I call Senate resources committee to order.
Today is Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, and the time is 3.30 p.m.
Please turn off cell phones.
Committee members present, Senator Kawasaki,
Senator Myers, senator Rauscher,
Senator Dunbar, Vice Chair Senator Wielikowski,
and myself, Chair Geesele.
I believe Senator Clayman will be along shortly.
We have a quorum to conduct business.
Thank you to Heather and Renzo, who are taking the minutes and helping us out with the audio.
So we are continuing the subject of the natural gas pipeline.
And so we today are going to talk with a Department of Transportation and
the impact of gas pipelines on our transportation infrastructure.
So I will welcome Commissioner Ryan Anderson to the table.
And do you have support staff with you, Commissioner?
Yeah, thank you Chair Geesele.
Yeah with me today is Deputy Commissioner Katherine Keith
and as well as Andy Mills, our legislative liaison.
Very good, all right.
Well, welcome, I'll let you introduce yourself
to the committee,
I don't know that we've had transportation
before the resources committee before.
So this is a new one for us.
Okay, well, thank you very much for the record. My name is Ryan Anderson
I am the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
It is it's great to be in front of this committee today. Yeah, because transportation
Oh man, yeah, we've you know,
We've been involved in a lot of resource issues across the state and development and whatnot. So hopefully today, you
know we put together some
slides. We did have a session with the LNG caucus this past summer. So some of these are similar,
but we've updated them to really give this committee the latest and greatest about
how we're approaching the potential of an Alaska gas line.
Great. Commissioner, you have two staff online. Also, Lauren Little is the chief engineer. Daniel Smith is M-S-V-C director.
I don't know what that is.
Yeah, thank you, Chair. Yeah. So, I'm online, a Lauren little is our chief
engineer, she's in charge of kind of the standards across the state. We also,
you know, our folks also serve multiple functions right now. She's also acting as the Northern Region
The measurement standards and commercial vehicle compliance and so that's when we get into the the operations of our you know
Our trucks and vehicles on the highways
Very good. Well, I'll let you begin your presentation. Okay. Thank you. If we could stop after each slide just to make sure
Committee members don't have questions. Sure. Absolutely
So we'll begin with really the Alaska LNG transportation quarter and what's at stake for Alaska, you note
One thing I always think about with transportation and when we think
about how Alaska was built, it's really these significant events are what
built Alaska, and when you think about the gold rush
and how many of our highways got the first try in there
that then built into bigger highways, World War II,
of course, that was the L-Can,
that another big push for Alaska.
And then TAP, so the Trans-Laska pipeline.
That was next big pushed when we built the Dalton.
That is our significant road project
as well as bridges there.
When we've, you know, for some years, I ran the Northern Region Circuit,
which was the Trans-Alaska Pipeline corridor, and that was,
you you the Dalton, the Elliot, then as you go south on the Richardson.
And so, that is always something that we took a lot of pride in
to make sure that that infrastructure was always in good shape,
you now, so that I'm worth supporting that important piece of infrastructure
that really feeds the state of Alaska on our budgets and whatnot.
This proposal is a bit different, and what this slide shows is really the routing of the AKLNG line.
And what it is, it starts at Prudhoe Bay.
It follows the Dalton Highway down to a place called Live and Good, which is the start of
the Elliott Highway, but then it goes cross-country.
So it doesn't follow the Elliot Highway. It doesnít go through Fairbanks.
It comes back on our highway system near Nana, Alaska.
And then from there, it will go along the park's highway until it gets down to about mile 133,
which is near a big bridge, Chilatna River Bridge, and then south of there then it goes across over to that overland again until
it comes under Cook Inlet.
So, when we're looking at it, you know, we are really focused on those areas.
The types of activities are important.
So there's of course all the hauling and the trucking activities, the commercial vehicle
activities.
But then when you are along the Dalton and parks, there will also be areas where the pipeline
goes underneath those highways.
And so there'll be actual construction, and we'll treat it like a construction project
on our highway system.
you know we're looking at as we go along through here um you
know, we'll talk about a lot of things but you
know material sites um access you
know to our highway system those types of
things you now we've we been in contact we
've been talking to Glenfarn about those
things to get a sense of you
know how how they're
looking that things
commissioner you show a marine route on here is this
the chances that there will be offshore export of the gas, why is the marine route down there?
Yeah, Chair Giesle. Yeah. We're trying to show kind of that bigger picture of, I mean, logistics
and transportation. You know, we have heard there's, there are opportunities where you can barge
all the way to Prudhoe Bay. And so there could be a component of this where, you know there is
materials going to prudoe bay. It's a very short window that you could do that.
the majority of it, but we did want to show that.
I would also like to say one of the things we were proud of accomplishing over the past
few years was establishing that marine route.
