| Comments 75-96 - September 16-17, 2003 |
| 75 | I wanted to add my support for the Abbott Loop extension. The traffic on Lake Otis is terrible and this extension would help to alleviate some of the congestion. |
| 76 | 1st
STATEMENT: called on 8-29-03, to say he strongly supported the construction
of the ALE project ASAP. The staff presentation at the Abbott Loop Community
Council meeting was great and we need to present the same information
in the same format at the rest of the meetings we plan to hold. He was wondering if the East West grid of local streets between Lake Otis and Abbott Loop (72nd, Lore, 80th, 84th, 88th) would also be constructed soon? I noted we were not working on the effort and he should contact the Traffic Director to get the latest information. Ivan supported the informal street grid in this area. He is serving as the chairman of the transportation committee for the Abbott Loop Community Council, and strongly supports this project. It looks like its going to go this time. 2nd STATEMENT MADE AT MEETING, 9/15/03: Urge establishment of outdoor/wetlands/uplands lab w/beginning(s) on 80 acres between 64th/Dowling and west of Bragaw Extension w/trails/projects extending to east side of extension going to newly acquired 27 acre parcel traded to Abbott Loop Community and then to BLM science center area. 1) Potential/motivated participants believed ready to help: a. Alaska Pacific University- Prof. Rusty Meyers- Environmental Sciences and grad teacher student studies who can help w/trail/project areas planning; b. Anch. Bor. Sch. Dist.- K thru 12 + teachers, e.g., Kasuun Et., est. 50,000 pupils in Dist. Supt. Comeau very positive; c. Anch H2O ways Council- Holly Kent, Ex. Sec Positive ; d. BLM Science Center- Program administrator/ ed. spec. have expressed strong support; e. Municipality of Anch.- Thede Tobish-Sr. Planner- a key; f. Abbott Loop Community Council Parks Comm. Ch. should be involved- program connected w/ALCC area and Parks Committee-Steve Mason; g. U of A- Science/biology/environmental resources and teacher training. Should be supportive but not contacted. |
| 77 | Please make the new road wide and with side walks on both sides of the road. |
| 78 | 1st
Statement, 9/18/03: The following was submitted to the Anchorage Daily
News... Not in our neighborhood! I believe that we the theme of the Public
Scope Meeting regarding the Abbott Loop/Bragaw Street Extension last night
at the Kasuun Elementary School. The meeting a presentation by the Alaska
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities with assistance from
the DOWL Engineers promoted the building of a connection from Tudor Road
to Abbott Road. During the presentation they admitted to relying heavily
on the East Anchorage Study of Transportation that was recently completed.
This meeting strongly promoted the development of a traffic pattern from
Tudor Road through to Abbott Road. This idea flies in the face of the
East Anchorage Study which identified the need for help with the east/west
traffic problem here in town. The majority of those in attendance said
with a strong voice that any construction needed to tie into the Dowling
Road project thus allowing traffic to funnel onto either Lake Otis or
the New Seward Highway. Instead DOT/PF and DOWL Engineering want to dump
up to 10 000 (yes that's right ten thousand) vehicles a day onto Abbott
Loop and into a residential area. Further even with changes to Abbott
Loop (I hesitate to say improvements to) there is no way that the intersection
with Abbott Road can handle that. I agree with the sentiment Not in our
neighborhood please! Now for some additional thoughts... I understand
that scenario 2 has little or no change to Abbott Loop. Therefore with
no reservation if the extention is to be built then scenario 2 is the
only appropriate option. Look the way I see it is that the residents of
the Abbott Loop area don't want to be overrun with vehicles. You'll just
be turning it into another Mt. View or Fairview area of town. You open
up a roadway allowing access and boom the crime rate goes up and you have
vehicles exploring the area that otherwise would have no reason for coming
into the neighborhood. Won't you please just run the Tudor extension through
to Dowling thus allowing it to disperse or drain off onto either Lake
Otis south or the New Seward Highway south. Both of those roadways are
already set up to handle larger flows of traffic. Why do you have to intrude
on our neighborhood under those existing conditions. Why reinvent the
wheel when the existing options will more than handle the increase in
road traffic from Tudor. During the meeting you said that the traffic
count of 30 000 vehicle a day on Lake Otis was taken between Tudor and
Dowling. I pointed out that I drive Lake Otis daily at peak and slow times
of the day and believe there is really very little traffic on Lake Otis
south of Dowling. I believe that you even admitted that in the meeting.
