Little feedback at bridge hearing

October 22, 2006

By Michael Rovito/Frontiersman

WASILLA - During a sparsely attended public hearing for the proposed Knik Arm bridge Wednesday, officials from various organizations involved with the project tried to squelch fears and misunderstanding of the project some say will be a catalyst for development in the Mat-Su Borough.

Set up in the lower level of the Best Western Lake Lucille Inn, large maps and aerial shots showing possible locations of the bridge and how it will affect current development held the attention of the few residents who showed up. Members from the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority sat in front of a mostly empty room set up for public comment. Officials from RISE Alaska, HDR Alaska and other firms, said the general trend they have noticed is for Anchorage residents to be all for the plan, while many residents of the Valley express their doubt on the project.

When built, the Knik Arm bridge will join Port MacKenzie and the Port of Anchorage by a roughly two-mile bridge. Officials from the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority have said the bridge would benefit both Anchorage and the Valley by easing congestion in the Anchorage Bowl and helping to spur development in the area around Port MacKenzie.

While some residents are still skeptical about the impact of a bridge, others are embracing the idea and anxiously awaiting its arrival. Harry Reed, a Wasilla resident with Trans-Arctic Enterprises, an agent for Carolina Mat Incorporated, which offers products such as construction mats, deck mats and road and log mats, among others, said the company is very interested in the area around Port MacKenzie for a possible business location.

&#8220We think it would be a hell of a help for the business,” Reed said, adding that he doesn't see transportation costs in Alaska coming down anytime soon.

With a bridge spanning the Knik Arm, Reed said, his company could recoup valuable time and money lost when shipping supplies from Outside to Alaska. Not only that, but other companies that use the rail system for transportation would benefit from time saved during shipping, Reed said.

&#8220We don't think we're wrong on this,” he said.

Wednesday's meeting seemed to lack the naysayers some officials said have been present during Valley meetings. Most residents in attendance voiced much of the same feeling: &#8220Stop talking about it and do it.”

But they'll have to wait a few more years, as construction is slated to begin sometime in 2010, according to Duane Hippie of HDR Alaska.

Contact Michael Rovito at 352-2252 or michael.rovito@ frontiersman.com.