That actually wasn't a route, so it's called the Merit.
maritime administration
And they've had routes in southeast Alaska that kind of stretched through Anchorage
It it's a when you get this designation. It allows federal funds certain types of funds to be invested in our port infrastructure
And so by us being able to go to Merad and make this
Application and get that designated all of those communities
Even these even actually extend you don't see it here
But several of these routes extend up the rivers
That makes those ports eligible for a lot of federal funds.
Senator Rosher.
Thank you, Madam Chair, through the Chair.
I was just wondering, is there at all a possibility that any of the materials for
the pipeline or the gas line will actually go by barge or
is that completely out the picture?
Yeah, Through Chair Giesle, Senator Raucher.
You know, we haven't I haven t received any detailed logistical plans from that. I know a lot of different
Areas are being looked at including a rail, you know
Greenman through ship through various ports, but we are aware that you
Know a lotta industry will use the Prudhoe Bay that they will barge into Pruthoe bay for certain modules and things that
They that that it makes sense
All right, I see no further questions
For the record, my name is Catherine Keith, Deputy Commissioner with the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities. So despite the fact that we're in a very different regulatory
environment than we were in the 70s when the Trans-Alaska pipeline was constructed,
there are certainly things that can learn from that and how we have to operate as an organization
construction of the pipeline.
When you see on the slide here, it's
a high level, a bit more of a graphical representation
of our department.
But it really does capture how we operate
as a team resource pool across all of
the different aspects of what DOT does.
This has developed over the years that we've been in these roles with DOT but in this more agile
framework it will help to be able to adapt to the changing needs as we understand the constructability
plans of eight star as this develops you will be be to through a flexible structure adapt
Some of the requirements of LNG line, it certainly may be compounded by other concurrent development in the state.
For example, construction of a bead, the broadband energy infrastructure, and several other larger scale.
construction which is going to task our workforce and our staff whether it's
through permitting or engineering reviews. So these are things that we're being
mindful of and trying to establish task force and systems right now so that as
we go forward over the next couple years that that were prepared.
We look at our department from a couple different lenses.
One is through strategic assets.
These are things that we consider highly used.
infrastructure that provides this critical value back to the state including our Alaska
international airport system and in Fairbanks and Anchorage, our Laskamarine highway system,
our division of facilities, public facilities our statewide equipment fleet and MS-CVC
measurement standards and commercial vehicle compliance and that particular division is
important because that's what's going to help ensure that the heavy traffic on our
vehicles are compliant because as we do move forward with the increased use of
our highways and other modes of transportation the public safety highway
safety is going to remain paramount and that is a role that the Department of
Transportation does play both in constructing solutions to increase
public-safety pullouts for example but then also the non-infrastructure related
using digital tools such as LASCA 511 to help increase awareness of where activity is occurring.
So with our cross-functional support, this is how our department is structured with data modernization and innovation office, program management and administration, our new Alaska trails and local access systems to help provide support with rural project development and logistics.
So these are examples of how we have different parts of the department, which support our regions where you see project delivery and construction occur.
With development of the pipeline and as it gets underway, we are expecting thousands of heavy duty trucks carrying these 80 foot long pipe segments.
These are going to be convoys, potentially overweight oversize vehicles.
And so this early planning will help us be able to accommodate the needs for construction, but
keeping safety at the forefront.
Great I see no questions. I'll let you go
Yeah, and for the record right Anderson and just one thing about this structure, you know over time
You know dot is responded to a lot of events over the past few years
The latest being typhoon haylong on the west coast of Alaska
One thing we've learned is when when there's an event it really takes resources from across the state
to respond the way Alaskans expect us to
respond. And so as you see our structures
and things and when we get into the AKLNG
line, you know, it's an event and so we
want to treat it like that. So that's, yeah.
Great.
Yeah, thank you and for the record Catherine Keith and that's a good point commissioner Anderson brings up because it's not just resources within our own agency
It's other statewide
Departments and agencies and corporations as well the Alaska railroad corporation
Ada these groups we are
Coordinating with on a quite regular basis to help put the pieces together to best support the project as we move forward
Oh, pardon me.
Senator Klayman had a question.
Just a questions, because I'm looking at the slide
and it describes the northern, central, and south coast
regions.
And I know there's been a lot of press
and a lots of discussion about consolidating DOT
and not having the three separate regions,
and specific to the pipeline, does
that shift from having three regions and management
in three region?
Should we be concerned about not maintaining the
Maintaining DFT facilities with a potentially large project like this
Yeah through the chair senator Klayman. Yeah, that's a great question
You know one of the things we've been doing over the past year is really looking at you know where we had success and and
We've Been Listening a lot like for example, I'm with several of The contracting organizations
Consistency and the way we operate is a theme for DOT
Where you know, we've heard a lot about in one region
You know things are done a certain way in another region. They're done another way and we really need to get
you know things consistent across the state and technology accelerates that you
know because you have more ways to do that and the communication tools or you
know people are communicating across
the world now in different ways but with what we're looking at with our budget
proposal it's it a leadership shift the regions still stay intact we are not
we aren't bringing people you
know breaking things up there it is really what
regional directors in each region that would do all capital maintenance and
operations, you know, this full gamut to having a maintenance
and operations director that
would look across the state at maintenance
and just be dedicated to maintenance
and operation and then a capital program director
that will be
dedicated
to capital across across
the
state
but the
the construct of the regions.
