Alaska needs infrastructure support as part of COVID-19 relief

During their Town Hall call-in session last week, Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan touched on an infrastructure stimulus package that could move through Congress soon – what many are calling Phase 4 of legislation that provides relief to families and businesses across the U.S. Our state’s economy has already been facing challenges, and the recent coronavirus pandemic has compounded them. Right now, the Alaska Permanent Fund and our primary industries of oil, tourism and fisheries are taking an especially hard hit, and we don’t know when it will let up.

There’s no doubt our state’s economy needs a shot in the arm, and the infrastructure stimulus package would be an important help for all Alaska. Not only will jobs in essential services be created, but well-constructed and maintained infrastructure will continue to keep us safe and allow us to connect to our communities across the state. Building roads, updating airports and renovating hospitals now pumps much needed dollars into communities and prepares us to be up, running and improved moving into the future.

According to the Alaska Infrastructure Report Card, there’s important work to be done across our state. That report recommends that we create a plan for both immediate and long-term capital replacement projects, ensure we are safely and effectively maintaining what we’ve already got, keep up our infrastructure improvement efforts, and look for innovative solutions when it comes time to replace our roads, bridges, airports and much more. Now is the time to tackle those recommendations.

Like many Alaskans, I’ve traveled off the road system. Not long ago, I took a trip to Ketchikan. It still amazes me that trips like that are made possible through countless roads and bridges, three large airports and a ferry. All the commitment, innovation and work that went into helping me arrive in that town is something I’ve learned not to take for granted. During this journey, I made professional connections and new friends, and I got to support local businesses and organizations. But trips like this cannot happen without safe infrastructure.

We are especially aware today how important broadband connectivity is for staying in touch. But I encourage us to remember how our roads, bridges, airports, ferries, ports and railroad connect us too. They allow us to work and be with loved ones and create a valuable link to our neighbors and fellow citizens. Without infrastructure, we become isolated. We are all navigating new norms when it comes to connecting and distancing ourselves, but someday we’ll get to spend time together again. If nothing else, the isolation we are currently facing offers us time to reflect – and reflection leads to opportunities.

Now many Alaskans are reaching out to help neighbors, support local restaurants and small businesses, and provide provisions to health care workers – and that list of kindnesses goes on and on. Please take a moment to consider how our infrastructure allows these helping acts to happen in our own towns and throughout Alaska, and then consider how, when the time is right, we can do even more to connect to and help one another.

We need to stay working, safe and connected. Please join me in supporting this infrastructure stimulus package. Truly, it is an opportunity all Alaskans can get behind and support.

Matt Emerson is the President of PDC Engineers and has been working in Alaska’s engineering and construction industry since 1986.

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