Valley share of state budget: $241 million

MAT-SU — When all was said and done Monday at the end of the Legislature’s 2013 session, $241 million in the state’s capital budget will impact the Valley.

The Mat-Su Borough puts that tally at $143 million, likely choosing not to include the gigantic $95.2 budget item for further work on the Susitna/Watana hydroelectric dam.

“We’re very appreciative of our legislative delegation delivering great projects for our residents,” borough manager John Moosey says in a press release.

So what’s in that budget, then?

Probably the biggest project listed therein — that doesn’t involve a massive power-generating dam — is $29 million to upgrade the Parks Highway from Mile 43.5 to Mile 53.3. This is the project that expands the highway from two to four lanes from Lucus Road to Big Lake Road.

The next largest line item is a $25 million infusion of cash to the Point MacKenzie Rail Extension project.

The borough says that the money will work on the two segments of the extension closest to where it meets the mainline in Houston. So far, the project has consisted of building up embankments on which to eventually place rails, but this latest chunk of cash will do actual track work where it connects to the mainline.

“The rail link makes mineral deposits and bulk resources of the Interior 141 miles closer by rail to a deep draft dock,” according to the borough.

The next largest appropriation is $8.2 million to begin construction of the Bogard Road Extension, which will finally construct the last piece of the road, allowing it to run all the way from Wasilla to Palmer and connecting with the Old Glenn Highway into the Butte.

“This project will also help reduce traffic on the Glenn and Parks highways. Construction begins this summer and will occur in phases. The project needs $11.3 million to be completed,” according to the borough.

The borough press release also touts funding for fisheries, including $2 million to enhance salmon fishing in the area, $2.5 million for fishery protection here and $2.5 million to help work on the Susitna River drainage system.

“There’s no question that our salmon runs are in very unfortunate shape, and there’s people who want to do things about that and correct it,” Borough Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Larry Engel says in the release.

Also in the budget is $2.5 million for river management, something people in the borough have been clamoring for since flooding last summer

The budget also contains money for the borough’s three cities. Houston got a total of $1.4 million, including $623,253 for Cheri Lakes Drive improvements and $25,000 for its fire training facility.

The city of Palmer got $9.39 million, including $1.8 million for an aerial firefighting truck and $3.5 million to extend its water lines in the Bogard Road area. The largest appropriations, though, were a combined $4.09 million in a pair of line items aimed at replacing city water mains.

The city of Wasilla scored $4.5 million in two earmarks — $1.5 million to pave gravel roads and $3 million to improve the city’s sewage treatment plant.

Some of the smaller, more unusual line items come in at the end of the budget and are directed at local nonprofits rater than governments.

The Big Lake Chamber of Commerce, for instance, wound up with three line-items, including $27,000 for a pavilion at Fish Creek Park, $10,000 for upgrades to Jordan Lake Park and $5,000 for an ice fishing program for kids.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.