You know we have
engineers that are in the regions that aren't really affected by this change.
It's the leadership is what we're proposing.
Thank you.
For the record, Catherine Keith.
So, as part of our lead up in understanding the cost, what it may take to shore up our
infrastructure to withstand construction and all of the heavy truck usage, we've been
evaluating our assets across the state.
We do this already through our transportation asset management program.
This allows us to collect all sorts of data on our national highway system bridges and
And through these measures, it allows us to understand if we are meeting our requirements.
We are required to maintain our national highway system in a certain operating condition.
sections, road and some bridges as we know are better than others so we're
focused on through this work identifying what areas are most in need of improvements
and looking at our next four-year project delivery plan which you'll see
coming up in our statewide transportation improvement program our
STIP will be released for the public in the next couple weeks and that'll show
So being able to look at the data with where our infrastructure is at and then
being to incorporate those needs into our capital program will help both the
developers and the public and decision-makers look where these
investments are happening and we through this public comment period that you'll
see with our step it'll help.
We'll have a lot of opportunity for feedback and comment on that construction plan.
So through that, I can talk briefly about the Dalton, because as most of you will know,
with 414 miles, about 250 of them are gravel, and we have had a significant amount of construction
In 2015 and 2025 we've had about 460 million invested in major construction projects and
then over the next five or six years we're planning an additional 450 more and it's certainly
years that there's high amounts of wash outs, an emergency erosion mitigation work that we have
to do. So we're identifying potential ways that could be more responsive when that does happen,
so we don't have the Dalton shut down for two days or more. One example of that is working with
federal highways administration to get approval to stockpile material and have it at the known
actions that we know are at high risk, we can now be able to stock pile material which
would allow us to move quickly when a wash-up does occur, which typically has not been very
easy because there's a long distance between material locations.
Deputy Commissioner, there is a gentleman on this committee of Senator who drives that road, I think he has a question.
You had to know this was coming.
So you're talking about large-scale construction projects on the Dalton, and I will never question you when you tell me that you need to replace a bridge.
That sounds dangerous.
But my question is, what are we talking in terms of maintenance on Dalton?
Because it's my understanding with some information I've gotten from your department of the last few months that we're spending only about $20 million a year to maintain that road.
It's a very important road, we'll put it that way for, you know, not only for energy
firm within the state, but also, how we make our money here in the legislature, too.
So what kind of changes are we looking at in terms of daily maintenance on the Hall Road?
Yeah, for the record Ryan Anderson through the chair, Senator Myers.
Standard operating budget or our folks also use those preventative maintenance funds
We leverage those as much as we can which adds on to that
But there's only certain things you can do with federal funds in terms of maintenance
I'm a lot of its you know you put down the calcium with with some
aggregate
We're hopeful that this idea of stockpiling materials,
they've been working with us on that,
which would allow us to have that option
for maintenance activities.
I mean, preventative maintenance is what we would call it.
So there's one there.
It's, yeah, it's not, I'm mean last year,
the legislature reduced our operating budgets
by about five and a half million.
And so we're constantly looking around doing the best we can with the reductions that have been occurring.
So we are doing our best there.
I think in the governor's fiscal plan, we had the pipeline corridor maintenance fund.
That's a real opportunity, I believe, for the Dalton Highway.
That would add these funds years ago, and I, think it was before 2010.
Fairly sizable appropriations of state funds for heavy maintenance on the Dalton and you know
Our our teams at that time made the most of those and then you saw some pretty
I think the projects that you the trucking industry is looking for just those
You know rebuild in the road and getting a good surface on it type projects when we get into the federal projects
You don't that's the way we look at those is a little different and so they're bigger projects
And it's I I mean we don t get them done as fast as people are hoping
Follow up, Senator Myers?
Yeah, if you wouldn't mind a little attitude.
I guess my big question, and I've expressed this to you
and some other folks up in the Northern region,
is just about getting, especially in summertime,
I think in wintertime you guys generally do a pretty good job,
but especially summer time, getting operators in graders.
Okay, I understand we got to respond to wash outs
and things like that, those are important too,
but just getting operator in gradeers out there is,
It's a basic function, and I don't think we're doing a very good job of it.
How do you feel?
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Myers.
Yeah and if you talk to our teams, what they're going to tell you,
because our budget up there is limited with the approximately 20 million.
They're having to use those preventative maintenance funds to make the year,
to get a full year.
requires us to move to those types of eligible activities that we can do with those
preventative maintenance funds, which aren't the daily grading, you know, those
types activities I think that the trucking industry is looking for. So that's where we've
been having a lot of discussions about, if we had this much additional funds then these are
the types things that could do. But right now, the current budget only goes so far.