Please keep the extension out of a neighborhood/residential area. There
will of course be some cut through traffic from the new extension onto
Abbott Loop but obviously that would be significantly less that a straight
dump onto Abbott Loop. Over the past 4 years that I've lived just off
Abbott Loop the main concern for Abbott Loop has been adding a walkway
along the side of the road for pedestrians to either walk or ride bikes.
Really that's all we'd like to see done to Abbott Loop. Please don't make
a wrong choice by extending the project through to Abbott Road. Take the
money that you would spend for that southern part of the project and put
it to use with longer bridges over the wetlands (and maybe a footpath
along Abbott Loop). 2nd Statement, 9/20/03: Thank you for taking my comment. I feel that in light of the front page of the Anchorage Daily News on Saturday September 20th it was necessary to post another email. Thanks to Gov. Murkowski it is now obvious that his interest lies in a larger serious connection between Boniface Parkway and Dowling Road. I am sending him an email also thanking him for entering into the controversial road project debate. Again I ask you to forget about any extension to Abbott Loop. It is not necessary and is not appropriate for such an increase in traffic through a residential area! As a matter of fact you should be seeking ways to prevent traffic from flowing into the residential area instead of encouraging it. Thank you for dropping your plans of making it a Bragaw to Abbott Loop project and for keeping your focus where it should be... Boniface Parkway to Dowling Road. |
| 79 | What kind of tragedy will it take in this community to finally instill a dose of common sense? It is morally reprehensible to continue avoiding the inevitable extension of Bragaw Street south of Tudor. Each time an ambulance has to work the current circuitous route from the Abbott area to the hospitals another life is endangered. Each time a patrol car has to travel a 3 mile arc through increasingly busier intersections rather than a 1 mile straight shot to the area one has to consider what might have been. To continue to promote this irresponsible travesty in order to appease a handfull of skiers is to cast shame on us all. |
| 80 | 1) It is unfortunate that the legislature circumvented the normal municipal processes on the project. It was a back door approach that has left a bitter taste in Abbott Loop resident’s mouths. Do not assume that a 67% vote on the entire bond package means that 67% favor the Abbott Loop Extension project: like school bond packages, voters are forced to take some bad with the good. I voted against the bond package because I thought that the approach was disingenuous. 2) I do however support the Abbott Loop extension. My husband works at UAA and the savings in time (and frustration) of not having to drive the Abbott Road/Lake Otis/Tudor Junction nightmare- 36th Street route will be wonderful. It will also facilitate our escape out of town on weekends to the North. 3) In order to avoid dumping large amounts of traffic through North to South Anchorage into our neighborhood via Abbott Loop Road, I would recommend that the Dowling Extension/Abbott Loop intersection be made the major, 4-lane road with off/on ramps connecting to Abbott Loop. In otherwords a major overpass interchange. Avoid stoplights and, please, No roundabouts. 4) I think planners are underestimating the increase in traffic that will flow out of the local neighborhoods onto Abbott Loop Road once it is connected to Tudor. My neighbors and I avoid Abbott Loop now because it goes no where and is substandard (no shoulders, frost heaves and roller coaster hills) especially in the winter. But once we are linked to Tudor Road we will use it almost exclusively to head north. Add traffic from the Hillside heading to work or play and we need a major rebuild of Abbott Loop Rd south of E 64th. Your scenario of a 3-lane road is good but a minimum for safety. (Plan ahead. This is the time to consider a 4-lane with shoulders, especially if the road will extend south in future years to O’Malley. I think the basic question needs to be answered: Are we planning this to facilitate local neighborhood traffic only or are we designing this for a major north-south traffic corridor for the Municipality of Anchorage? Will there be controlled accesses now or future?) 