Press Release: Legislature Gets Input in Transportation Planning

Click image for large 5'' x 7'' picture, 113.9k

Session:
State Capitol, Room 103
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: (907) 465-4949
Fax: (907) 465-4979

Toll Free Phone
Anchorage-Eagle River only
(800) 478-4950

Interim:
PO Box 142
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 694-4949
Fax: (907) 694-4948

For Immediate Release:	February 15, 2001
Contact:	Senator Randy Phillips at (907) 465-4949

(JUNEAU)- Sen. Randy Phillips (R-Eagle River) introduced legislation on Tuesday that gives the Legislature a voice in large urban transportation planning.

Senate Bill 88 would require metropolitan planning organizations for communities with more than 200,000 residents to include one state Senator and one state Representative whose districts fall wholly or partially within the area. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House would appoint the two legislators, respectively.

If passed, the new statute would cover the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), a federally mandated system under which the state prioritizes funding for transportation construction and maintenance. The AMATS Policy Committee presently includes three people from the Municipality of Anchorage, the Mayor and two assembly members, and two from the governor's office, the Commissioners of the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

The policy committee makes the final decisions on transportation projects in the Anchorage area. Although the Legislature is required to partially fund projects approved by the committee, it has no input in the decision making process. Under the statue proposed in SB 88, two lawmakers would be added to the voting members of the policy committee.

"Legislators have a direct link to the constituents and community councils where many of the needs are initiated, and therefore, should have more input into the AMATS Policy Committee," said Phillips.

"The way the policy committee is set up right now, most of the people making decisions on Anchorage's transportation projects are not directly accountable to anyone," said Phillips. "Adding legislators to the committee will serve a dual purpose: adding accountability of elected officials and giving the Legislature some say in the projects it funds."

SB 88 was referred to the Senate Finance, Transportation and Community and Regional Affairs Committees.

# # #

Attachments:

Print Friendly Version
requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 101 K

| Sen. Phillips' Page |

The Official Web Site of the House and Senate Legislative Majorities
for the 22nd Alaska State Legislature
To Report Technical Problems or Contact Webmasters