If I could just have a smidge of latitude here,
just kind of want to paint the picture of the issue
that we're dealing with here is,
trucks are going up that road,
things are getting beat up because of all of
the potholes and the washboard and everything
that were dealing,
freight gets damaged.
That means that you're either having to fix it on site
or order replacements.
That increased costs, it delays projects,
it could delay the gas line.
You know, as one example, we both have been dealing with it with Pika and Willow lately,
but other stuff too.
And then when you're talking about things that are occurring on the oil field, then
those become lease expenditures, which then get deducted off of our taxes.
Can you trace any, you know $1 of lease expenditure to what's happened on The Dalton No, but we
know that we know where the mechanism is.
And so if we don't provide DOT the money that,
we need to maintain it, not just these construction projects,
We're going to be missing out on tax dollars on the other side of it.
The vehicles are getting damaged, insurance rates go up, maintenance goes up.
Those costs get passed along.
Those then become cost overruns for the projects, more potential delays, and just as an example
with the company I've been working with for since 2020, our freight rates to haul a load
up the Dalton have doubled in six years.
some of that is wages and some that's fuel, but a large portion of
that can be traced back to insurance and maintenance costs
because of the condition of The Road up there.
So those are the things that we're dealing with and I know that
we like to focus on the high dollar, how do we leverage our
federal or federal highway money and things like that.
But if that what we focus
on and we miss the daily maintenance, we'll
I'll get off my soapbox for the moment.
Well, I appreciate that, Senator Myers.
You know, um,
I've often said the private sector
can't work as efficiently if the public sector
is not doing its job.
And that's really what you're saying.
If we're not maintaining that road,
it's costing the Private Sector,
which ripples back to us.
Thank you for your comments.
Senator Karsak, you were next.
Thank You, Madam Chair.
I'm actually looking at an old.
gas pipeline corridor study that was talked about under the old Gas Line
Enduceman Act in 2008 and it's I just noticed who had written it it actually
from Frank Richards. So we were talking about this under a GIA and we talked
about gas pipelines being different than taps because of buried construction it
would be more earthwork, heavier pipe, greater use of modules things like that.
The question has to deal with the one that Senator Meyers just mentioned about the bad
roads equaling slower gas line construction and then increased cost because that's actually
on the slide. But the question it has has do with who pays for the maintenance on
the road and how is it paid for now? And then I've got a question to follow up for that.
through Chair Geesele, Senator Kawasaki.
Yeah, so who pays now?
So it's a combination of general funds and federal funds
is how we maintain that road right now.
And that's pretty, yeah, I think that pretty much it.
Yeah and as the pipeline.
moves forward, yeah, I mean, we intend to have discussions with Glenfern.
We can only afford so much on maintenance, or if you were to go up the Dalton Highway, as Senator Meyers knows, our camps, they're not 24 hour camps.
I have limited crews up there, and we have a certain amount of equipment.
And so if there's a expectation to ramp up by the state, then yeah that's something that we would need additional resource for, absolutely.
Good follow-up, sir to Kawasaki. Thank you, Madam Chair. In the 1980s, FERC ruled that the pipeline traffic of ordinary highway use
is not allowable as
financial responsibility. So the trucks that go up there for ordinary Highway use of pipeline-traffic can't penalize. You canít penalise them.
So with that said, how
Is the state going to find a way to recoup the costs in order to help pay for the maintenance of the road and infrastructure now?
And this is just the Dalton corridor, section of 415 miles.
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Kawasaki, that's a great question.
You know, when we were working through The Mancho Ore Hall.
A few years ago, that was a similar, I mean, if industry comes forward with a legal truck, it's not oversize over weight.
We have federal requirements, we put federal dollars into these highways.
They absolutely have the right to use that highway.
And so we don't have that ability to per se charge them, so yeah, there's always that restriction.
Now, once you get into oversized overweight vehicles, those are permitted, and so
we do charge for the use of the highway for those vehicles.
So what I mean I follow up senator kosaki. Thank you
So I'm trying to figure out how much money you anticipate you're gonna need in order for this added pipeline construction
this
This legislative briefing was published in OA with the anticipate
Anticipation of six construction seasons needed before gas line construction began
I
Don't think we're there quite yet, but if
Glenfarn wants to start building pipe or putting pipe in the ground in December of next year.
Sounds like we're six years behind schedule and I'm just trying to figure out
not just the maintenance costs but how are you upgrading to the point where GlenFarn
feels comfortable moving trucks up and down the Dalton quarter.
The Dalton Highway right now accommodates an enormous amount of industrial traffic.
It has its challenges. There's no doubt.
And then, you know, we do our best to address those challenges as they occur.
Yeah, so can the Dalton highway accommodate,
you now, a pipeline construction? There'll be a lot of stress in the Dolton Highway,
but it was built for pipeline instruction.
originally. So, yeah, we recognize that as we go forward, you know,
we're going to have to get a better understanding of from Glenn Farne, what their activities are.