5) I am not clear on the consequences of the Dowling Intersection. If it will funnel traffic off Tudor from the north, where are those vehicles going? Will they turn south onto Lake Otis or continue to New Seward through the proposed roundabout? Not being a “Mall” person, I find it difficult to believe that people from North Anchorage would want to go to Dimond Mall as stated during the public comment period. I don’t think we want to dump more traffic onto the southbound Lake Otis at Dowling and then onto Abbott Road/ Dimond heading for the mall. 6) What is the “cut-off” traffic flow for a two-lane versus a three-lane versus a four-lane roadway? Abbott Road currently has 12,000 vehicles per day. How many vehicles per day does Abbott Road or Abbott Loop “need” to warrant an upgrade to three or four lanes? It’s difficult to pull out onto Abbott Road from Cathedral at 7-8 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. as it is. Crossing over traffic is impossible. Will turning north onto a redesigned Abbott Loop from 88th be a similar problem? 7) As you can see my comments have conflicting concerns: I want both good access out/and/into my own neighborhood but I do not want an increase in traffic into neighborhoods streets from opportunistic /through travelers. |
| 81 | For 7.5 years I commuted from mid-Hillside to UAA area and in that time I figured out that at a minimum the absence on not having Bragaw put through wasted- that is unnecessary added commute time- between 1.5-2 weeks of my life spent needlessly on Tudor Road and the beloved Lake Otis/Tudor intersection. Simply put it’s the most needed capacity improvement in the Anchorage Bowl. And it’s been that way for 10 years. It’s absolutely STUPID that traffic must drive east to Lake Otis or Seward and then come back west a similar distance because the final destination is the UAA/Regional Hospitol area or out Muldoon. This non-link adds time, extra traffic, and untold extra gas consumption to the traffic “system.” It is NOT true that the Bragaw extension will go “through” Bicentennial Park. It is at the boundary of the Park and the 4 lanes are already built alongside the Anchorage municipal buildings. I live in the neighborhood greatly impacted by the South Anchorage High School. It is amazing to me that Elmore Road (Bragaw by any other name) was a small 2 lane neighborhood collector is being built into a major street when we can’t get Bragaw should probably be planned to be put through from Glenn to Dearmoun over time. Finally, for those folks who want to battle putting the extension through, that battle was lost when the Native Regional Hospitol was located on Tudor and maybe even more activity around Providence and UAA in the last 15 years. The traffic pattern must serve origin and destination driven land use along East Tudor. To accept the land use and then not allow road to serve it is to keep our head in the sand for more than 10 years. Bragaw should be built as the major arterial it is, with good bike lanes and sidewalks. It’s the land use issue I’ve felt strongest about. May folks who disagree with this analysis try 5 pm traffic on Tudor on one of those many days when an accident has shut it down to 1 lane. Please don’t study this for another 3 years. |
| 82 | I attended the meeting held Sept. 15, 2003. I question whether this project has merit at this time except to spend the bond funds and hope it all turns out well! Until two questions are answered and their plans in place, this project should not go forward; it only will serve a traffic function equal to its cost if the Dowling Extension is in place- otherwise you have disrupted the lives of all who live along, and use, Abbott Loop Road, and their sense of a rural setting, for no good reason. Secondly, if the overall plan will soon be to connect the Glenn and Seward Highways via Abbott Loop Road and Elmore Road, that idea needs to be on the table for discussion before this project gets further along and funds spent. It is premature to go forward at this time with these “unknowns” and a waste of funds. |
| 83 | Please take into account increased traffic noise for property owners near Abbott Loop Road. Is some type of noise abatement, such as earth berms or cement walls, planned? If not, is noise abatement possible? |
| 84 | I live on the northwest corner of Abbott and Abbott Loop. My number one concern about this project is: How will I get out of my driveway, which exits on Abbott Loop? Even today, especially in the a.m., it is difficult. There is a signal at this intersection which backs up traffic on Abbott Loop. |
| 85 | Our biggest concerns are: 1) The increased noise level to the neighborhood; 2) The increased traffic on the side streets like E 67th and the speed that the vehicles will be traveling. |
