the current transportation outage.

We should be better prepared for these transportation issues when so many people commute, and so much depends on people and personnel getting to their places of employment. Everything in Alaska may depend on it.

Don Hepler

Meadow Lakes