We'll be looking at it. You know when we went through the mancho,
you, know we had our engineers looking once we received,
you kind of the design vehicle, understood the loadings and the weights.
We reviewed all of our bridges. We had studies on the pavement.
We really went though that whole gamut.
to understand, you know, where the risks were and whatnot.
And, that activity is going well.
I mean, I have confidence in our teams,
you known as we go through there,
that we're going to do a good job on that.
Well, again, just to kind of say.
Yeah, it just finally,
I just, to follow up that it talks about,
this is the 2008 study that went out,
was that there were 36 projects,
including 24 highway projects.
Three airports, two bridges, seven facilities,
scheduling between fiscal year 2009.
And December 2014, when pipe was supposed to start to happen under the Gas Line
Enducement Act, the cost was going to be about a billion dollars in construction,
averaging 167 million a year for six years. We did fund the first 100 million dollars,
and that's where some of those fixes were done in 2010 timeframe that I remember on the slope.
And then adding another 450 more, do you have the money now to be able to do that?
And do the where with all the, even get it done before, there's pipe in the ground by December of next year, according to Glenfarn.
Yeah, through the Chair, Senator Kawasaki.
Yeah. What you'll see, I mean, our statewide transportation improvement program, those are the funds, that's the resources we have to these projects.
And they're all in various stages of project delivery.
There's one project, and I do have a slide on projects
as we go through the presentation.
But for example, there's a project in the Dalton Highway
that's called 0 to 9 mile.
It's full realignment of the highway.
It is finally getting close to where
we've just got all the permits and authorizations,
the right of way secured.
And so when that is ready, we'll begin.
Yeah, all these projects won't be done before, I mean,
at this aggressive schedule of the pipeline.
But we will continue to work through them, you know,
as we work though as this project, yeah, the timeline.
Thank you.
You know I'm looking at, this map,
I am going to go to Senator Clement in a moment,
but I look at the map and the first part of adult
and up there is listed as green as in good.
It's just interesting, that's all.
Senator Klayman.
That's what I'm talking about.
It is on the same theme.
You just say we're getting by.
We're maintaining on 20 million a year.
And my immediate question when I listened to all these discussions
and the increased costs described by Senator Myers.
the reality that if we have another construction project,
we may be doubling or tripling the volume of vehicles
going over and all carrying heavy loads,
which translates to more potholes and more damage.
And then I hear you say, well, you know,
if you pass this fiscal plan,
there's going to be this $15 fee
that we can use for corridor maintenance.
And my reaction is that sounds like you're saying,
we are already behind the curve on corridor
maintenance, we need the money today
have this road in condition to have a major construction project and waiting to do that
until we pass a revenue measure that may or may not make it through the legislature.
What I'm hearing from the description and from particularly what Senator Myers describes
about the damage to goods that are going down that very road that is designed for
pipelines and oil construction, it still sounds like it's not in shape today and it sounds
am I missing something or?
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Klayman.
I mean, yeah, it's a challenging.
I'm in the 500 miles from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay.
It's a challenging stretch to maintain it.
We're still upgrading stretches, you know, that we're
still old pipeline alignments, and we are trying to get them
up to standards.
So the material sources are a big challenge there.
You know we really excited about the public land order 5150
revocation because that opens up material
sources for us.
It has been really difficult to work with BLM on that front.
Yeah, the 20 million, we do our best.
I mean, getting the reduction last year,
the 5.5 million hertz.
Yeah, there is no doubt.
I mean, we're looking everywhere we can
so we could keep the money on the Dalton.
And then when the discussion about the restructure earlier,
someone what we are doing is looking through our...
other positions and you know deleting PCNs so that we can have money to put
towards those frontline services. I mean so we're within our agency and what
not, we are doing our best to accommodate the state's fiscal situation.
But yeah if there was additional funds towards the Dalton I think we all
recognize those could be well utilized right now for sure.
Follow-up Senator Clayman? No I don't think so I feel like we were
I just wanted to – it's more of a comment, but looking at the map again, most of the
roads here are yellow, and I'm not just focusing on the Dalton.
I believe it is the American Society of Civil Engineers that grades roads and states.
And I think we commonly get a D.
I thought we got a C last year out of pavement, we get B's on bridges.
We actually get very well complimented on our bridges in our systematic way that we address bridges,
but yeah, I didn't think we had a D on pavement.
But I would have to go back and look.
Gotcha.
But basically what you're saying is underfunding is the issue.
Yeah, so if you look,
we meet all our federal performance metrics.
And so when you look across the system that no we're we are there or above what what the federal government says
You know according to a performance metric
But when we get into the Dalton highway what?
What they don't include in that as a ground no one has a national highway system route that's gravel
And So that is not included, you know, so there's some nuances of Alaska that work into this sure sure
Thank you. I appreciate that
It's something that this legislature has to take into account as we consider this make a project.
