We want commuter rail within Anchorage

We need a better transportation system in Anchorage. Whether you live in Anchorage or are one of the many other Alaskans who depends on Anchorage for goods and services you cannot find elsewhere, you have probably sat in long traffic jams, had a close call while bicycle commuting, or been uneasy walking down a street with no sidewalk.

We need to improve our infrastructure so that it will work for us in 2050--instead of taking our inspiration from 1950. That isn't working anymore.

It is a pain to get around by car because of high gas prices and congestion.  At the same time it is a challenge to utilize mass transit or travel by bicycle or on foot because much of our infrastructure is unsafe or unworkable.

The Highway to Highway proposal, as originally conceived three decades go, would build a physical link from the Glenn Highway to the Seward Highway to ease traffic congestion. Although this project is at least 10 years away, we want to make sure that if it is built, it would prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and commuter rail.

We also want to ensure that the project would connect neighborhoods rather than dividing them. Sustainability depends on socioeconomic factors as well; any project of this magnitude should make it easier for our middle and lower income families and young adults to live and work in close proximity.

ACE submitted comments in August on the draft Purpose & Need statement for the Highway to Highway proposal, and expects to see the second draft later in October. The Purpose & Need Statement should reflect a vision of a transportation system that will move people and goods, not “traffic.”

In order to be relevant in 10, 20, 100 years, this project must be designed in tandem with our comprehensive plan, Title 21 rewrite, bike and pedestrian plans, People Mover service improvements, and the new Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

As the world comes to grips with the reality of peak oil and is forced to shift transportation and land use patterns as a result, Anchorage’s midtown and downtown neighborhoods will likely become denser, but commuter vehicle traffic will decrease. Commuter rail and non-motorized features are part of the solution.