2022 (3) Newsletter

It has been a busy quarter! Both Destination UMED and the Transportation Systems Management & Operations plans are underway. You can find out more details about those projects in this newsletter.

The 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program made it through the Policy Committee for approval in August and is awaiting final approval from FHWA. We received over 700 project nominations for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)! The 2050 MTP is the 20-year plan for the AMATS area, coordinating the vision for transportation improvements in a collaborative manner with the State and the Municipality.  

AMATS also added a new planner this quarter to take over where I left off before stepping into the role of the AMATS Coordinator.  We are happy to welcome Chelsea Ward-Waller on board! She will help manage the 2050 MTP and take over that planning process for future updates.

Policy Committee & Technical Advisory Committee (PC & TAC)

The PC & TAC had three meetings this quarter.

Actions

• The committees approved the  Peak Hour of Excessive Delay (PHED) Targets  and the  Non-SOV Targets  set by the State and the  Transit Asset Management Targets , set by the Municipality.
• The committee approved  Amendement 1  of the 2040 MTP. This amendment adds a new project that recevied Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development federal grant funding in 2020 and is required to be consistent with State and local plans.
• The committees approved the close-out of the  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue  Extension project.
• The committees approved the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program
• In response to the Anchorage Assembly resolution 2022-254(S), the Policy Committee directed the Technical Advisory Committee to work with DOT&PF to “evaluate the feasibility and impacts of only including a non-motorized underpass at 92nd Ave and Scooter and not having a vehicular underpass”. The TAC, in review of that request asked the project team to update the Policy Committee at the November 3rd meeting and include an analysis and cost estimate for non-motorized grade separated concepts to include at least one over and one under.

Work Sessions

The committees had a  work session  in September on the VisionEval Regional Strategic Planning Model (VERSPM). VERSPM will add to the development of the MTP. This effort examines multiple possible actions, including policies, program investments, and capital investments together all informed by the six established goals of the 2050 MTP. The model tests a range of possible year 2050 combination of each individual action identified. Using the VERSPM helps to inform alternatives design and highlight which mix of projects have the highest probability of success. VERSPM is an added input to the traditional Transportation Demand Management model for the 2050 MTP.

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

Actions

None

Presentations

The committee was briefed on three AMATS planning projects, the 2023-2026 TIP, the 2050 MTP project nominations and the Transportation Systems Management & Operations Plan and Open House.

Freight Advisory Committee (FAC)

Actions

None

Presentations

• The committee heard an update on the  Ocean Dock Road Reconnaissance Study  from Kinney Engineering. The purposes of the study are to reduce delay caused by train and truck interactions at the existing railroad at-grade crossings and to decrease the potential for crashes. The study is expected to be finalized in October.  Estimated project costs total $40 million.  No funds have been allocated for this project at this time. The area under study has been identified as a truck bottleneck in the Freight Mobility Study completed in 2017. 
• The Committee also received a presentation by Ms. Catharine Simmons, the new Gateway Director for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for MARAD, the federal Maritime Administration.
• Several FAC members are also actively participating in the Statewide Transportation Plan Advisory Committee (STAC) on behalf of the Draft  Alaska Moves 2050 Statewide Freight Plan.  As DOT Commissioner Ryan Anderson noted in the Plan preface, “This is a pivotal time for freight development in Alaska.”

Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)

The committee did not have a formal meeting this quarter.

Do you remember this? Well that bike riding, community builder is the newest addition to the AMATS team as a Senior Transportation Planner. Chelsea Ward-Waller has been passionate about active transportation since biking and walking to elementary school. She focused on active transportation and traffic safety through her Master of Public Health program at UAA. She’s called Anchorage home for the last 9 years, and previously worked for the Municipality in a variety of communication roles from Project Management and Engineering to the Anchorage Health Department, among others. Most recently, she worked as a legislative aide for Representative Ivy Spohnholz.

Outside of AMATS work, Chelsea’s two pups Nuna and Bomber keep her and her husband happy, active, and enjoying the great outdoors – running, hiking, biking, and skiing.

AMATS Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) took a bike tour for the September 2022 meeting. The group toured existing infrastructure and upcoming projects, including: 

• Bike Lanes on Spenard Road, E Street, and Arctic Boulevard
• Bike Boulevard along 10th Avenue; upcoming on 27th Avenue
• Pathway almost finished that connects 30th avenue to 32nd avenue as part of the  32nd & 33rd Upgrades Project 
• Existing infrastructure along Fireweed Lane & Denali Street

 Destination UMED 

Work on the Destination UMED study is progressing on schedule. Please note that there are several exciting opportunities to make your voice heard about future mobility options in UMED! 

1. AMATS has released a  Destination UMED Travel Survey  so that we can better understand your travel needs and help identify projects, policies, and programs to improve your commute or travel experience, enhance equitable access to district destinations, and support the next decade of growth and economic development. 
2. AMATS has scheduled a UMED TDM Community Workshop on Thursday, October 6, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the UAA Consortium Library, 3 ^rd  Floor Conference Room.  AMATS staff and the consultant team will be present to gather feedback and to discuss with members of the public about the study results so far.
3. A Status of the System report is scheduled to be released soon and will be made available on the AMATS webpage.  The report serves as a snapshot of conditions within UMED today. 

 Transportation Systems Management & Operations Plan 

AMATS is starting a new planning process called Transportation Systems Management & Operations. The TSMO plan will focus on coordinated management and operational strategies to enhance the safety and efficiency of what we already have.

Did you attend the Open House?

The  Open House  for the plan was a place to introduce the plan and identify some typical solutions that fall under the TSMO umbrella.

Your comments are considered across planning processes!

During the project nomination period for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, participants identified safety, maintenance and efficiency issues in the AMATS area. The project team will look at that input as well as what is collected during the TSMO planning process to inform proposed projects and strategies.

 Fish Creek Trail Connection

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and the Municipality of Anchorage are hosting a public open house on Tuesday, October 11th 2022 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Spenard Recreation Center. The project team will be there to discuss the proposed alternatives for the AMATS Fish Creek Trail Connection Project.

Visit the  project website  to view a map of the proposed alternatives.

You may have heard the chatter. People Mover is preparing for a much anticipated technology upgrade!

The  new technology  will allow riders to:

• Get more accurate arrival time information
• Subscribe to text/email alerts so you know where your bus is and when it will arrive
• Customize detour alerts and notices of service interruptions
• Personalize alerts to show only your preferred routes
• Reduce bus stop waiting time, so you can spend your time doing what's important to you!

Keep a tab on the  website  to keep track of progress and see what other changes to expect.

The  MTP  is the region’s long-range plan for transportation improvements – that means 20 years of planned improvements, including the identified funds to get the job done.

Does this mean that you must wait another 20 years to nominate a project?

No. The MTP is an  ongoing planning process  that is updated every 4 years. The plan addresses both current and predicted future transportation needs. 

Where are we now in the planning process?

Staff is busy scoring the over 700 project nominations that came through for the 2050 MTP! The next steps are to develop transportation improvement scenarios and show fiscal constraint.

• Policy Committee: October 20 November 17 December 15
• Technical Advisory Committee: October 13 November 03 December 01
• Community Advisory Committee: October 25
• Freight Advisory Committee: November 09
• Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee: December 06