| 86 | First, I would like to note that I am against this project. I would rather conserve Far North Bicentennial Park in a natural state, because I cherish the wild character of this part of Anchorage. I was dismayed to hear your company declare that the project is “the will of the voters”, with 66% voting for the project. As I recall, the Abbott Loop extension was one of many projects presented in a large, all-or-nothing bond package. The voters did not have an opportunity to vote on this project alone. But, as it appears that the Abbott Loop extension is inevitable, I would like to comment on three specific issues in hopes of influencing how the project is done. My major concern with this project is that it will spur further development along the east side of Abbott Loop Road, and in Far North Bicentennial Park. Our elected officials must take firm action to ensure that this does not happen! Our families need wild, natural areas in Anchorage, and we must conserve this land for personal recreational use (i.e. no more ballparks here, either!) It has repeatedly been demonstrated that road projects such as this, which are originally designed to alleviate traffic congestion, ultimately make traffic congestion even worse when housing developments and business districts spring up around them. I think it will be important for the portion of Abbott Loop road between 68th Avenue and Abbott Road to be upgraded to at least a 3-lane road. I used to live off of 88th Avenue. Cars go too fast, cannot stop on the icy roads, and rear-end you while you are waiting to turn left. You will need to make left-hand turns safer on this road, particularly if you increase the traffic load from 3,000 to 11,000 a day! I really liked your idea to have a trail alongside, but not connected to, the new road. It would be great if you could make this trail bicycle-friendly. When the trees were removed along the east side of Abbott Loop Road just north of Abbott (for water pipe upgrades?) in the late 1990’s, the path that they put in was made of deep gravel unsuitable for bikes. If you were to build a safe, bicycle-friendly trail along the new road, my husband and I would both be very excited to be able to ride our bikes to work. That would mean two less Carson the road, anyway. |
| 87 | I am a lifetime resident of Anchorage and grew up just down the road from the corner of Abbott Loop. My parents still live there and I now live in the eaten part of Anch. Traveling Tudor to Lake Otis has been a nightmare 99% of the weekly or more visits to my folks. This project is much needed and much overdue. Please move as quickly as possible on this project. |
| 88 | My home is on E. 65th Ave. just 1/2 block from Abbott Loop. My concern is that the extension will bring heavy traffic down my now very quiet street. I have a young child whose safety will be compromised with additional traffic. Maybe 65th Ave. could be made a cul-de-sac and not actually intersect Abbott Loop thereby eliminating the possibility of increased traffic down 65th Ave. Thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns. |
| 89 | Strongly support the project and said it has been needed for a long time. |
| 90 | Abbott Loop Road between 68th and Abbott Road: needs pedestrian pathways to access Kasuun Elementary School and recreation trails at Campbell Tract and FNBC park; upgrades to road- many accidents in winter. North of 64th St: Trailheads to access recreational trails. |
| 91 | Pedestrian access to the park is essential. Please consider a bike/walking trail on west side and an equestrian trail on the east side. Please use very low street lighting (with low cut off too) so as not to create light pollution in the FNBP and Campbell tract. If a roundabout is considered at East 68th and Abbott Loop Road, please make the diameter large enough to slow to traffic down meaningfully. |
| 92 | Hello Dowl Engineers I live at the east end of East 64th Ave and am wondering if there are improvements or upgrades planned for this street. Also what are the plans for the intersection at 64th and Bragaw/Abbott? Will there be a traffic light here? Will I still be able to walk/run/ski to Campbell Tract? How much traffic do you anticipate on 64th Ave when this project is complete? Thank You. |
| 93 | I would like to add my comments to those you have received regarding the Bragaw street extension to Abbot Loop road. I live very near the intersection of Abbot Loop road and Hillside drive. As I drove to work at the hospitals this morning and was in the long line of cars waiting to pass through the intersection of Lake Otis and Tudor, I thought yet again of the very severe need for the Bragaw extension. Simply from a health and safety perspective, this road is needed. For one thing, we are all concerned that a wildfire will break out on the hillside. This evacuation routes are bottle-necked to both the north and south. Secondly, should there be a major medical emergency, there are many medical personnel, doctors, nurses, and others, who live in the hillside area. We all have the same problem of getting to both Alaska Regional and Providence Hospitals in a timely manner through either the Seward Highway or Lake Otis. It would be far more time and energy efficient to have a route through to Bragaw Street. Please go forward with this plan. |