We're going to have to maintain some roads to do this.
Good, is there anything else on this particular slide that you wanted to highlight?
For the record, Catherine Keith.
Yeah, Chair Giesel, the one item to look at as a takeaway is this QR code that's on the slide.
This gives you the opportunity to pull up this map in greater detail.
You could navigate it. It is GIS-based.
That would allow you to narrow in on some of these sections.
For example, the green section of the Dalton being paved,
and being able to look exactly out where those sections are,
and you can correlate that to we can even overlay it with our proposed project construction plan.
poor areas with where projects are coming up.
So yeah, please take a look at that.
And that's helping to guide our decision-making
on our capital program.
Certainly, the 2008 study had a lot of great information
into it, but now, given 18 years later or so,
we can now put that into the.
Dashboard, and along with any other development since then for decision making right now.
Very good. All right, I'll let you move on to the next slide.
So on the capital programming, the takeaway here is to be able to communicate a little bit
capital projects. For the Department of Transportation, we have Federal Highways Administration
funds, as well as Federal Aviation Administration funds. And together, while we do have other
funding, those do form the backbone of our highways and airport improvements that we
can make. Last year we did have a record-breaking year on a couple fronts. We were able to obligate
received for additional obligation limitation
through federal highways of $183 million.
What that means is we're able to spend revenue
that we have already attributed to Alaska,
but because we had increased authority,
we were able spend those dollars
and translate that into construction.
108 million was certainly a record year for us.
put out over a billion dollars of contract awards across our highways and airport projects.
So for us, having those issued last year carries forward into construction this year as well
to have those contractor payments out and to get these projects going as early as possible in this construction season.
We have several tools at our disposal to help us to give us some flexibility with how we're programming our funds.
One of these tools is called Advanced Construction, and this is with Federal Highways Funds only.
But this allows us front fund projects on future years, revenue,
and imporchements coming into the state.
For example, from federal highways, we can actually
obligate higher amounts than that.
We could oblige one and double that, one-and-a-half million.
We have to pay that back though in future years, which means in those future
years there's less new construction funding.
But again, going back to flexibility as the, it's
Conversations are held over the statewide transportation improvement program and the projects in there.
That's a tool that allows us to move things in earlier as needed to accommodate the priorities across our transportation system.
One thing with advanced construction, we have to have that state match to go with it.
So any increase in using that advanced constructions then goes back to requiring match at that time.
you know, with ongoing conversations that you've likely heard about our reduced state match available going into the construction season and fiscal year 26.
We're balancing immediate project needs, project delivery schedules, what's available to go this summer.
With also utilizing the tools that we have, which means we can pay back this advanced construction this year without requiring state match.
So these are things that will be talking about in upcoming weeks as that step is out for review.
Our aviation program received in federal aviation administration grants of approximately $340 million.
And those go into air field projects, like terminals, at airports, safety improvements, lighting upgrades and those things.
And we have our airport improvement program, which is available online as well,
which highlights the projects that we're looking at in the upcoming years.
Pause for a moment.
Senator Wielkewski, you had a question, and...
Yeah, apologize.
I had to step out for minutes.
And maybe this was answered.
I don't know.
Are there any bridges along the route
that are considered structurally deficient
that would need to be upgraded
before the construction season began for the project?
Oh, yeah.
For the record, Ryan Anderson,
through the chair, Senator Wilkowski.
Yeah.
They're actually, I mean...
We're constantly looking at our bridges to make sure we're, you know, keeping them in good,
state of good repair. For example, this summer we recognized that a bridge along the park's highway
was coming to and so we accelerated a project and you're going to see a
bridge replacement project this Summer along there. We do have a list of bridge projects
and subsequent slides so you can kind of see the different ones that we are working on.
Good follow-up, Senator Wilkowski.
that all of those bridges will be completed before
this December, which is when
Glenn Farne is saying construction will begin.
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Wieckowski. Yeah. We went through this on the Mancho again, where we had the
the hall trucks that they were, you know, they met all our state.
regulations for for hauling. When we do have oversized overweight vehicles or
specific work that's done for each bridge, if we recognize that a bridge is
starting to see some stress, we start monitoring programs and so we can track
things there. If we did get to a situation where we thought of bridge had a
structural problem, you know, the first step is we
do what's called load posting and say start limiting the weight that can go
procedural as we go through so yeah we feel comfortable with you know the the
gas line and and what our infrastructure can handle and then if if something
changes that we have provisions to handle that for the question senator
Wilkowski I don't know if this is your lane or not but do you do know it FERC has
issued a notice to proceed for construction activities or is the
project currently authorized only for pre-construction work
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Wilakowski,
I'd have to defer to the staff at AGDC for that.
All right, so under Dunbar, question.
Thank you, Madam Chair,
and I don't want to derail the conversation
or jump too far ahead,
but I guess I'm sort of curious commissioner
and deputy commissioner.
