STIP Amendment 2 Comments

YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NEEDED:

Amendment 2 of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is open for public comment. The STIP directs state and federal transportation dollars for the next four years.

If we want to maximize the improvements to our community roads and safety of our residents and visitors, we need your comments by March 20 to support our community’s voice.  Click Cooper Landing area 24-27_STIP projects list to read about the items of our local interest now on the State of Alaska 24-27 STIP.  Some were not included in the previous versions of the STIP.

Use these suggested comments or consider the issues listed below when forming your own comments:

Suggested Comments for Amendment 2 of the 2024-2027 Alaska Statewide Transportation Improvment Program (STIP)

• The existing Sterling Highway MP 43-56 needs more than a thin overlay of asphalt or surface treatment to address its underlying deficiencies.
  • The scope of obstacles to safety and function that the current roadway design and condition causes is larger than a 1 R repave can address.
  • Substrate and drainage needs to be improved or corrected in areas where chronic issues exist.
  • Areas where no shoulder exists are unsafe. There is no space to pull over for emergency vehicles or to accommodate other road users.
• This section of roadway is unsafe for non-motorized users.
  • As a user of this corridor, I want to be able to travel by foot or bicycle between trailheads, businesses, and accommodations without fearing for my life.

Background Information for Forming Your Own Comments

• The proposed 2027 Sterling Highway MP 43-56 Pavement Preservation project is not specifically identified on the STIP. It is currently planned as a preventative maintenance project.
  • This project is currently planned as a 1 R repave project focusing on basic maintenance and minor preservation efforts.
  • A 1R project will not address the majority of the causes of recurring issues this section of roadway experiences.
• If the State of Alaska uses federal dollars to complete a 1R repave for the 2027 Sterling Highway MP 43-56 Pavement Preservation project it will not be able to apply federal dollars for subsequent projects on this section of road for at least five years.
  • By the next STIP cycle our town road may no longer be classified as an Interstate Highway, potentially reducing it to a 20-25-year maintenance cycle (instead of the current 10 year cycle) and reducing its priority for addressing the more complex safety obstacles it has and will continue to have, such as:
    • Safety for all travelers,
    • Substrate and drainage,
    • Shoulders and roll-out,
    • Bridge access for walking/biking/rolling,
    • Alignment including sight distance,
    • Landslides,
    • Lack of safe walk/bike/roll infrastructure throughout its length,
    • Rising maintenance costs from recurring issues,
  • If, however, the State of Alaska uses state dollars to fund the intended 2027 pavement preservation project, federal dollars can be used towards a 2R or 3R repave project. The scope of these projects is wider and can address the more complex safety obstacles that the current roadway design and condition causes.
    • A 1 R project is just a band-aid for our roadway.
    • A federally funded 1 R projec while applying a band-aid it almost certainly closes the door on real solutions hitting our town road for another decade.
    • A state funded 1 R project slaps improves the surface now (with the 2027 repave) but leaves the door open for real solutions to be planned and implemented around the same time as the Bypass project’s projected completion.