| 140 |
It
is about time that we moved ahead with this project. What can I do to
help? |
| 141 |
I
strongly object to the current design to extend Bragaw and Abbott Loop
into parklands and a quiet, rural neighborhood. As proposed it would construct
a bridge in Class A wetlands- flowing streams containing salmon. This
intrusion was rejected by the Corps of Engineers in the 1970s. Has something
changed? I further object to dumping 15,000 or more additional cars onto
Abbott Loop and a quiet neighborhood. The neighbors do not want this!
The people living on the Hillside who want a shortcut to the UAA-Medical
district should not burden this neighborhood for their convenience. Finish
C Street expansion before destroying another neighborhood. |
| 142 |
You
probably remember last year's weekly meetings sponsored by the East Anchorage
Study of Transportation to "inform" the public?Where are the
meetings now that the project is in its final stages and engineers are
using computer models to analyze the effects of different land use and
transportation assumptions?I understand the East study will be completed
in June. But key questions remain unanswered:1. Where is the traffic at
Lake Otis and Tudor coming from and going to?2. How do the Municipality's
land use assumptions affect Anchorage neighborhoods, parks, traffic, transit
and pedestrian movement?3. What land use and transportation alternatives
were studied by the East team?4. What mix of land use and transportation
changes will it take for people to comfortably ride the bus?5. How would
a Bragaw extension affect Tudor Road traffic?6. Where are the responses
to Anchorage Citizens Coalition comments as required by national environmental
law?Several meeting dates are posted on the East website, but none yet
for the official Citizens Advisory Committee. This schedule does not appear
to offer enough time to understand what will probably be complex information
and respond in a meaningful way.Even though the Bragaw extension is funded
with state bond money, the Municipality does not have to agree to its
construction. Engineers must first demonstrate that roads through Far
North Bicentennial Park will 1. Relieve traffic over the long term, 2.
Respond to comprehensive plan goals of reducing reliance on the automobile,
protecting neighborhoods and parks, cleaning the air, protecting fish
and wildlife populations. |
| 143 |
I’ve
spent some time walking in the Campbell Tract. It is a wonderful wild
area at the edge of town. Any road that crosses, or bounds, this area
should include special consideration for the ecology of the area, especially
wildlife. Enclosed is a chapter on wildlife mitigation. Please include
these ideas in your design considerations. I suggest you buy a copy of
the book and use it as one of your design texts. |
| 144 |
Because
of the adjacent north and south forks of Campbell Creek, and the PLI zone
on either side of the proposed Abbott Loop road extension, I would expect
the road (hopefully a parkway) would be free of immediate off-road development
except for permitted recreational development from East 48th all the way
to East 64th and then the BLM Campbell track would keep things under control
until one reached Abbott Loop. |
| 145 |
It
would be much better to upgrade Lake Otis and especially the Tudor/Lake
Otis intersection than to extend Bragaw to Abbott. Invest the money into
public transportation to get the buses running more frequently and people
will have an alternative to driving and we will all save money pollution
and open land. |
| 146 |
Although
I am conceptually opposed to cutting a road through what is now park and
undeveloped land I've come to the reluctant conclusion that additional
N-S access routes are a necessity for efficient traffic flow in east Anchorage.
I would strongly encourage engineering the roadway to minimize the effect
on the wetlands and the wild plants and animals that depend on that environment.
Recreational usage also needs to be respected in future development as
well. Elevating all or part of the roadway should be a consideration.
Also any and all commercial and/or residential development should be prohibited
along any new right of way. |
| 147 |
This
extension project should not be done for the following reasons. 1. Look
to Lake Otis to see the affects of road improvements have on traffic patterns.
As Lake Otis was widened and straightened it initially improved traffic
flow but that encouraged more development in the area which again increased
traffic and most especially at the Tudor intersection which was not sufficiently
upgraded to handle the increase in development that the improved road
encouraged. 2. In regards to the NIMBY issue. While the possible decrease
in commute times slightly improve the general publics quality of life
the location of a major collector avenue in a currently residential area
will have a large negative impact on the quality of life for residents
of the Abbott Loop community. When we label large decreases in the quality
of life a NIMBY issue one isolated community at a time we will find in
our near future that we will have decreased our quality of life as a whole.
