Proposition 2 good for Valley growth

All local elections have significance, whether electing local government/board representatives, or deciding various funding issues that impact current and/or future community living conditions. Next Tuesday’s election fulfills all the above. Some competitive elections and funding needs receive more attention and are more visible/publicized than others.

The road bond issue hasn’t been highly profiled, is it because it’s less important or less needed? I think not. I would contend it’s because the transit corridors and roads that we rely on every day are taken for granted. We don’t really know how they got there, we just know they are there and the ride is usually smooth and safe. We know there are problems but the “road people” will figure it out and eventually fix the major problem areas.

The Valley’s roads and corridors have seen some significant improvements during the past 10 years.

No matter where you live in our beautiful and spacious Valley, you’ve benefited from an improved Parks Highway through Wasilla, the new Trunk Road connecting the Parks Highway and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, the improved intersection at Knik-Goose Bay Road and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, the wider and safer Parks Highway passing through Willow up to the Kashwitna River Bridge and beyond, the Dogwood Extension in Palmer between the Post Office and Fred Meyer stores allowing alternative travel away from the quagmire on Evergreen Street to the Glenn Highway. Same with the improved Old Glenn Highway corridor out to the old bridge, and the Seldon Road extension to Church Road. In the not-too-distant future, much safer and more effective traffic flow along Seward-Meridian Parkway from the Parks Highway will be enjoyed by thousands of motorists. There are many other road and intersection improvements that have occurred as well benefiting various neighborhoods and districts.

However, as we also well know, the significant growth of the Valley, with continued projected growth for the next 10-20 years, means there are still problems that need to be addressed and solved. How often have you been backed up in traffic almost to Lowe’s on the Parks Highway from the Palmer Wasilla Highway intersection? Would you like to be able to bypass the Parks Highway through Wasilla by being able to take an almost straight route from Palmer to the Meadow Lakes area via a long Bogard-Seldon Road corridor? Every area of the borough has many needed and desirable future road improvements. While many may not have the major impact and visibility as some, none the less they are important, and all contribute to helping put the pieces together that fit our borough’s long term transportation plan…a plan which encompasses the entire Mat-Su Borough and will improve our community lifestyle and wellness overall.

Now, about taking all this for granted. To the general public, the roads, the overall traffic flows, the intersection efficiencies we’ve seen improved the past years, and we witness on-going now, are the final product, and it’s basically all we see. Yes, we live with the congestion and traffic problems, wondering and complaining/cursing (and as the bumper sticker highlights “praying”) why “they” can’t fix it now, why it wasn’t done sooner, etc., but eventually we see actions, albeit years late. Nonetheless, “problem” solved and we enjoy the safer traffic flow, the improved and safer pathways and improved routes.

What they don’t see are the years of pre-planning which were required to create and work the state of Alaska, Mat-Su Borough and city long range (10-20 year) and short range (1-10 year) transportation plans, and required funding, let alone all the engineering/planning, environmental studies, etc. that are required for every project, and are different depending on the funding sources.

Road improvements totally funded by local communities can be done the most quickly and for the least cost. However, few communities can afford to always do it alone. Usually, funding from state and/or federal transportation agencies are needed. As with local funding though, assistance through state funding sources allows for quicker and less expensive project completions than if federal funds are used. For any project involving federal funding, you can figure on the process taking at least 10-15 years. You can cut that timeline in half, or more, if just local and/or state funding is used.

What’s my point? We as a community have an opportunity to help ourselves, and sooner rather than later. In today’s (and probably tomorrow’s) economic environments, when state and federal funds are needed because of the overall size/cost of the projects, transit authorities make prioritization decisions based on which communities and states are willing to help themselves versus those that only are willing to meet their transit needs through “outside” funding. The Alaska Legislature has already stepped up to the plate and offered matching fund opportunities.

With the passage of Proposition 2, we can get a lot done without the use of federal funds. That means we’ll get more done and sooner. We will help create local jobs and support local businesses. We have the opportunity to leverage our local transit dollars and double the result. What we as a community approve, the state will match. Proposition 2 calls for local community support of $32 million for $64 million of road improvements. Not a bad deal.

The road bond package you’re being asked to vote on calls for roadway improvement in all districts in our borough. You may not personally benefit from each and every project that was reviewed/discussed/adapted by our borough assembly. But, as a whole and taken together, the traffic flow improvements and community enhancements can affect each of as we travel and live within the borough. All the projects in the package fit our borough’s long term transit plan so that 10 years from now, you, your family, and grandkids won’t have to travel only the same roadways we do today even after all the population growth continues. What a mess we’d have today if we only had the same roadways/intersections throughout the Valley just as they existed in 2000! You think it’s bad now.

There’s only one way to prevent it — we must make progress in working our long range transit plans. If we don’t start now we will just make matters worse for ourselves. Don’t take for granted the roads you travel today and will need and want tomorrow! Vote “yes” for the road bonds.

LaMarr Anderson is a Palmer resident a member of the Borough Transit Advisory Board.