The rest stop bathrooms near the Hope turn-off will remain open through the rest of this season despite budget cuts.
Governor Bill Walker announced last week that the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities would begin closing highway bathrooms within two weeks.
Soldotna Senator Peter Micciche said he began discussing the issue with DOT Commission Marc Luiken after concerned constituents contacted him about the possibility of that bathroom’s closure.
“The logic that I put forward is frankly we’re going to have ten thousand person weekends coming up with dip netting, the visitors and the people coming down for the personal use fisheries. We’re already short on facilities and I think it was going to shift the burden from Department of Transportation issue to a Department of Environmental Conservation issue because when people discovered the closed restrooms, ya know, the nicest way I can put this is they’re going to find another restroom source.”
Senator Micciche said that restroom is the only one in his district serviced by the Department of Transportation and threatened by the possible closures.
Additional solutions are being sought to keep the Hope restrooms open after September.
