Alaska Marine Highway Systems Analysis Item Type Report Authors Metz, Paul; Taylor, Mark; Brigham, Tom; Larocque, Shephane; Pierce, Jana; Arledge, Ashleigh; Calvin, Jim; Harrington, Erin; Miller, Scott; Lingwood, Bob; Marshall, Dave; Watts, Teresa Publisher Alaska University Transportation Center Download date 06/10/2021 06:00:52 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/7543 CO-AUTHORS: UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA DR. PAUL METZ, PRINCIPAL MR. MARK TAYLOR, P.E. HDR MR. TOM BRIGHAM MR. STEPHANE LAROCQUE INFORMATION INSIGHTS, INC. MS. JANA PIERCE MCDOWELL GROUP, INC. MS. ASHLEIGH ARLEDGE MR. JIM CALVIN MS. ERIN HARRINGTON MR. SCOTT MILLER VAN HORNE INSTITUTE MR. BOB LINGWOOD MR. DAVE MARSHALL MS. TERESA WATTS TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 1. REVIEW OF MISSION STATEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES, 1960 TO 2008 ................... 9 1.1 Systems Analysis Overview .................................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.2 Mission Statements .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.2.1 Circa 1960 Document ............................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.2 1960 Southeast Conference ................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.3 1986 Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (DOT&PF), 1990 AMHS Draft System Plan ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.4 1986 AMHS Draft Master Plan, 1989 AMHS House Transportation Committee ........................................... 11 1.2.5 1991, 1995 AMHS Master Plans .......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.2.6 1999, 2000 AMHS Annual Traffic Volume Reports ..................................................................................................... 11 1.2.7 2001 Summary of the Legislative and Fiscal History of the AMHS (Legislative Research Report)....... 11 1.2.9 2007 AMHS Website ................................................................................................................................................................. 10 1.2.8 2003-2006 AMHS Annual Traffic Volume Reports ..................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Other Relevant Guidelines .................................................................................................................................................................. 12 1.3.1 Goals of the 1986 Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (DOT&PF): ............................................................... 12 1.3.2 1993 Long-Range AMHS Business Planning Analysis (Erickson & Associates) ............................................. 13 1.3.3 Goals of the Current (2004) Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan (DOT&PF) ............................................ 13 CHAPTER 2. A HISTORY OF THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM AND DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM, 1951 TO 2008 ............................................................................................................................ 17 2.1 Territorial Ferry Service ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2.2 New State Votes to Finance a Marine Highway System ......................................................................................................... 17 2.3 The Alaska Marine Highway Begins Operations ....................................................................................................................... 18 2.4 System Emergence ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 2.5 System Growth and Expansion ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 2.6 System Maturation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 2.7 New Vessels ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.7.1 M/V Kennicott .............................................................................................................................................................................. 20 2.7.2 Fast Vehicle Ferries ................................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.8 Current Day Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................................ 21 2.9 Sources Used ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 CHAPTER 3. ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM ................................................. 27 3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 3.2 AMHS Traffic in 2007 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 27 3.3 Socio-economic Benefits of AMHS .................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.4 AMHS Spending and Employment in Alaska .............................................................................................................................. 28 3.5 Introduction to AMHS Traffic ............................................................................................................................................................ 29 3.6 AMHS Traffic Characteristics ............................................................................................................................................................. 30 3.6.1 Alaska Resident Traffic ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 3.6.2 Use by Residents of Communities Not Served by AMHS .......................................................................................... 31 3.6.3 Destinations .................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 3.6.4 Nonresident Traffic ................................................................................................................................................................... 31 3.7 Socioeconomic Benefits of AMHS .................................................................................................................................................... 32 3.7.1 Impact on the Cost of Living in Rural Alaska Communities .................................................................................... 32 3.7.2 The Business Benefits of AMHS ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Alaska Marine Highway System Analysis Alaska University Transportation Center • Page ii 3.7.3 Public Service Benefits of AMHS ......................................................................................................................................... 32 3.7.4 Role of the Marine Highway in Alaska’s Visitor Industry ......................................................................................... 32 3.7.5 Marine Highway Visitors ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 3.7.6 Trip Satisfaction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 34 3.7.7 AMHS Visitor Expenditures ..................................................................................................................................................