Assembly Report for February 27, 2007

PUBLIC PANS KNIK ARM CROSSING IN LENGTHY PUBLIC HEARING: At a rare public hearing held on Tuesday night, the Assembly received testimony on amendments to the city’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) required by the Kink Arm Crossing project. Dozens of local residents expressed concerns ranging from traffic congestion, the impact of the $600M project on the availability of funding for other, needed road projects, to the effects the bridge would have on the Anchorage economy and property values. Favorable testimony was largely limited to comments from KABATA’s staff and Roger Jenkins. After taking three hours of public testimony, the Assembly continued public hearings on the matter until March 13th. In the meantime, the Assembly will receive written recommendations from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and AMATS technical committee.

Tuesday night’s public hearing came after the Planning and Zoning Commission (acting as a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to the local transportation planning organization) became the first major government body to flatly oppose construction of the Knik Arm Crossing. Last week, the Commission unanimously recommended that the LRTP not be amended to accommodate the project, an action which would effectively prevent use of some $96M in federal transportation funds for the project.

Before the hearing began, the Assembly rejected a challenge to participation by South Anchorage’s Chris Birch in the matter because he had attended at least one meeting of KABATA as a representative of a private company (his employer) who may bid on contracts let by KABATA for construction of the crossing. Following legal advice on the issue, the Assembly rejected an effort by Assembly Chair Dan Sullivan to prevent Planning and Zoning Commission Toni Jones from testifying unless she were "invited" to do so by a majority of the Assembly.

The Assembly may only make recommendations to the five member Local Transportation Planning Organization which in turn will decide if the LRPT will be amended to include the Project. In the meantime, the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) is rapidly moving ahead: A draft Environmental Impact Statement has been written and circulated for public comment; a preliminary economic feasibility study completed, and the Authority has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to private firms and investors to determine their willingness to fund and complete the project. Responses are due on March 13th: KABATA will select a single firm in early 2008 to finance, design, build, and operate the bridge for 55 years in exchange for the tolls it could collect from motorists using the span during that time.

According to KABATA’s Henry Springer, some 15 homes will be demolished on Government Hill order to accommodate the "cut and cover" route from the bridge through the neighborhood and connecting with the A/C couplet. Springer confirmed that KABATA is not looking for any more federal, state, or local funds for the project, beyond the approximately $90M already appropriated by the State from federal highway funds. For additional information on the projet, go to:
http://www.tesche.us/docs/Knik_Arm_Bridge_Fact.doc