KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Knik bridge added to city transportation plan

Knik bridge added to city transportation plan

by Megan Baldino
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

ANCHORAGE, Alaska --The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority calls the Anchorage Assembly's 7-3 vote to recommend that the project be included in the city's transportation improvement plan a milestone.

Today the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions Committee made the final decision.

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich is on the committee and was not happy about the outcome. Begich said it could cost city taxpayers more money in the end.

"I think its not thinking about the future, it's thinking about how to do it cheaply," Begich said.

Begich's main beef with including the crossing in the AMATS transportation improvement plan is that he said it doesn't plan for future traffic congestion and doesn't include plans to connect the bridge to Ingra Street and Gambell Street, the main corridor in and out of town.

"The Assembly unanimously supported adding specific language about including the connection between Ingra and Gambell and this bridge because we don't want this traffic coming down the middle of Downtown and creating more traffic safety issues. The AMATS board took that language out and now in my view, they'll never connect," Begich said.

The mayor wasn't the only one concerned about the bridge plan. Three members of the public expressed their concerns that the project was getting pushed forward too quickly.

Lois Epstein with the Alaska Transportation Priorities Project said the bridge project needs to undergo more analysis.

"The Knik Arm Bridge, because of its size, cost and its widespread implications for the transportation systems in the region is really the 500-pound gorilla in the (Transportation Improvement Program) right now. The Alaska Transportation Priorities Project urges you as a body to delay including this project until all the consequences have been thoroughly analyzed," Epstein said.

KABATA spokesperson Mary Anne Pease said the mayor's concerns have already been looked at.

"This Kink Arm crossing provides not only an alternate corridor but also access from the port into the interior part of the state. I believe if Ingra/Gambell is needed and the traffic counts and everything else substantiated the project will go forward," Pease said.

When it came time to vote, Begich was the only person on the committee to vote no.

"They are just trying to do it as cheap as possible so they can say they did the project. Let's do it right for once in this community -- that's my point," Begich said.

Pease and KABATA are waiting for a consortium to continue studying the economics of the project to see if it's even financially possible. That study should be ready by the end of the year.

But if Begich is right, it could be decades before anyone knows how much the crossing may cost taxpayers in future road improvements. Begich also said he was concerned money put aside for the crossing is delaying work on currently needed transportation improvements in Anchorage.

Pease said any money not used for the project would go back into the pool for other statewide projects.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com