Study Area

The study will identify and evaluate improvements needed to improve transportation safety, access, connectivity, and livability. The study area generally follows Bragaw Street on the east, Northern Lights Boulevard on the south, C Street on the west, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on the north. It includes areas where potential transportation improvements could be developed between the Glenn and Seward Highways and to and from the Port of Alaska. The study area is broad enough to also gauge how traffic levels on parallel routes may be affected.

What is a PEL?

The purpose of the PEL Study is to “… identify and evaluate options to improve transportation mobility, safety, access, and connectivity between the Seward Highway, near 20th Avenue, and the Glenn Highway, east of Airport Heights and Mountain View Drives. The project will also identify ways to improve access to and from the Port of Alaska to the interstate highway network.”

A Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study considers environmental, community, and economic goals during planning so that the information and analysis can be used in the environmental process.

Purpose and Need

Purpose

The purpose is to improve mobility, accessibility, safety, and livability for people and goods traveling on or across the roadway system connecting the Seward Highway, Glenn Highway, and Port of Alaska by all modes (including people on foot, bicycles, or buses) while improving community cohesion. The intent is to (1) maintain the functionality of the National Highway System while meeting the local travel needs of residents who live, play, and work in the area and must safely travel across or along those roadways; and (2) improve neighborhood connections, enhance quality of life, and accommodate adopted plans, as practicable.

Needs

The needs are presented below (in no specific order):

• Reduce Conflicting Travel Functions: Serving competing regional and local travel functions on the highway network in the study area leads to conflicts that reduce mobility, safety, and accessibility for all users.
• Improve Safety: Crashes for vehicles and people walking and bicycling are elevated at several study area intersections.
• Promote Social Equity and Economic Development: The current connection on the Seward/Glenn Highway corridor in the study (5th and 6th Avenues and Gambell and Ingra Streets) is inconsistent with the vision expressed in recently adopted plans. Those plans envision improving neighborhood redevelopment, community cohesion, and quality of life.

Project Schedule

The project is currently in Phase 5 (). We are seeking public feedback and comment on refined alternatives.

In February 2024, nine preliminary alternatives were presented, and public comment and feedback was received. Now, the team is sharing four refined alternatives and seeking additional public comment.

The Seward to Glenn Connection PEL Study is scheduled to finish in spring 2025.

The major decision points of the PEL study are as follows:

1. Purpose and Need & Evaluation Criteria
2. Range of Alternatives
3. Screening of Alternatives
4. Final Recommendations

Public meetings will occur at each major decision point to encourage public input.

If you would like to be kept informed of PEL Study progress, sign up for the email list.

Balancing the Issues & Challenges

Solving the transportation challenges requires balancing several competing interests and needs. The study team created alternatives that attempt to:

• Improve safety.
• Reduce regional and local travel conflicts.
• Consider the needs of all users (pedestrians, bicyclists, vehicles, and freight).
• Maintain National Highway System (regional) functionality.
• Improve the ability to move safely and efficiently when accessing key destinations.
• Improve access between the Port and the highway while also reducing neighborhood impacts.
• Improve livability by helping reconnect the neighborhood (physically and socially) by removing or separating regional and Port traffic from local traffic, improve quality of life, and promote economic development.
• Accommodate ideas from adopted plans such as Gambell Main Street Redevelopment, Ingra Greenway Supportive, Development Corridor, Improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists, and Reconnecting Communities Grant (forthcoming).

Solutions should consider the needs of all user groups (pedestrians, bicyclists, local and regional vehicles, and freight).

Public Meeting & Comment Period #4

The Study team hosted a fourth public meeting on Wednesday February 7, 2024, at the Fairview Recreation Center from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. The purpose was to inform the public about the project status, request input on the preliminary alternative designs, and launch a 60-day public comment period on the preliminary alternative designs. There were 79 people in attendance at the public meeting, which was advertised via email, Facebook, neighborhood flyers and People Mover ads, advertisements in the Anchorage Daily News (ADN), and postcards sent to more than 10,000 residents. An online public meeting, which included all the information presented at the in-person open house, was also available throughout the 60-day public comment period.

