One of the gems in Anchorage is the vast network of multiuse trails. It’s possible to ride, bike or ski for miles without being in traffic. The Fish Creek Trail has been extensively renovated over the past several years. In 2021, Anchorage voters approved a Parks and Recreation bond that included $100,000 for the last phase to connect the trail to the Coastal Trail, eliminating the need to travel on busy streets. The federal government agreed to provide more than $1 million toward the project.
Now, it appears that the connector project may be in jeopardy. J.L. McCarrey, Barbara McCarrey, Kristin McCarrey and Eric Finseth have applied to the Alaska Railroad to lease the land needed for the extension for up to 95 years, effectively blocking the trail. It shows their total disregard for our community now and into the future.
I hope the Alaska Railroad considers the good of the community over the selfish not-in-my-backyard attitude of the few and refuses to grant them their lease request.
— Elizabeth Durnford
Anchorage
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