Wise planning vital to Valley's future

It’s no secret that the Mat-Su is an area in flux.

Rapid growth over the past two decades has transformed the Valley from a collection of sleepy small towns into a booming suburban area that’s beginning to rival Anchorage and Fairbanks as the state’s main population hubs. Demographers say that it’s only a matter of time before the area’s population tops 100,000 people.

This growth has resulted in a number of challenges and opportunities for our area. Several schools have been built in recent years, and more are likely on the way. There’s also been a number of high-profile road projects designed to help ease the rising level of traffic congestion on major arteries around the Palmer-Wasilla core area.

That’s why it was nice to see a demographic forum held here on Friday, during which several high-level social scientists engaged in a frank discussion about the changing face of the Valley. Those economists and demographers said a rising population combined with slumping state oil revenues could present a unique hurdle to our area’s future economic prosperity.

Local government officials would be wise to keep a steady watch on this developing situation. Slowed economic growth coupled with this continued population increase could spell problems in the form of unemployment and homelessness — issues that are already rearing their heads here.

Planning for future growth should be the top priority of our local public servants. When the initial wave of rising population first hit this area, city planners and other officials were slow to act, creating unchecked development that has caused certain parts of the Valley — downtown Wasilla being the prime example — to become congested and difficult to navigate.

If needs like better public transportation and improved roads are not addressed, we could see even larger problems crop up in the future.

We applaud efforts by those in positions of authority to address these issues, and we strongly encourage both public officials and private individuals to stay involved in the planning process. Although rapid development and economic trials will present major challenges, they also represent a massive opportunity for the Mat-Su to cement its status as a rising force in Alaska. How we plan to meet these challenges and opportunities in the next few years will likely define what kind of Valley our children live in during the coming decades.