Study on proposed trail linking Valley and Anchorage OKed in 2023 state budget

A study looking at just where to construct a pedestrian trail connecting Eklutna with the MatSu was given needed funding while a trio of other Valley trail projects were blocked by Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto pen just ahead of the 2023 fiscal year.

The $14.4 billion state budget dictates annual spending for all state agencies and services for 2023 and sets the next Permanent Dividend Fund payment at about $3,200. Alaska’s 2023 fiscal year runs from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. The budget was signed by Dunleavy late last month.

The Anchorage to MatSu connector trail is planned as part of the proposed Alaska Long Trial, a 500-mile corridor stretching from Seward to Fairbanks, and incorporating both motorized and non-motorized sections. The trail relies primarily on land owned by the state or Borough governments and connects a series of already constructed trails, like the southern trek of the historic Iditarod trail and the bike path between Girdwood and Bird Ridge.

But to make the Long Trail happen, organizers have to figure out the best method to link the MatSu and Anchorage, finding a way to shepherd users between the Glenn Highway, the railroad and Palmer Hay Flat marshlands. The state budget allocates a $300,000 reimbursable grant to the Anchorage Park Foundation to spearhead a reconnaissance study required by the state’s Department of Transportation before such a path can be officially proposed.

“If we don’t do this study there will never ever be a connection,” said Beth Nordlund, the executive director of the Anchorage Park Foundation. “I think people are excited to get the conversation going.”

Creating the trail infrastructure and connection with the Valley helps make the region an attractive destination for new residents, she said. She’s also hoping part of the project can connect by trail the Native Village of Eklutna and the rest of Anchorage.

“Doesn’t it seem like a particular injustice that the Native Village of Eklutna is considered to be a part of Anchorage and they’re not connected by trail?” she said.

Not all MatSu-based Long Trail projects OKed by the state lawmakers for the 2023 state budget made the final cut. Three were ultimately vetoed by the governor, including $100,000 for a Susitna winter-only motorized multi-use trail, $100,000 for a Palmer Hay Flats trail and $1.9 million for a pair of trails that would connect the Government Peak Recreation Area with the Skeetawk ski area in Hatcher Pass. All told, the governor rejected over $400 million in funding for various projects and programs.

“It’s a strike against visitors and residents being able to recreate more,” said Wes Hoskins, executive director of the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, which is headquartered in Palmer. “I think we want to see more outdoor recreation in the Valley.“