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Dept. of Public Administration University of Alaska Anchorage Comprehensive Core Exam – August 22, 2008

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Dept. of Public Administration University of Alaska Anchorage Comprehensive Core Exam – August 22, 2008 Dept. of Public Administration University of Alaska Anchorage Comprehensive Core Exam – August 22, 2008 Some wise sage said that in order to make an omelet you have to break some eggs. The main question facing those making the decision about the Knik Arm Crossing is whether the omelet is worth the eggs that are broken. Prepare a Knik Arm Bridge briefing paper for local public policymakers that answers the following (note: questions are weighted equally): 1. Costs/ benefits: What are the costs and benefits of the Bridge from the perspective of the Municipality of Anchorage and from the Matsu Borough? 2. Short and long term issues: In light of the increased cost of fuel and reduction of federal spending what are the three major short and long term issues that local policy makers might choose to examine regarding the continuation of support for the Bridge. Why is each of these issues important? 3. Funding strategy: Why might the decision to build the bridge be supported by a private investment firm but not by the Anchorage Municipality and the State? Why might the Mat‐Su Borough differ in its support from the Anchorage Municipality and the State? 4. Political Impact What eggs are Municipal/Borough officials (Mayor, Assembly members) most worried about? (Be specific)? KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Begich pulls suppor... http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=6364821&ClientType=Printable <<Back Begich pulls support of bridge by Mike Ross Thursday, April 12, 2007 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Mayor Mark Begich is pulling his support for the proposed Knik Arm Bridge because of a last-minute change in the plan. Begich is upset because a transportation planning committee is going against the wishes of the Anchorage Assembly and made a decision today he said will dump too much traffic downtown. Begich was the only "no" vote when the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions group voted this afternoon to include the Knik Arm Bridge in its long-range plan. The Assembly voted recently to support the bridge, but only if it's tied in to the Seward Highway-to-Glenn Highway project by the year 2017. But AMATS went against that recommendation today - it said the tie-in should only be built, quote "if needed" Begich said that means the bridge traffic will probably get dumped into the A and C Street corridor downtown. "It makes sense to put it on Gamble-Ingra, they'll tell you 'well, that's in the plan, because we have it in there as needed.' That's the most wishy-washy language I've ever seen," Begich said. Gordon Keith, ATMAS chairman, said the group still doesn't know how busy the bridge will be. "We don't know what the traffic count is gonna come across, the number of tolls is gonna come across the bridge, if the projected tolls don't materialize, there's no need to have the connection to Ingra-Gamble," Bridge opponents were livid about the AMATS decision. "The only person at this table who was protecting the interests of the citizens of Anchorage was Mark Begich, every single other person at this table was protecting the profits of venture capitalists who want to build a bridge across the water," said Suzanne Dipietro, Government Hill Community Council. Assemblyman and ATMAS member Dan Sullivan didn't see it that way. "I don't think we did anything other than probably what was prudent today, in making sure that nobody had to commit funds to a portion of the project that may not be necessary," Sullivan said. There are still lingering doubts about whether the bridge is even economically feasible. Rep. Les Gara sent AMATS a letter expressing his concerns about the bridge's cost. "This is very odd, because this is one of the biggest state projects on the horizon, and people are pushing for us to approve it before we find out what it will cost," said Gara, D-Anchorage. Marianne Pease with the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority said the plan has been thought out. "I can assure you that the consortiums that have sent forward their proposals are the sharpest financial minds in the industry," Pease said. 1 of 2 KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Begich pulls suppor... http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=6364821&ClientType=Printable Despite the mayor's concerns, AMATS has given a green light to the Knik Arm Bridge. Two private investor groups have made proposals to build the bridge. The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority still needs final approval from the Federal Highway Administration before construction can begin. E-mail Mike Ross at [email protected] All content © Copyright 2000 - 2008 WorldNow and KTUU. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 2 of 2 adn.com | Knik Arm bridge focus of program http://www.adn.com/knik/v-printer/story/150357.html Knik Arm bridge focus of program ALASKA DIGEST (06/16/07 04:28:00) ANCHORAGE -- A civil engineer with Environmental Defense, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization, will be in Anchorage next week to discuss the proposed Knik Arm bridge and the public-private partnership being considered as a way to finance and build it. Michael Replogle's appearance is sponsored by three community councils, the Alaska Center for the Environment, the Alaska Public Interest Research Group, the Alaska Conservation Alliance, Alaska Transportation Priorities Project and Friends of Mat-Su. Replogle will speak from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Room 101 of Rasmuson Hall at the University of Alaska Anchorage. In written comments submitted earlier to the state-city transportation planning committee that oversees road projects, Replogle was critical of the bridge proposal. He said it would have "profound adverse impacts" on the environment, land use and the rest of the transportation system in the Anchorage area. The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority, an organization created by former Gov. Frank Murkowski and the Alaska Legislature to promote the crossing, has invited proposals from two international consortiums that have expressed interest in the project. It still must complete an environmental review process and get a go-ahead from the Federal Highway Administration before beginning to apply for permits. -- Anchorage Daily News Copyright © Thu May 01 2008 14:30:44 GMT-0800 (Alaskan Daylight Time)1900 The Anchorage Daily News (www.adn.com) 1 of 1 December 7, 2007 The Honorable George Wuerch, Chairman Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1850 Anchorage, AK 99501 Dear Mayor Wuerch: In 2003, the legislature passed SB 213 forming the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA). The legislature gave KABATA the challenging task of connecting the Municipality of Anchorage with a bridge across the Knik Arm to the Mat-Su Borough. KABATA has legislative authority via AS 19.75.111 to develop the project using a Public-Private Partnership (P3) approach. The P3 approach provides an opportunity for KABATA to build and operate the project with private financing backed by user fees. It is reported that KABATA’s project is making progress, and is nearing the point where the Federal Highway Administration will issue its Final Environmental Impact Statement and then its Record of Decision. As the project moves forward, I anticipate close coordination and outreach between KABATA and my administration, including the Alaska Department of Law and Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. Our joint cooperation and mutual project review will ensure the project moves forward in a timely manner if the project is deemed economical, and I look forward to working with you in the year ahead. Sincerely, Sarah Palin Governor Governor Sarah Palin 17 Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority adn.com | Knik bridge project marks a milestone http://www.adn.com/knik/v-printer/story/288600.html Knik bridge project marks a milestone PERMIT: Agency OKs final environmental impact statement. By KYLE HOPKINS [email protected] (01/20/08 03:44:36) The long-hoped for, much-ridiculed Knik Arm bridge project is quietly moving forward, as supporters recently cleared a permitting hurdle and hired three law firms to lobby for them in Washington, D.C. Though it took several months longer than expected, the Federal Highway Administration signed a final environmental impact statement for the project in December. So what? So without it, construction on the bridge couldn't begin, said Highway Administration spokesman Doug Hecox. "It's a very big milestone. ... it brings the actual date of construction a little bit closer," he said. The document fills four folders the size of jumbo phone books and selects a specific route the bridge would take from a mostly undeveloped area around Point MacKenzie across the Arm into Anchorage through Government Hill. The Highway Administration still must take one more step in formally approving the plan, which could take 30 days or longer as the administration considers things like what the project would mean for certain historic property in Government Hill, Hecox said. "We're at the fine-tuning part of the project." Among the next tasks for bridge backers: getting investors to propose how they would design, build, operate, finance and maintain the bridge. WORLDWIDE INVESTORS Alaskans have talked about building a bridge across Cook Inlet, from Anchorage to the Mat-Su Borough, for decades. In 2003, then-Gov. Frank Murkowski and the Legislature created the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority to make it happen. For more than two years, the Toll Authority has estimated the bridge would cost about $600 million.
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