This draft bike and pedestrian walkway plan will guide upcoming construction

A proposed plan for new or improved pedestrian and bike access across the Borough’s core area and in Talkeetna is open for public comment as local officials and community advisors prepare to put it in action.

“The Mat-Su Borough’s Bike and Pedestrian Plan is one of the ways that we are working to provide a safe and effective way for residents to safely enjoy our beautiful Valley,” Borough Mayor Edna DeVries said in a statement included with the report. “Tourism and recreation opportunities are some of the Mat-Su Valley's greatest strengths; a safe and functional road, pathway and trail system will improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.”

The draft proposal is open for public input through April 30. Comments can be submitted via matsubikeandped.com.

The Borough is currently home to 2,000 miles of trails, including pedestrian paths, across 25,000 square miles and 25 communities, the report says. It mixes state, city and Borough-controlled roads. The Borough has no policy or law requiring pedestrian paths in new developments and there is no existing strategy on the books for improving non-motorized access across the area.

That’s something officials hope to fix with the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The draft proposal lays out a snapshot of the planning process, research, data, reasoning and next steps for approving construction or fixes for 67 pedestrian or bike paths, sidewalks, crosswalks or connections between existing paths. While it does include details on which projects have already been assigned funding and assigns priority levels, it does not lay out a construction timeline.

For example, the plan identifies a separated path along Palmer-Fishhook Road from the Glenn Highway to Hatcher Pass and Government Peak Recreation Area as a “near-term” priority, and notes that it’s paid for as part of a Borough bond package approved by voters in 2021. But a Meadow Lake Loop Road path, which would connect the Parks Highway to Pittman Road, is slated as a “mid-term” priority that could be funded as a part of the Borough's Capital Improvement Plan. Both locations are identified as “fast-growing” areas.

The plan also labels an improved pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Parks Highway and Palmer-Wasilla Highway as a “near-term” priority. That section, it says, is one of the busiest in the Borough and forces pedestrians to cross seven lanes of traffic. Funding for that project has not been slated.

The report also identifies locations of 103 reported pedestrian or cyclist accidents, injuries and fatalities between 2010 and 2019. While the number of documented incidents is “low,” the report notes, over 30% resulted in either a serious injury or fatality.

For example, between 2010 and 2019 a bike crash in the Palmer-Fishhook Road area resulted in a “possible injury or minor suspected injury,” according to the report. The proposed Meadow Lakes section has had three serious bike or pedestrian crashes including at least one fatality, the report states.

The plan also includes 14 recommendations for policy changes or next steps. Those include, for example, establishing a snow-clearing policy for paths and creating subdivision code that puts in place more stringent walkway construction requirements. Currently snow-clearing is sporadic while subdivision code does not require any walkways.

The plan does not address motorized use sections or improvement plans. Motorized use, including four-wheelers, snow machines and dirt bikes, is typically not permitted on paved pedestrian paths across the Borough.

Work on the Matanuska-Susitna Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan started last March with a steering committee meeting. The plan was produced under a contract by Fairbanks-based consultant firm RESPEC, which also has offices in Palmer.

Plan information and a variety of supporting documents can be found on Matsubikeandped.com.