State wants road fixed, reopened

WASILLA — The state may have the last word about a controversial road swap proposed by the city.

The city’s plan to trade land for a portion of East Sun Mountain Avenue to provide access to a new large retail development along the Parks Highway frontage road is a no-go, with the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities ordering the city to repair and reopen the road by Monday.

The section of East Sun Mountain Avenue between the Windbreak Café and the new Sportsman’s Warehouse has been torn up for months while Meritage Development installed utilities to its planned Creekside Town Square complex.

The city had requested extending its timetable to repair the road by a year, but instead is granted enough time to fix it and open it to traffic again, says Kenneth M. Morton, utility section chief for the state DOT in a Sept. 25 letter.

In addition to concerns over disrupted drainage and the erosion created by it, Morton says the city needs to make sure the road and rock-lined ditch be “restored and maintained to its pre-construction condition.” The road runs along the north side of the Parks Highway and provides access to the Windbreak Café, Six Robblees and other businesses.

Wasilla Public Works Director Archie Giddings said that’s exactly what’s happening now. Meritage pulled up the portion of road on a city permit to run utilities to the Creekside development and is responsible for fixing the damage.

A telephone message left at Meritage Development for comment was not returned by press time.

Because East Sun Mountain Avenue was built by the state DOT using Federal Highway Administration funds, the state and city are limited in what can be done with the road, said Dianne Woodruff, a newly elected Wasilla City Council representative and member of the Mat-Su Borough Planning Commission.

“I’m betting that the frontage road [swap] is pretty dead,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to fly.”

The road will eventually be transferred to the city with maintenance responsibilities, but with conditions that it maintains its original purpose for its life, or about 20 years, Woodruff said.

“You can still work out some kind of arrangement to access, but that needs to remain a workable [road],” she said, adding had strong public opinion not been voiced, the city could still be planning to locate access through local business properties.

Bob and Annette Andres, owners of the Windbreak, have protested the proposed road swap and appealed to the state Attorney General’s Office to intercede in what they view as a deliberate attempt by city staff to harm their business in favor of a future development.

Giddings said the city wanted to trade the portion of road that runs in front of the future Creekside complex to alleviate traffic issues, not disrupt anyone’s business.

“We were just going to explore traffic options,” he said. “That whole block is going to stay the same. It’s going to open up soon for the winter.”

Woodruff said the city’s intentions were quite clear in the paperwork filed.

“They have shown all along in the plotting file [the alternatives], one of which included all the properties they wanted to go through,” Woodruff said. Without the public outcry, “I think the city would have continued to push … the road through those properties.”

That it appears the Windbreak and its neighbors may enjoy business as usual is good news to loyal customers.

Frank Hardy has eaten two to three times a week at the Windbreak for about three years.

“I really don’t want to see anything happen to this place,” he said, adding he comes back because “the steaks are killer.”

Sheri Ray has been a server at the café for three years and likes serving local people home cooking. She has been nervous reading there was potential for the eatery to be affected by the land-use decisions.

“I like it here,” she said. “It’s like family here. It feels down-home and the food’s good, too.”

As for Giddings, he said the city would continue to look for ways to make growth and development a win-win situation for all involved and affected by it. With the public whirlwind of support for the Windbreak, Six Robblees and the other businesses along East Sun Mountain Avenue, Giddings said city staff has listened.

“Any time you deal with someone’s land it’s emotional — and it’s important,” he said. “We’ve got the message from the public and we’ll just move forward.”