Road construction gets state fair a bit off course

The theme for this year's Alaska State Fair is "Home Grown Fun." So far, at least in terms of organization and traffic, there seems to be a lot of home grown, and not so much fun. The fair is one of the largest events hosted in the Valley each year, and since the Iditarod is no longer an annual sure bet, the fair and the Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival are the two guaranteed big draws in our neck of the woods.

It's important for the entire community to help put a good face on the fair. This year, communication between the state fair administration and some outside agencies was somewhat slower and less complete than in years past, and it led to some confusion in a few instances. The judging of at least one competition was delayed as a result. Some of the fair's vendors ran into difficulty, as well. There was some confusion about the vendor fees, and many vendors had to wait in long lines until the issue was resolved. In the end, the issue was resolved, but not before some tempers flared, and not without a considerable -- and unnecessary -- delay.

Despite what seemed like a less-organized administration this year, the Alaska State Fair did begin on schedule, and fairgoers are turning out in large numbers once again. The administration deserves credit for resolving the issues so that much of the trouble was invisible to the general public.

What hasn't been invisible to the public is the traffic situation. While the city of Palmer has said the closure of Evergreen Avenue would not disturb fair traffic, that hasn't proven entirely true. After the opening night fireworks, traffic was directed all the way out to East Arctic Avenue. Along the way, many motorists were funneled onto South Valley Way. When those motorists reached the intersection with Evergreen, they were directed to continue on toward E. Arctic. Many of them chose to ignore the flag person, and turned onto Evergreen, driving past the large "Road Closed" sign. The woman directing traffic was left to shrug her shoulders.

Compounding the traffic situation is the fact that many streets that are more critical to fair traffic, such as Fireweed Avenue, were supposed to be back in operation before the fair began. Fireweed is still a mess, and that limits traffic options further. When fair traffic is most heavy, such as at the end of a fireworks show, it is clear that people unfamiliar with Valley roads are confused about the best way to navigate their way out of Palmer. It's not the welcoming climate fairgoers have come to know for so many years.

It's also not surprising that some of the business owners on Evergreen are unhappy with the current situation. As Palmer becomes the focal point for intra-state tourism over the next week, their businesses have become less-accessible, and less-appealing, as a result of the road work. While the fair is the main attraction, it's right to recognize that other businesses also count on the increase in traffic during this brief period. It's hard to say how much those businesses will suffer, but the city of Palmer certainly hasn't done them any favors this fair season.

The fair will go on. It will be a success, and the people who organize it and support it deserve a great deal of credit for that. We only hope the lessons learned from the glitches experienced this year won't be forgotten.