The pandemic sent us home to Alaska last year, abruptly ending our European adventure. Fortunately, we used our RV to be outdoors for two months, and were joined by many Alaskans, making it often difficult to find camping spots. We utilized highways and campgrounds all over Alaska and were chagrined at the condition of many highway sections, ironically similar to Balkan countries still recovering from war. We even found freeways of Morocco better than our own.
Lack of maintenance or closure of many state campgrounds was disappointing, but not surprising, since Alaska State Parks had its funding cut and is grappling with a $60 million maintenance backlog. Parks has the expertise to construct great campgrounds, as evidenced by beautiful K’esugi Ken. (Just try getting a reservation!)
Like many Alaskans, I am shaking my head over the millions of dollars wasted on big state projects that resulted in naught. I urge our legislators to use both federal grants like the Land and Water Conservation Funds monies and pandemic relief money to fund Civilian Conservation Corps-like projects this summer to fix highways, restore old and develop new campgrounds, and build epic trails (like the trans-Alaska oil pipeline corridor proposal). Please create employment opportunities for Alaskans and help jumpstart our economy!
— Tam Agosti-Gisler
Anchorage
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