Parks Highway Visioning Document AKSAS Project Number 74833 Prepared for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities 2006 Prepared by 301 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Suite 601 Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2662 (907) 278-2551 PDX/022130005.DOC Contents Section Page Contents............................................................................................................................................... i Acronyms .........................................................................................................................................vii Executive Summary...........................................................................................................................1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Organization .............................................................................................................. 1-2 Overall Corridor Vision..................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Corridor Context ....................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Community Compatibility and Environmental Quality ..................................... 2-1 2.3 Provisions for Highway Traffic Flow ..................................................................... 2-1 Overview of Corridor and Planning Efforts .................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Corridor Boundaries and Geography..................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Planning Boundaries..................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Corridor Geography ..................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Visioning Process ...................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.1 Public Input Effort......................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.2 Review of Related Planning and Technical Documents.......................... 3-5 3.2.3 Technical Work.............................................................................................. 3-5 3.3 Information Sources.................................................................................................. 3-5 3.3.1 General Corridor Information ..................................................................... 3-5 3.3.2 Planning Data ................................................................................................ 3-6 3.3.3 Highway Information................................................................................... 3-6 3.3.4 Railroad Data ................................................................................................. 3-6 3.3.5 Recreation/Tourism Facility Data .............................................................. 3-6 3.3.6 Natural Resource Development.................................................................. 3-6 3.4 Traffic Projection ....................................................................................................... 3-7 3.4.1 Seasonal Traffic Variations........................................................................... 3-8 3.4.2 Traffic Projection ........................................................................................... 3-8 Planning Unit Characteristics, Needs, and Recommendations.................................. 4-1 4.1 Overview of All Planning Units.............................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Glenn Highway to Big Lake Junction..................................................................... 4-2 4.2.1 Description of Unit........................................................................................ 4-2 4.2.2 Programmed Projects.................................................................................... 4-7 4.2.3 Potential Future Development .................................................................... 4-7 4.2.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations.......................... 4-8 4.2.5 Long-Term Needs.......................................................................................... 4-9 4.3 Northwest of Big Lake Junction Through Willow.............................................. 4-20 4.3.1 Description of Unit...................................................................................... 4-20 PDX/022130005.DOC I CONTENTS 4.3.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-21 4.3.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-21 4.3.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-22 4.3.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-22 4.4 North of Willow—Through Trapper Creek.........................................................4-24 4.4.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-24 4.4.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-25 4.4.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-25 4.4.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-26 4.4.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-26 4.5 North of Trapper Creek—Through Broad Pass...................................................4-33 4.5.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-33 4.5.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-34 4.5.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-34 4.5.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-35 4.5.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-35 4.6 Cantwell—Carlo Creek ...........................................................................................4-37 4.6.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-37 4.6.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-37 4.6.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-37 4.6.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-38 4.6.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-38 4.7 Carlo Creek—Nenana River (at McKinley Village) ............................................4-41 4.7.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-41 4.7.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-41 4.7.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-42 4.7.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-42 4.7.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-42 4.8 Denali National Park and Nenana Canyon..........................................................4-43 4.8.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-43 4.8.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-44 4.8.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-44 4.8.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-45 4.8.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-45 4.9 North of Nenana Canyon—Through Healy ........................................................4-46 4.9.1 Description of Unit ......................................................................................4-46 4.9.2 Programmed Projects ..................................................................................4-47 4.9.3 Potential Future Development...................................................................4-47 4.9.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ........................4-47 4.9.5 Long-Term Needs ........................................................................................4-48 4.10 North of Healy—South City Limits of Nenana ...................................................4-49 4.10.1 Description of Unit ....................................................................................4-49 4.10.2 Programmed Projects ................................................................................4-49 4.10.3 Potential Future Development.................................................................4-49 4.10.4 Adjacent Landowner and Government Considerations ......................4-50 4.10.5 Long-Term Needs ......................................................................................4-50 4.11 Nenana—Nenana Ridge .........................................................................................4-53