| 94 | Viewing this project from the perspective of a concerned citizen in the neighborhood west of Abbott Loop I encourage you not to connect Abbott Loop to Bragaw Street. If the current thrust to build a road which I believe is merely based on a small count survey extrapolated to the point of generating an imaginary justification utilized by an ex-cross-town state Senator in a last minute political ploy then use the limited funds to just connect Bragaw Street with Dowling Road. With the upgrade being done along Dowling Road and the perception that getting folk around the Lake Otis and Tudor intersection will ease the couple hours of congestion in the late afternoon then this would do the trick and leave the sanctity peacefulness and quality of neighborhood life west of Abbott Loop intact. |
| 95 | I am opposed to the extension for several reasons. First it will not solve Anchorage's primary traffic flow problem of east/west movement. It will divert traffic from Lake Otis and the New Seward Hwy but will return most of that traffic to Tudor. And anyone traveling east will still need to pass through the Tudor/Lk Otis intersection. East is the direction of most movement in the morning. It's west in the evening. Why then would someone traveling west sit through the lights and go past Lk Otis instead of turning? Wouldn't be logical since they can tavel south on Lk Otis quickly. Because the extension cannot go through the university lands traffic moving futher north will be dumped on 36th. 36th is not built to accommodate that much new traffic. It's a huge traffic jam waiting to happen. If we're going to have traffic sitting at intersections it makes sense to at least keep the traffic at the intersections and on the roads that are better able to accommodate the numbers. Second I am opposed to creating new roads through undeveloped lands. The municipality needs to take a more creative and long-term approach to traffic flow and people moving (Bob). After all land in the bowl is almost gone; we can't expect to build a new road whenever drivers get impatient. As undeveloped land becomes more scarce it increases in value for recreation wildlife and for the other ecosystem services it provides us like flood control and drainage. Third I'd hate to see the negative impacts a road of this size will have on the neighborhoods it will traverse. I lived in one for over 15 years but if the neighborhood was bounded by Lk Otis and the larger Abbott Lp it would be miserable. I still go to that part of town for recreation. One of the reasons is the quiet. With the new ballpark going in this road and future related development the treasured silence will disappear. If there is a larger road there will be other development both on the new section and along the existing Abbott Lp. I am also opposed to this process that seems the decision has been made and funded without the results of the road study or public comment. It seems these comments are coming in after the decision has been made and may not have much impact on that decision. Certainly it would be possible to build the road and mitigate or avoid some of the negative consequences both social and environmental I have no real hope that will be done. For instance include bike trails & sidewalks extra stream protection vegetation do not allow further development (more roads businesses housing) along the new section. Even so this does not address the fact that it won't resolve the traffic problems and will negatively impact neighborhoods recreation & wildlife. |
| 96 | In the past I have opposed this project because we had not yet learned to design and build attractive multi-modal transportation corridors. Since this project has had such serious and intense opposition for 25 years I expect a commitment on your part to make it the most gorgeous in the community. The highest priority aspects to me are: pedestrian/bike trails on both sides of the road; safe crossing points of the road; exceptional landscaping featuring mature native trees shrubs and perennials; bus pullouts where appropriate. Because of its location I prefer a rural feel. |
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