Mat-Su Borough Long-Range Transportation Plan Final Report Prepared for: Matanuska-Susitna Borough Prepared by: HDR Alaska, Inc. ADOPTED: June 2007 Mat-Su Borough Long-Range Transportation Plan Final Report Prepared for: Matanuska-Susitna Borough Prepared by: HDR Alaska, Inc. ADOPTED: June 2007 Mat‐Su Borough Long Range Transportation Plan Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.1 Setting................................................................................................................................ 1‐1 1.2 Purpose of Planning ........................................................................................................ 1‐3 1.3 Planning Process.............................................................................................................. 1‐4 1.4 Community Comprehensive Plans ............................................................................... 1‐4 2 Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1 Economy and Quality of Life ......................................................................................... 2‐1 2.2 Safety ................................................................................................................................. 2‐2 2.3 Environment.....................................................................................................................2‐3 2.4 Public Participation ......................................................................................................... 2‐4 2.5 Road and Trail System.................................................................................................... 2‐5 2.6 Public Transportation...................................................................................................... 2‐7 2.7 Air Transportation........................................................................................................... 2‐7 2.8 Rail Transportation.......................................................................................................... 2‐8 2.9 Waterborne Transportation............................................................................................ 2‐9 3 Population and Economics.......................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.1 Population......................................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.2 Housing............................................................................................................................. 3‐4 3.3 Economic Trends ............................................................................................................. 3‐5 3.4 Employment and Earnings............................................................................................. 3‐6 3.5 Labor Force ..................................................................................................................... 3‐10 3.6 Population and Vehicles ............................................................................................... 3‐12 3.7 Future Population and Employment Projections...................................................... 3‐15 4 Road System .................................................................................................................................. 4‐1 4.1 Functional Classification System................................................................................... 4‐1 4.2 Construction Standards .................................................................................................. 4‐3 4.3 Central Area Road System ............................................................................................. 4‐3 4.4 Rural Area Road System............................................................................................... 4‐23 4.5 Emergency Access Roads ............................................................................................. 4‐32 4.6 Corridor Preservation ................................................................................................... 4‐33 4.7 Congestion Management.............................................................................................. 4‐36 4.8 Access Management...................................................................................................... 4‐40 5 Trails System ................................................................................................................................. 5‐1 5.1 Separated Pathways ........................................................................................................ 5‐1 5.2 Future Separated Pathway Projects .............................................................................. 5‐4 5.3 Primitive Trails................................................................................................................. 5‐4 5.4 Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 5‐6 6 Public Transportation................................................................................................................... 6‐1 6.1 Local Transit Service ....................................................................................................... 6‐1 6.2 Existing Commuter Services .......................................................................................... 6‐5 6.3 Rail Commuter Service ................................................................................................... 6‐7 Mat‐Su Borough Long Range Transportation Plan Page i 6.4 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 6‐11 7 Air Transportation........................................................................................................................ 7‐1 7.1 Existing Air Transportation Facilities........................................................................... 7‐1 7.2 Municipal Airports.......................................................................................................... 7‐4 7.3 Private Airports................................................................................................................ 7‐5 7.4 Controlled Airspace and Reserved Airspace............................................................... 7‐6 7.5 Recommendations of Prior Air Transportation Studies............................................. 7‐6 7.6 Existing Federal Regulations.......................................................................................... 7‐7 7.7 Existing Local Regulations ............................................................................................. 7‐8 7.8 Discussion of Issues......................................................................................................... 7‐8 7.9 Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 7‐9 8 Alaska Railroad............................................................................................................................. 8‐1 8.1 Existing Conditions ......................................................................................................... 8‐1 8.2 Wasilla Area Alternate Routes....................................................................................... 8‐2 8.3 Near‐Term Projects.......................................................................................................... 8‐3 8.4 Railroad‐Highway Grade Crossings............................................................................. 8‐3 9 Marine Transportation................................................................................................................. 9‐1 9.1 Port Development............................................................................................................ 9‐1 9.2 Point MacKenzie to Anchorage Ferry........................................................................... 9‐6 9.3 River and Lake Waterborne Transportation................................................................ 9‐9 9.4 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 9‐10 List of Figures on or following page 1‐1 Mat‐Su Borough Overview ......................................................................................................... 1‐1 3‐1 Population Growth, 1970‐2000, Alaska & Mat‐Su Borough ................................................... 3‐1 3‐2 2000 Matanuska‐Susitna Borough Population Percentage by Race ...................................... 3‐4 3‐3 1990 Percent Distribution of Employment by Industry, Mat‐Su Borough ........................... 3‐9 3‐4 2000 Percent Distribution of Employment by Industry, Mat‐Su Borough ........................... 3‐9 3‐5 Work Locations for Mat‐Su Out‐of‐Borough Commuters, 2001.......................................... 3‐10 3‐6 Number of Vehicles Registered, 1980‐2003, Mat‐Su Borough.............................................. 3‐13 3‐7 Registered Passenger and Commercial Vehicles, 1980, 1990 & 2000, Mat‐Su Borough.......................................................................................................................................