Knik Arm Bridge (KAB)
ACTION: Anchorage Assembly April 10th, 2012
The Anchorage Assembly will be making a critical decision for future of the Knik Arm Bridge! Make your voice heard by contacting your Assembly Members in Anchorage and let them know that no State or local money should go to the bridge in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP).
Despite what they've told the public, bridge backers know the project is not financially viable on its own and they're looking to our State dollars to back them up. The problem is that the bridge will suck up money from other road and trail projects in our neighborhoods.Besides your own Assembly representatives, the key votes are the 'moderate' Assembly members Ernie Hall and Dick Traini. Contact them here:
Ernie Hall
Phone: (907)562-2088
Fax: (907)561-6018
E-mail: halle@muni.org
Dick Traini
Voicemail: (907)343-4117
E-Mail: trainid@muni.org
Find out who your Assembly member is and how to contact them here.
ACE's View
The Knik Arm Bridge has not been constructed yet, but lively debate over its proposal is well underway. The proposal envisions a 2-mile span crossing Knik Arm just north of downtown Anchorage, connecting Point MacKenzie (in the Mat-Su Borough) to Anchorage.
The Knik Arm Bridge was originally conceived to support economic growth and commuter convenience, however detailed analysis by project boosters shows that the bridge would provide neither benefit. In fact, due to severely limited federal funding and the economic downturn disincentivizing private investment, it's unclear how bridge proponents plan to raise the $600 million - $1 billion the project is expected to cost. Additionally, most of the 11,000 commuters between the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage would find it more expedient and cost-effective to commute via alternatives such as commuter rail and/or ride share vans.
ACE thinks the bridge would pose a burdensome cost on Anchorage and Mat-Su Borough residents, with very few benefits. Furthermore, investing in the bridge would siphon funding away from other more relevant transportation projects - fixing our roads, for instance, and funding public transportation. We are in strong support of legislation that would enable the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) between the Mat-Su Borough and Anchorage to put more ride share vans on the road and explore more transit alternatives.
You can find out more about the Knik Arm Bridge by exploring the links on the upper left hand side of this page under 'In This Section' - including Frequently Asked Questions, the Environmental Impact Statement, Talking Points, and the Knik Arm Bridge in the news.
You can read more about public transit options between Anchorage and the Valley here.
And, visit this excellent website on the Knik Arm Bridge for extensive news updates and maps.
