Mat-Su paving the way

PALMER — Over the summer, $54 million worth of road projects are set to go out to bid.

“That is a big construction program,” said Joe Perkins, who the Mat-Su Borough brought in to help get the projects up and moving.

He said there’s enough work here that the borough’s public works department is going to need some help. The borough will be looking to hire a construction management firm to oversee the projects.

Half of the projects were part of a raft of voter-approved bonds. The state agreed to match that bond money with money of its own. The other half of projects will be constructed without any borough-issued bonds.

Perkins said the borough is consolidating some of the bond projects. The ones he mentioned at the assembly table Jan. 15 are:

• Caswell/Houston/Willow upgrades: The project would pave and upgrade Caswell Lakes Road, Hawk Lane and Willow Lake Drive. Perkins said it makes sense to bring all three under one umbrella because they’re all paving and upgrade projects.

• Machetanz Elementary School Access: The project would upgrade and pave the road used to access the school. Perkins said the project can’t be finished next summer because there are still right-of-way issues to work out, but pieces of it can go forward, including a costly bridge over the Alaska Railroad’s tracks.

• Sullivan and Caudill Road and Old Glenn pathway: The project would upgrade the two roads and extend the bike path along the Old Glenn at least as far as Sullivan Road. “From Sullivan on down to the river that’s going to have to wait until we can resolve the right-of-way problem,” Perkins said.

• Sutton Pathway: The project is possibly the smallest on the list and would build a pedestrian path from Sutton Elementary School to the Sutton Library, where it will tie in with a Chickaloon Native Village project to build a path from the Glenn Highway to the library.

• Clapp Road and Mack Road: The city of Wasilla has been pushing for this one for a while. The city has more or less completed the design and the borough will fund construction.

• Big Lake Intersections: Perkins said the state Department of Transportation didn’t seem amenable to the borough doing much work in its intersections, but said he thinks there’s an opportunity to fix some severe drainage problems at Hollywood road and South Big Lake Road.

• Knik River Road: The borough will pave the last mile of the road which, Perkins said, pleases DOT, and would prefer not to haul a grader all the way out there anymore.

• Bogard Road: The project is a big one and the plan is to extend Bogard until it connects with Arctic Avenue in Palmer. There is some money in hand from the state but not enough to finish it. Perkins said that the idea would be to do a piece in Palmer then go back to the state for more money. “I think it’s critical that we get the money spent that they’ve already given us before we ask for more.”

• Machen Drive: The plan to extend it to the Parks Highway will get finished this summer.

• South Big Lake Road Realignment: The borough convinced the state to turn loose of some money it had to upgrade the road. It wasn’t enough money to do what the state wanted to do but it is enough to straighten out the curves after the road passes Hollywood Road.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.