Transportation department seeks input

The Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking public comment on a policy plan that is currently in draft form and available for review. The document is called "Vision: 2020," and is a statewide transportation policy plan.

"It's not a list of projects. It's a broad policy plan," said Marti Dilley who is the manager of the policy plan project for DOT. "This document provides the policies on which the decisions about individual projects will be made," Dilley said.

Vision: 2020 is designed to meet federal requirements outlined in the Transportation Equity Act, a law commonly known as TEA-21. Vision: 2020 -- sometimes referred to as the long-range transportation plan -- will provide the blueprint for the future of transportation in Alaska, according to a DOT press release. DOT will use the policies to select transportation projects for highways, aviation, marine highways, transit and pedestrian and bicycle facilities for construction across the state. The document has been in the works since 1996.

The draft copy of Vision: 2020 includes comments from the public. The comments run the gamut from a person who was so upset with DOT that they wrote "I am just not ready to work with the department any more on anything," to another who wanted a state transportation commission, to others who just wanted more input.

Some comments came to DOT in the form of petitions. One from the southeast village of Hoonah had 206 signatures and asked for more gravel roads to be paved over. The message from Hoonah said paving rural roads will reduce airborne health hazards, reduce maintenance costs and improve water quality and fish streams.

Many of the comments collected by DOT for Vision 2020 are directed at the public process so it is now possible to comment on someone else's comment regarding public comments -- and those comments are being encouraged.

When asked if she saw a potential for absurdity in this situation, Dilley defended the process.

"I don't see any absurdity in that. What you find is that we get a variety of comments," Dilley said. "Part of our thinking was we could sit down in our office and come up with a plan for how to involve the public or we can go out and ask the pubic how they would like to be involved … if we're erring on the side of involving the public too much, I'd say good for us."

The draft version offers a look back at the process of creating Vision 2020 that could make for productive dialogue in the final public comment period, according to Dilley

"It's not just you and me talking, but you also have the benefit of seeing what other people around the state have had to say," she said.

Vision: 2020 is in three sections, Policies and Objectives, Technical Analyses, and Public Comments. The public is encouraged to comment on the draft plan during the 90-day public review period which ends July 15. When asked if she thought DOT was better at taking public input today than 15 years ago, Dilley said she thinks the department is progressing.

"In general, I think we involve the public in our decision making and that's our intent," Dilley said.

People can view the draft plan at www.alaska.gov/vision2020, or call 1-888-PLAN-DOT (465-8953 in Juneau) to request a copy. Fax comments toll-free to 1-888-PLAN-FAX (465-6984 Juneau) or send e-mail to planning_comment@dot.state.ak.us. For text/TDD, call (907) 465-3652.