3. Development has a symbiotic relationship with access. As one changes
it effects the other. At some point equilibrium is reached. If this project
is built the increased ease of access will bring more new development
in South Anchorage and more traffic. This in turn will lead to Bragaw
being fully extended in a piecemeal pattern as one extension puts pressure
on the public to develop the next. Study at any city that in 1960 was
the size of Anchorage today that has added more roads to solve its traffic
problem. It does not work in the long term view. 4. Once Campbell tract
is split by a road the effects are fairly permanent given current political
culture. Should the road fail to ease congestion it will not be removed
and the current open quiet space will be gone. This choice will effect
many generations to come. Not doing this now will still give future generations
the option to choose their own path. We should contemplate this with extreme
caution. 5. Lack of commuter tracking analysis? I may not know where to
look if it has been done. If it has not coordinate a mail out study with
DMV and employers tracking vehicles from home address to job. Also include
a commuter survey on you website and identify respondents by license plate
verifying home location if possible through DMV. Include a mapquest map
to show respondents their estimated route so they may correct it with
waypoints and expected stops (drop kids at school etc.) Include timing
of trips. Include route variations if the extension is completed. Advertise
the study heavily on radio during commuter traffic to increase commuters
response. Advertise number of people having completed the survey and the
total commuters in the study area (Lake Otis and Tudor) daily or weekly.
Get interviewed on the morning radio shows. Post results on web as a flash
graphic showing traffic flow over time before and after extension. Show
number or respondents vs observed traffic numbers. This kind of study
is expensive but so is what little open space we have available. It is
worth far more than money as we as a community will never be able to replace
it. 6. If it is being built regardless of community opinion it should
be a buried divided tunnel two lanes in each direction with emergency
lane and cross connects and substantial pumped drainage. The land that
is disturbed should be replaced in as natural a state as possible though
this may take time. This option though the most expensive saves the park
atmosphere and ecosystem though not the community of Abbott Loop. A utility
corridor could also be included for electric water sewer cable tv and
telephone. If it is too expensive then in my opinion it is not yet worth
doing. 7. Consider a similar tunnel proposition to be located between
Abbott and Hillside (going under hilltop parking lot and under Stuckagain
Hts rd) to Tudor and Muldoon or the Glenn HWY via Fort Richardson tank
trails. This option would create a loop with O'malley and Minnesota bypass.
it would need an interchange at O'malley and Seward Hwy to be fully effective.
Burying such roads through our parks is perhaps the only middle ground
to such a contentious issue. Thanks for reading this far |
| 148 |
It's
a shame that the general public spent its time to attend the September
15 public meeting only to have selected comments included in the meeting
minutes. Hopefully this was done in error although it might be said that
this was done to hide the fact that most of the public at this meeting
was against the project and had numerous concerns some of which are still
not answered. The no built option and what would happen to the bond that
were already sold for the project have never been answered. It will be
interesting to see at the next public meeting if all of the comment make
it to your web site or just the selected few that you would like. |
| 149 |
I
live south of Abbott at Jupiter. As traffic increases we find it very
difficult to access Abbott to travel west. We and all the roads south
of Abbott between Abbott Loop and Service need a frontage road to take
us to the light at Abbott Loop. Many times during the day and night access
is inconvenient at the least and often dangerous while accessing Abbott
across the east bound lane. With the extension proposed the traffic will
exponentially grow. Without a frontage road we will have to turn east
and do a u turn at the new subdivision, Sahalle (sp) to travel west. I
would like to hear your thoughts! |
| 150 |
Since
we can expect 5 lanes of traffic why not make the current Abbott Loop
Road a frontage road which will cause the least impact to residents (lower
speeds and no turn lane would be needed) and the east side a through road
for others to use. |
| 151 |
I
live on Abbott Loop work at Boniface and Northern Lights and am a graduate
student at UAA. Sometimes it can take up to 50 minutes to get to or from
work or class. PLEASE build this much-needed north-south artery. |
| 152 |
I