Alternatives Development Process

Ideas for alternatives were collected from public input and a review of plans and studies as well as through outreach and workshops with city and state representatives and representatives of community groups.

The team created alternatives to try and solve the transportation problems in the corridor and conform to established design criteria. The DOT&PF is currently asking for public input on the screening that has eliminated some alternatives and any ideas or concerns with those that have been refined for further study.

We will further refine the remaining alternatives based on that input. Alternatives will then be evaluated against purpose and need factors, right-of-way impacts, and environmental impacts to identify recommendations.

PEL Screening Process

Nine preliminary alternatives were presented in February 2024. Fatal Flaw screening (Level 1) and public feedback has eliminated all freeway alternatives. Six alternatives remain:

Three with parkway connections:

1. Parkway Alternative AB
2. Parkway Alternative C
3. Parkway Alternative D

Three with no new roadway connections

4. MTP 2050 – identical to the adopted Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). If no other improvements result from the PEL process, this will be the alternative guiding transportation in the study area.
5. MTP+ – adds transit and demand management to the try to solve the problems.
6. No Action – required as a baseline for comparison.

After Level 2 screening and additional public feedback, an alternative will be recommended in the draft PEL Study document.

Screening Data for Alternatives

The initial screening analysis for the nine preliminary alternatives was rigorous. The initial screening process was revised based on public input to prioritize right-of-way (ROW), relocations, and neighborhood impacts as fatal flaws. The criteria included the following:

Relocations

• Number of residential parcels impacted
• Potential residential relocations (households)
• Number of residential parcels partially acquired
• Residential relocation in disadvantaged Census Tracts
• Residential relocation in Census Tracts with a housing boarder
• Number of non-residential parcels impacted
• Number of non-residential parcels to be acquired

Section 4(f) Impacts

• Parks impacted
• Section 4(f) park impacts (SF)
• Historic properties directly impacted by alternative footprint
• Potential historic properties impacted (structurally older than 1980 – full or partial take)

Community Facilities

• Community facility impacted
• Selected community facilities within 0.25 miles
• School building within 500 feet of project footprint

Key outcomes include as follows:

• Screening process revised based on public input to emphasize ROW, relocations, and neighborhood impacts.
• Fatal flaws were confirmed for highway connections.
• Highway connections not recommended.
• Alternatives moving forward were refined to reduce impacts: parkway streets with lower speed limits and fewer interchanges and tunnels to avoid community impacts.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) 2050

MTP 2050 is the adopted transportation plan guiding transportation improvement in Anchorage. The MTP 2050 Alternative includes improvements to 5th and 6th Avenues, Gambell Street, and Ingra Street, with a Woonerf/trail connection along Hyder Street. Ingra and Gambel would become 3-lane, one-way streets. Hyder would become a pedestrian-focused facility. The MTP 2050 Alternative received significant support during the February-April 2024 comment period.

Pertinent improvement between the Seward Highway and the Glenn Highway include

• Removal of one lane each direction from 5th and 6th Avenues
• Removal of one lane each direction on Ingra and Gambell Streets to form a 6-Lane couple.
• Removal of a lane each direction on segments of 15th Avenue.
• Woonerf on Hyder – a Woonerf is a pedestrian-focused street. Minimal vehicle traffic is accommodated for local access but at very slow speeds.
• Trail connection (Fairview Greenway_ along Hyder to the Chester Creek greenbelt (but no extension to Ship Cree Trail is in the Plan.

Possible challenges include

• Reduced capacity of the roads will cause an increase in traffic in various neighborhoods surrounding the lane reduction areas.
• The 6-lane couplet on Gambell and Ingra does not comport with the Fairview community’s vision of a Gambell Main Street.

If no other improvements or changes result from the PEL process, this will be the alternative guiding transportation in the study area.

