KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Anchorage residents show opposition to proposed highway routes

Anchorage residents show opposition to proposed highway routes

by Channel 2 News staff
Monday, November 2, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Coordinators of the Highway2Highway project received a 200-page report of public opposition to the proposed routes for the project Monday.

Sen. Johnny Ellis and Rep. Berta Gardner delivered the record of opposition to the office.

It consists of public comments from homeowners and citizens of the affected areas, as well as resolutions from community councils.

Ellis says many people are concerned about a route destroying their neighborhood.

"If the Highway2Highway folks get back on a reasonable route that does not destroy neighborhoods, I think that the discussion will calm down, but for right now people are up in arms," Ellis said.

"The comments are always kept in a format that can be used by decision-makers. At the end of the day there will be some decisions made on what alternatives should advance into the environmental impact statement study process and that's a decision that'll be made early next year," said Jim Childers, the H2H project manager with DOT.

The H2H project aims to connect the Seward and Glenn highways.

Currently, there are seven proposed routes, including one that slices through Russian Jack Springs Park, and another that cuts along Merrill Field and splits the Rogers Park neighborhood.

Construction of the project is expected to start by 2014.