Some of what you're describing is sort
of more general success and challenges faced
by the department and, I think, the presentation today
pretty focused because we're not the transportation committee on the, you know,
the gas pipeline on one of your later slides,
you have a description of the the conic arm crossing. Um, yeah.
Are you asserting the unicorn crossing is part of what we need to construct for
the. The gas pipe line or does that just sort of happen to be in here?
Cause this is a broader presentation.
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Dunbar, what slide are you on?
Slide 10.
But again, I don't want to jump ahead.
I want I wanted to disrupt the.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
There's a slide later where we talk a little bit more about opportunities that surround
the gas line.
And so that's it is a more broader discussion there on that slide as well.
Okay.
I think some of my constituents would not describe that bridge as an opportunity at this point.
So I'm sorry Madam Chair, I just, as we're going through these slides,
I mean, just in the interest of time,
I am hoping we can sort of focus on the LNG pipeline specifically.
I' m sorry, Madem Chair.
Thank you.
Senator Dunbar, part of the focus
on gas pipeline is the cost of state.
Yeah.
What do we even have to pony up?
So moving back to slide five.
I'm looking at advanced construction balance, $576 million, and that's great, but that
means there has to be a match of, are we talking $57.6 million there from the state of Alaska?
And at this point, we have a $70 million match we're trying to make.
that we need to make sure that DOT is budgeted for
so that these kinds of things can be done
leveraging that federal money.
Good, all right, any other questions on five?
Slide five, Senator Kawasaki.
Thank you, Madam Chair, and just to add on to that,
I guess since I'm not on the transportation committee
and wasn't on Senate Finance Committee
when they talked about this,
I just need you to hear that the $70 million
is not a necessity in an earlier in early duration this year because we're coming into this we
kind of assume that we might have to vote on the first facts fast track supplemental that
we've done in a dozen years but we are told now I'm just reading the article from the ADN that
that's not necessary but I know that my contractors and Fairbanks are saying we absolutely want
every pause and every wait until May is damaging to them.
So I'm trying to get it straight about what needs to
get done in order for those things to happen,
for pipeline construction, for all of these bridges to be done now.
Yeah. Through the chair, Senator Kawasaki.
Yeah, so we absolutely need the match that there's no question about that.
The question has been about the timing of the need.
You know, when does DOT need the match?
You have match, you know there was 30 million,
that was still appropriated for this year.
There was also carryover match.
We have carry over match every year,
we have enough match to get us through July 1.
From when you look at from a cash flow perspective.
That was the question we were asking.
That's why you saw the supplemental issued,
not a fast track, but a regular supplemental
issued for that match.
There's no doubt that the certainty,
and we've heard a lot from the contractors,
and 100%, I can understand their perspective,
they want certainty.
And we like certainty in our program, too.
And so that matters.
So from that perspective I could understand
the, you know, the expediency from the numbers perspective.
And what we were asked,
you have enough match to get us through July 1
for an undisrupted project flow.
Okay. Thank you.
Further questions on slide 5.
All right.
Let's move on to slide 6.
We have focused a lot on highways and airports, but of course,
where freight is going to be coming into the state is gonna be at its ports.
And with heavy utilization of our railroad.
With Department of Transportation, we do have, by statute,
that authority and a requirement to coordinate across these modes of transportation.
So as highways, rails, ports, marine systems.
And so through that,
we are in pretty close coordination on several fronts that the Port MacKenzie rail extension is one example.
Operation and others we can try to identify some other opportunities to get cargo into the state
Where otherwise there may be some constraints or restrictions?
For example
Utilizing only the the railroad coming up from Seward where there there maybe some bottlenecks and in identifying other port opportunities
Where that pipe could come in?
opens the door to safer transportation as it
goes forward into construction.
So the DOT will be engaged in these conversations
and trying to find through our resources of funding
that we've mentioned in our existing plans,
the state transportation,
long-range transportation plan.
We have a freight plan which is updated regularly
through stakeholder input and we're developing a rail plan
as well updating our rail plans for the State of Alaska.
measures, what we are looking to do is not necessarily just construct improvements for the gas line but ensure that the improvements that we're making also coordinate well and help set us up for investment in the state longer term.
So being able to not only benefit just as one project but looking at other state investments in in future as well.
and that's great. Perhaps you can answer this question. I'm hearing that the Alaska
Railroad would need to have rail upgrades to transport these large segments of pipe
that what they have right now is not strong enough, durable enough to to handle
those heavy loads. Do you have any insight into that? Yeah, Cherokee, so...
Well, definitely the railroad of course is best to answer that and we happen to have a member of the board here.
I'll just say that our focus is on expediency and efficiency.
So it's not necessarily that those things would prohibit construction but in order to be able to move forward at that pace.
that would be desirable.
There certainly could be some infrastructure improvements
and alternative transportation corridors
and pathways to get material up north.
Thank you for that.
We will be inviting the Alaska railroad
to come to the table as well.
