Anchorage voters will decide in April whether to approve money for a long-delayed effort to rebuild Spenard Road, a project that has been churning back to life in recent weeks.
At West Anchorage High School this month, project managers held an open house to showcase the latest version of the plans. The project, which stretches through a vibrant commercial area surrounded by apartment buildings and condos, would convert the north end of Spenard Road between Northern Lights Boulevard and Hillcrest Drive from four lanes to three lanes -- at least as currently envisioned.
A center turn lane, crosswalks, large sidewalks for both bicycles and pedestrians and some on-street space for bicyclists are other major features of the plan. The stretch between Northern Lights and Benson Boulevard will remain a four-lane road, with a median installed to prevent illegal left turns. Project engineers say the goal is to improve safety, traffic flow, landscaping and drainage in the area.
The city's road bond package on the April ballot includes a $13.8 million funding request for the Spenard Road project. If approved, construction is slated to begin in 2017. The project has been debated for more than 15 years, and has gained new traction recently as a priority for the administration of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. Members of the Berkowitz administration began meeting with property owners about the project not long after Berkowitz took office last year.
"The mayor wanted to identify projects that were impactful not just for traffic safety and traffic efficiency, but also for economic development and the community," City Manager Mike Abbott, who has been involved in the project, said in a recent interview.
In January, the Anchorage Assembly approved the administration's request to add Spenard Road funding to the April road bond. The city previously sought a mix of state and federal funding for the project, the concept of which dates back to the late 1990s.
[Related: City to rebuild Spenard Road with fewer lanes]
Controversy is nothing new for the project, and members of Anchorage's bicycling community have voiced concern about the latest plans. Some Spenard business owners, meanwhile, remain worried about how the project will affect traffic.
West Anchorage Assemblyman Ernie Hall has been meeting with residents and business owners to try to reach a consensus on the project since 2010. He said he hopes the bond money passes. He said he supports the current plan, noting that the transportation corridor space is limited for accommodating everyone's interests.
"It's 60 feet to build a roadway," Hall said. "By the time we're done, I think many of the concerns are going to be addressed."
Project engineers are working to finish the project design and are taking comments on the draft plans until Feb. 25.
Learn more about the project and submit comments at midtownroads.com.