Anchorage Daily News
(Published: August 14, 2003)
Anchorage's mayor has asked the state to hand over as quickly as possible the project to extend the Coastal Trail so the city can get to work on it.
Mayor Mark Begich also asked that about $100,000 the city believes is left in funds programmed for the project be turned over, along with all the documents and control. He sent a letter to the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities on Aug. 7 with a proposed transfer agreement attached.
The state is trying to accomplish the move, said Mike Scott, DOT regional director. It must first review the agreement. "That's pretty much it," he said.
But as to the money, there's less than $100,000 left, and it's not a sure thing the city will get it, Scott said.
"I think all they (the city) are saying is: 'Look, there's money left. We'd like it.' That's a change in what the commissioner had offered, but we're open to considering it," Scott said.
The proposed extension of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail would take it from Kincaid Park to Potter Marsh, about 13 miles. The existing trail runs 11 miles from downtown to Kincaid.
The proposed route for the extension mostly follows the coastline. The project is estimated to cost $37 million, but Begich and trail supporters say they'll cut millions from the project with route adjustments and other changes.
Transportation Commissioner Mike Barton announced in June that the state was handing the project back to the city after managing the work since 1999. The action came midway through environmental reviews. A draft environmental impact statement came out last fall, and the state collected comments on it into May.
Now, the draft environmental report needs to be made final, taking into account the criticism gathered.
Begich chief of staff David Ramseur said the city thinks it will need roughly $500,000 to complete the environmental studies and allow design to begin.
AMATS, the committee of state and city officials that decides how to spend Anchorage's federal roads and trails money, recently lowered the ranking of the Coastal Trail extension project from No. 3 to No. 11 on the local trails priority list, and there's no money budgeted for it in fiscal year 2004.
Ramseur said the new city administration is doing what it can to advance the project, looking for other possible federal funding.
Daily News reporter Rosemary Shinohara can be reached at rshinohara@adn.com or 257-4340.
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