MTP 2050 Traffic Sensitivity Tests

Traffic Modeling

The PEL Study is using a traffic model to help predict traffic changes associated with the refined alternatives. We have tested the MTP 2050 as adopted and with the community’s preferred Gambell Main Street lane configuration (2-lane of 2-way traffic, on street parking, and ample sidewalks).

The model data will helps determine how traffic routes and levels would be expected to change as lanes of vehicle capacity are removed under the MTP 2050 and Main Street vision.

Modeling Highlights

• The current road system has ample capacity.
• As lanes are removed, many travelers are likely to divert to other roads to avoid a slower trip along 5th Avenue and through Fairview.
• The diversion starts with the MTP which takes only one lane off of 5th and 6th Avenues and Gambell and Ingra Streets.
• The diversion is expected to get more pronounced if additional lanes are removed to return Gambell and Ingra Streets to a more neighborhood use and feel.
• The changes are expected to impact the efficiency of the National Highway System leading to congestion
• There would be an increase in traffic in project area neighborhoods where traffic would be diverting to – creating higher traffic levels and potentially congestion and safety concerns in some areas.

The modeling tells us how many cars might need to be removed from the roadways to maintain functionality of the National Highway System and to reduce the impacts on other affected streets.

To try to make the MTP 2050 work better, the project team refined the MTP 2050 alternative to create an MTP-Plus Alternative that includes several traffic reduction and transit ideas to try to reduce the number of vehicles desiring to use the National Highway System on 5th and 6th Avenues and on Gambel and Ingra Street and to keep them from diverting to other neighborhoods.

Additional traffic analysis is needed for the various alternatives and will be shared during the next public comment period.

MTP Plus

The MTP Plus alternative is intended to enhance the 2050 MTP within the study area to reduce vehicular traffic demand to solve the problems identified in the purpose and need – namely to reduce regional-local traffic conflicts, improve safety and livability, and support the community’s vision for transformed streets through Fairview while also maintaining the functionality of the National Highway System, without building a new arterial road connection.

The vehicular traffic demand reduction strategies include the following:

• Frequent Express Bus Service from Mat-Su Borough to downtown and midtown Anchorage.
• Upgrade transit service from Eagle River to downtown.
• New express transit service from Dimond Center to downtown and midtown via C Street.
• Upgrade transit route from Huffman to downtown.
• New downtown, midtown, and U-Med transit service via Ingra/Gambell and 36th.
• Eliminate transit fares system wide.
• Double rideshare program in project corridor.
• Additional non-motorized and transit amenities.
• Increase activities such as telework, telemedicine, and e-learning.
• Incentivizes increased density to match or exceed the 2040 Land Use Plan.
• Complete a regional trail from the Ship Creen Trail to the Chester Creek Trail with a woonerf along Hyder.
• Gambel Street reconstructed as a 2-way, 2-lane main street.
• Ingra Street reconstructed as 3-lane 2-way street.

Because the lane reductions impact traffic by sending traffic to adjacent neighborhoods and impacting the functionality of the National Highway System, the study team worked with key stakeholders to identify traffic reduction ideas to support the MTP Plus alternative.

Parkway Alternative AB

The improved Parkway Alternative AB roughly follows the previous A/B1 alignment through Fairview, along Ingra. Refinements include

• Road becomes an arterial street (parkway) with slower speeds rather than a highway design.
• Contains a tunnel from just south of 15th to just north of 3rd, which avoids impacts to the neighborhood.
• Contains a tunnel from roughly west of Reeve Blvd to east of Mountainview to avoid right-of-way impacts and commercial relocations.
• Complete a regional trail from the Ship Creen Trail to the Chester Creek Trail with a woonerf along Hyder.
• Gambel Street reconstructed as a 2-way, 2-lane main street.
• Ingra Street reconstructed as 3-lane 2-way street.

