Contributed by Barb Doty, Assembly District 6 Representative
Tired of waiting in line to get out of your subdivision, or strategizing on how to best get across town to get your weekly groceries? Rural, frontier or core area, we are all suffering from community growing pains and the inability of our road infrastructure to keep up. Here’s a chance to weigh in!
October 2nd, Mat-Su voters will vote on whether to support bond issuance for road improvements identified by the Mat Su Borough Planning and Capital Projects staff. The road improvement list was finalized based on cost, public safety and positive impact to improve connectivity across congested areas. The list includes school safety corridors, Hemmer Road, Herman Road, Aspen Ridge Road, Cheri Lake Drive, South Trunk Road Extension, Tex-Al Drive, Seldon Road/Beverly Lakes, Katherine Drive and Smith Road Extension. Specifics are available online at the MSB website: www.matsugov.us and search “Road Bond Question on October Ballot”.
The road improvement list focuses on road upgrades in areas of both existing and newly-expected traffic congestion such as access roads to our new shopping mall and housing expansion in Wasilla by Sportsman’s Warehouse, connectors between Wasilla and Palmer Fishhook to Trunk Road, and access roads to our two new skilled nursing facilities and their associated senior housing development.
The proposal is a 50/50 bond package with a requirement that 50% match money be found before any road bond is issued. Cost to an MSB property owner would be $19.50 for every $100,000 in property value. The borough manager and capital projects director commit to seeking out all match funds that could be made available with cost-effective bonding sources, including federal, state, road service area, and private match.
For those of us that live more remotely within the Borough, the benefit of this bond would be easier access and efficiency getting through town to our destination, whether that be to commute to work, shopping or getting our car repaired. The downside, of course, is cost and the question of whether we can find matching dollars to implement the specific road project.
This road bond package contains road improvements in all districts of our community, with emphasis on areas of high use, safety concerns or traffic delays due to congestion. The goal is to improve access to needed goods and services and for work commutes and to keep our school children and pedestrians safe.
Out of town October 2nd or unable to get to your polling site? Stop by any time after September 16th at the Alaska Division of Elections in Wasilla, 1700 E Bogard (Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm (close early Oct 1) and Saturday, 10am-3pm) or vote at the main borough building in Palmer, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Remember, the deadline to register to vote is 30 days before election day, but you can also register on-site with a question ballot.
Don’t know your polling site? Check out the Division of Elections website or call 373-8952.
Public input is the foundation of good governance. Please make the time and encourage your friends and colleagues to get out and vote!