live in a neighborhood just off of Abbott Loop Road and pushing Abbott
Loop all the way through seems like the right thing to do. I am by no
means looking forward to the increased traffic etc. but there is a real
lack of connecting roads to the north side of the city in our area. My
concerns include:the elevation in street noise the lack of safe crosswalks
roadside landscaping that retains the feel of a woodsy area and adequate
buffer zones/crossing areas for wildlife namely moose (they have to get
around too). Thanks for your time. |
| 153 |
I
strongly believe that this north-south connection is needed to provide
Anchorage motorists pedestrians and trail users another option for travel
in this corridor parallel to Lake Otis and the Seward Highway. I believe
it can be designed and constructed in a manner that is compatible with
the adjacent land uses. |
| 154 |
Most
of the negative comments appear to be from homeowners who feel the extension
will negativly impacts their way of life. I live a couple hundrend yards
west of the extentions so I guess the impact is next to nothing compared
with what I've experience to date. I've lived in the area long enough
to pay off the house I had built here. It was the least developed part
of town back 18 years ago. Things change the city grows. I've walked and
skied the extension from the creek right next to the end of Bragraw straight
south to my subdivision. I'd love to see a green belt maintained around
THE CREEK. That's right I've walked that route and unlike some maps I
have seen published I did not have to cross a second creek? I pass through
the Tudor/Lake Otis light twice everyday. Something needs to be done to
help that situation and this appears to be the only thing. |
| 155 |
Build
it quickly please. I'm not getting any younger. |
| 156 |
I
oppose the extension of Abbott Loop Rd. The country-lane like feel to
Abbot Loop is the very reason we moved to this area. We enjoy the road
and its surroundings for biking and hiking and skiing and son't want to
it become another Lake Otis. |
| 157 |
This
project is very much needed. The savings in energy and reduction in air
polution by routing traffic from the hillside to east Anchorage instead
of using Lake Otis will be huge! This route needs to be an arterial capable
of handling the traffic that will use it in the coming years as Anchorage
continues to grow. Remember these are public lands and right of ways they
must be used to serve all the public not just be the private parks of
those that live by them. |
| 158 |
*
Commented previously- see #9. Abbott Loop Bragaw Extension is a State
Department of Transportation (DOT) project in a Municipal right of way-
The voters of the state approved $37 million in funding for the project
in last November's election. DOT is moving ahead at a rapid pace. Municipal
officials assured me this week that there will be opportunity for public
participation in the project development process. Keep an eye on the project
web site for updates. I will keep my finger on the pulse and keep you
informed of participation opportunities. Most recently fire station 14
opened over the weekend. The wildland fire trucks and gear will be stationed
there at Tudor and Campbell Airstrip Road. It will have good access to
Stuckagain Heights and areas to the north via existing roads. The Bragaw
extension -Abbott Loop would provide access to the Hillside for improved
fire protection. http://www.dowl.com/projects/ <http://www.dowl.com/projects/abbottloop>
abbottloop |
| 159 |
*
Commented previously- see # 48 & #142. Tonight, Assembly is holding
a special meeting at 5pm to hear public testimony on Anchorage's Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP or transportation capital budget.) Your testimony
is welcome. Assembly emails follow - also, brief comments on the Long
Range Plan Update.The TIP is on the web at http://www.muni.org/transplan/TIP.cfmThe
TIP is hard to read, and harder to understand. It is the major tool for
implementing Anchorage 2020, investing hundreds of millions of dollars
in Anchorage's roads, transit, trails, sidewalks, amenities and clean
air projects. This TIP is especially hard to read and understand because
it's been "fast-tracked." The final draft was made available
to the public last Friday and goes to public hearing tonight when most
people are paying attention to the holidays. The state precipitated this
fast-tracking this fall by reducing AMATS' budget by $28 million or almost
twenty percent.Here are some of the issues identified by the Anchorage
Citizens Coalition:… How will Anchorage evaluate the Bragaw/Abbott
Loop Extension against comprehensive plan goals?… |
| 160 |
Abbott
Road is already a problem. It is congested and there are many accidents
in part due to the condition and design of the road. To dramiticly add
to traffic on Abbot Road via the Abbot Loop extension before improving
Abbot Road is extremely poor planning on the part of the city. |