Benefits of Parkway Alternative AB include

• Ingra Street would operate above the tunnel without conflicts of the regional traffic.
• With a place for the regional traffic below ground, Gambell and Ingra can be reconstructed to align with the community’s vision.

The estimated cost for the Parkway Alternative AB is $743 million (M).

Parkway Alternative C

Parkway Alternative C roughly follows the previous C1 freeway alignment along 15th Avenue and along the southeast side of Merrill Field. Improvements include

• Road becomes an arterial street (parkway) with slower speeds rather than a highway design. The interchange at Lake Otis would be replaced by roundabouts.
• Uses portions of 15th Avenue (roughly from Lake Otis Parkway to the proposed tunnel entrance near Merrill Field).
• A proposed tunnel would run from just south of 15th to just east of the crosswind runway at Merrill Field.
• Gambel Street reconstructed as a 2-way, 2-lane main street.
• Ingra Street reconstructed as 3-lane 2-way street.

Benefits of Parkway Alternative C include

• Tunnel avoids impacts to the neighborhood (South Fairview).
• Without regional traffic, Gambell and Ingra can be reconstructed to align with the community’s vision.

The estimated cost for the Parkway Alternative C is $506M. This does not include port connection costs.

Parkway Alternative D

Parkway Alternative D roughly follows the previous D alternative over Chester Creek Greenbelt on a bridge, then along the south and east sides of Merrill field. Improvements include

• Road becomes an arterial street (parkway) with slower speeds rather than a highway design. The interchange at Lake Otis would be replaced by roundabouts.
• Two possible options at 15th Avenue: (1) a bridge over it or (2) an at-grade roundabout.
• A bridge would go over the Chester Creek Greenbelt (although it would require piers in the park).
• Complete a regional trail from the Ship Creen Trail to the Chester Creek Trail with a woonerf along Hyder.
• Gambel Street reconstructed as a 2-way, 2-lane main street.
• Ingra Street reconstructed as 3-lane 2-way street.

Parkway Alternative D benefits include

• Slower speeds allow tighter curves, which allows the alignment to avoid the Sitka Street playground area and Eastchester Park.
• Without regional traffic, Gambell and Ingra can be reconstructed to align with the community’s vision.

The estimated cost for the Parkway Alternative D 2a is $393M and 2b is $420M. This does not include port connection costs.

Port Connections Alternatives

There are currently five different port connection alternatives broken out by associated alternatives. Each represent total costs for only the port connection, not including the full alternative.

MTP Plus has three possible port connections:

1. The first is the simplest and would connect 1st Avenue to Gambell and Ingra, with an estimated cost of $4.7M
2. The second would connect to Ship Creek Avenue with a bridge over the railroad tracks, with an estimated cost of $23.6M
3. The third would create a long bridge over the rail yard and connect to Whitney Avenue, with an estimated cost of $92.3M

Parkway Alternative AB would connect an interchange to Post Road. Port Traffic would use the existing Post Road and Whiney Road to access the port. No upgrade to Post Road or Whitney Road is proposed and therefore no image is provided.

Parkway Alternatives C and D have two possible port connections (these connections are interchangeable between C and D):

1. The first would connect to an interchange at Airport Heights Drive, go under Commercial Drive and Reeve Boulevard and traverse along a reconstructed 1st Avenue, with an estimated cost of $4.7M $64.3M
2. The second would connect to an interchange at Airport Heights Drive, go under Commercial Drive to a roundabout with Reeve Boulevard and traverse along Viking Drive, with an estimated cost of $4.7M $26.2M

Contact Us & More Information

Thank you for visiting our Online Open House, which is live from December 11, 2024, until January 23, 2025. It will be archived on the project website for later reference.

The public comment period is from December 10, 2024 – January 23, 2025.

We Want your feedback on the Draft Alternative and Refinement Screening Report! 

Please submit your comments today through the following methods:

• Online at sewardglennconnection.com
• By email at [email protected]
• By phone at (907) 206-2289

Thank you for providing feedback to help shape the future!