The Palmer-Wasilla Highway runs ten miles through some of the most beautiful scenery God ever made. Beginning in Palmer at Pioneer Square and heading west, you will encounter 49th Street which takes you to Colony High School, then Four Corners at Trunk Road that until recently, was nearly completely rural. Continue driving west to Seward-Meridian, it will feed north to Bogard. Then, curving by Wasilla Lake on your right, you debouch onto the Parks Highway by the Cottonwood Creek Mall into downtown Wasilla. This is a uniquely Alaskan road, but is in serious need of upgrading.

I have watched the Palmer-Wasilla change dramatically since my childhood. Forty years ago, it was literally a tree-lined, bucolic, country road with moose running everywhere. But the area has grown dramatically and this highway is now a vital link between the two largest cities in the Mat-Su Borough. It now has signal lights and most unfortunately, numerous accidents, including fatalities. There is a very real need to quickly make major improvements to this artery for both safety and commerce.

This is how the issue must be balanced. While safety should come first, how do we construct improvements so people can drive without risking their lives? At the same time, how do we make access available to businesses and homes convenient?

A five-lane highway with a center turn lane is currently being planned. I concur with this approach. We must be unified to make it happen and aggressively seek necessary funding including federal and state matching dollars. I have consulted with the Department of Transportation, who inform me a realistic timetable is six years out to begin construction and make the necessary safety improvements. I hope to work with my colleagues to speed up the process.

I believe we have a solid case for improvements to begin quickly as we are the fastest growing part of the state. Such upgrades are not mere cosmetics, but a life and death matter. We must dedicate ourselves to a safe design and expeditious upgrade of the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

I pledge to make this a high priority.

# # #