The last of three Alaskan open house/public hearings on the Cooper Landing Bypass was held in Soldotna Wednesday night.
Rick Moore spoke about the trials of the current road as a semi truck driver.
Moore: “We pull the doubles through there and we can’t keep the trailers in one lane on some of these curves and if you get one car that comes six inches over that double line, what do we do? We either hit the guys head on or we go off the road to try to miss them. It’s a no win situation.”
Some topics he pointed out for the project team to address included which sections they put passing lanes and choosing a route with a less steep incline.
Moore: “Literally mile 52 of the Seward Highway is a 7% grade and I believe most of Turnagain on the way to Anchorage is also a 7% grade. And so what I’m trying to get these guys to do if they are designing a new road, get that grade around a 4%, it’s a little bit longer but that will stop the trucks from spinning out, meaning we lose traction there where we have to stop in the middle of the road to put chains on.”
Project Manager Kelly Peterson with the Department of Transportation said despite different communities’ opinions about which route to take, one thing was common at all three public hearings.
Peterson: “What we’ve heard is the river is the most valuable resource in the area and any alternative that would take the highway away from the river would be preferred.”
On April 30 the team comprised of some of the representatives from the State DOT, Federal Highway Administration, Chugach National Forest, and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge will travel to Washington D.C. for a public hearing in accordance to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).
Peterson: “Now is the time that the public needs to weigh in with their opinions, right now is when their opinions can sway and influence the decision, we really need public input. This project is about values and different people value different resources differently. As a team we’ve been coordinating with the agencies with jurisdiction legally over these resources but the agencies with jurisdiction are there protecting public lands and we need to hear the values of the public so it’s very important to get your comments in by May 26th.”
Those interested in commenting on the Sterling Highway milepost 45-60 Project can visit their website.