Spectrum

The Mat-Su Borough leads the state in transportation planning and road building. While most residents are aware of our high ranking, a recent Spectrum (Howard Bess, Oct. 22) bemoaned the apparent lack of transportation planning. Because of this confusion a brief overview of the borough's transportation planning efforts is in order. As you will see, the mayor and assembly are proactive in transportation planning as well as implementing the plans through construction projects.

Our great strides in transportation began in 1993 when the assembly adopted the Transportation Planning and Programming Process. This action resulted in today's Capital Improvement Program that has helped obtain the major transportation investments we've seen over the last few years. Over the last eight years, our borough has received about $42 million per year -- more than any other municipality in the state with the exception of Anchorage. In 1997, the borough developed a computer-based transportation model, and the assembly adopted our current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The model was just updated, and it identifies new road improvements through the year 2015, including the $80 million Palmer-Wasilla Highway upgrade and east and west extensions of Bogard/Seldon. By the way, we are the only borough in the state with its own computer-based model, one indicator of our technical sophistication in transportation planning. We also lead the state in other categories as the accompanying table illustrates.

Other road improvements that are products of the model and incorporated in the LRTP include the extension of the Palmer-Wasilla Highway to Knik-Goose Bay Road, a project that recently opened; the current four-lane upgrade of the Parks Highway from the Glenn Highway to Big Lake Road; and the completed upgrade of Hollywood Boulevard from Knik-Goose Bay Road to South Big Lake Road. Other LRTP recommendations include public transit services (M.A.S.C.O.T.), emergency evacuation routes, airfields and bicycle/pedestrian paths. Indeed the current mayor and manager played pivotal roles in the creation of M.A.S.C.O.T.

The LRTP also incorporates the major transportation elements of individual community comprehensive plans; thereby providing an additional means of local input. A sampling of assembly-adopted community comprehensive plans with transportation elements include: Core Area Comprehensive Plan (update is underway); Big Lake Comprehensive Plan; Chase Comprehensive Plan; Chickaloon Comprehensive Plan; City of Houston Comprehensive Plan; Glacier View Comprehensive Plan; Knik-Fairview Comprehensive Plan; Lake Louise Comprehensive Plan; Petersville Road Corridor Management Plan; Sutton Comprehensive Plan; and the Talkeetna Comprehensive Plan. Also, representatives of the cities of Houston, Palmer and Wasilla regularly attend meetings of the Borough's Transportation Advisory Board to coordinate transportation projects and plans.

Besides the wealth of community and transportation planning, the mayor and assembly have provided financial resources to construct transportation improvements. For instance, Mat-Su is the only borough in the state with a local road paving program, and we pave about 30 miles per year. Port MacKenzie, a major transportation effort, should soon see the construction of a deep-water dock, paving of Point MacKenzie Road, and ferry system improvements. The borough is helping neighborhoods lower traffic speeds and improve safety with Traffic Calming design and construction funds. Developers are eligible for traffic design assistance through a $1 to $1 matching grant approved in last year's budget by the assembly. This grant was created by the assembly to help eliminate neighborhood traffic problems before they happened by providing assistance to developers during the subdivision process.

At the request of our Local Board of Road Supervisors, the mayor and assembly sought and obtained state and federal funds to improve substandard roads. Following the lead of the Chugiak/Eagle River and Wasilla Chambers of Commerce, the mayor and assembly took the initiative to form the Regional Transportation Planning Organization that now coordinates transportation planning in Southcentral Alaska for projects like the Knik Arm Crossing.

The borough also plans for other modes of transportation. The assembly adopted a boroughwide trails plan and instituted a vigorous trails program, where many miles of trails are dedicated to the public, such as the Iron Dog Trail. Other trail projects include the dedication of more than 250 miles of trails in the Lake Louise area and hundreds of additional miles in the Mat Valley, Upper Susitna, Willow and Big Lake communities. An airport master plan will soon "take-off" to address our local airports. The feasibility and design of Point MacKenzie ferry system is underway while a commuter rail feasibility study was recently completed. A new borough road map has been published. Many more examples can be provided but are not mentioned here since space is limited.

Due to the leadership and commitment of our mayor and assembly, Mat-Su has the best transportation planning and capital improvement effort in the state of Alaska. While more can be done, a quick look around will show that the plans have been completed and are being implemented as evidenced by the numerous road construction projects that are underway.

Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the borough's transportation planning efforts.

Sandra Garley is the Mat-Su Borough director of planning. John Duffy is the borough manager.