I just, you talked about coordination,
I thought you might be able to speak to it.
Great.
Any questions on slide six?
Seeing none, I'll let you move on.
Okay, for the record Ryan Anderson, yeah, this slide really just is dedicated to Fairbanks
and so, you know, there's some people from Fairbank's here.
But the gist of it, though, really is, with the railroad terminus in Fairbanks, that is
going to be a major logistical point for offloading pipe and moving it the 500 miles,
you now, to Prudhoe Bay.
But this is just, you know, we're really thinking about that with our current,
you where we have projects right now, what that activity might look like.
Of course, the Alaska Railroad Yard is a key place in that area where activities happen.
We have active projects with the Johansson Expressway, this Decexpressway right there
that we fully expect.
That could be a bottleneck.
And then as you go north just to get out of Fairbanks, there are some things kind of
going back to the bridge question.
There is the Bridge that goes over the Chino Hot Springs Road when you exit there that
weight restricted for quite some time.
So depending on what you're hauling up north,
you may have to go around through the roundabouts
and not use the bridge.
We do have a project to upgrade that bridge,
we would like to get that out as quickly as we could.
It kind of got hung up in some of the MPO discussions
when we had the manned show.
And then also, you know, with the air quality concerns
up there, there was some things we had to get through.
But we're moving on that.
And, then, that is the center of our northern region maintenance
and operations group.
And so there'll be a big focus there.
You know for how we maintain things and move things.
I'm having trouble envisioning those long pieces of pipe
navigating the roundabout to bypass the bridge.
I'm not a truck driver, Senator Myers, but it seems like I'd be a big deal.
Did you have a comment?
Just on that note, when they put those roundabouts in, they were smart enough to include
a bypass, so you can take those 80 footers off and go up without having to go all the
way around it.
Gotcha.
Are there any questions on Slide 7?
All right, I'll let you move on.
Okay, and we did do a slide on the Dalton Highway.
And just to give you that sense, you know, of the 414 total miles of Dalton Highway and the the 250th gravel
But we do have pavement where we can make pavement work up there some places. We have payment. It doesn't work so good up
There, so I'll be honest about that
But really it's that that demand for heavy maintenance that this this 5150 in the revocation is a big deal
And the quicker that can happen, the sooner we can have access to those gravel resources,
the better we could do our jobs.
Otherwise we end up with some, I mean, we would be hauling gravel for 50, 60 miles,
and you can only do so much when that's the case.
So this is just that summary, you know, of the Dalton, and then you could see, this
is all the red and greens and the leaders on here are past in future projects, how long
the Dalt and I would capital projects.
Commissioner, there's a section here where the the well, I call it the blob the earth is moving toward the road
You had to re align the Road
Where is that section and how threatening is the blobs?
Advancement to the new section
Yeah, through the yeah, oh chair Giesle. I'm trying to remember the mile post. Maybe senator by her. It's probably
218 that thank you
So yeah that was something it was several so we watched it come towards the road and we had the university and everybody
They had instrumentation and and even have you can go today. You can. Go online and you
Can see what it looks like it's it something we have the University has cameras and everything out there
It has gone over the old road now
We want to train the speeds, you know, and so we'll see it's a ways to wave.
We move the road quite a bit.
We basically move, the Road right down to where the pipeline is.
So the next time the Blob comes, it is not just going to be DOT.
I think Aliasca is going be pretty concerned too, so, but that's, yeah, we watch those
things.
There's been a lot of research on that because it has kind of a unique phenomenon for the
Arctic.
It's kind this big moving rock and ice mass with trees on it and everything else that
comes down.
Thank you. All right, I'll let you move on
Okay, and I did put up because the Parks Highway is you know will be a primary corridor area from the Nana down south to the
Tulipna we did but a just a
Listing of the bridges here that the Tulitna River Bridge is one that we've wanted to
Replace for some time. I think there's an opportunity here to work with industry because there may be you
Know potential to use that for the pipeline
The Nana River Bridge at Moody is one, another one where industry has indicated interest
in using that for the pipeline.
And for those of you that aren't aware, I mean the Translascular Pipeline is mounted
on the Yukon River bridge.
The Naana river bridge at Rex is that's one that we'll be replacing this summer and then
we have that Chino Hot Springs Road under crossing on there as well.
the grouping of projects that are currently in our step along the park's highway
and they're there to address current needs and so
as we go forward we have always have the options to accelerate these projects
because they are on a design phase we do have engineers working on them
if we had to you know they were all scheduled you
know logically but if for some reason one section
You know, we wanted to move quicker with another.
We just had resources and we work that.
So this is something, you know we're working on it.
And just other things to think about on the Parks Highway,
you shared material sources, that will be something you
know everyone's going to need gravel.
This will have access to real road logistical hubs.
And that is on something on
the question on, the railroad.
I mean there are those discussions going about sightings
and where you can offload pipe and that whole piece.
There will be construction within the right-of-way for those of you that have been through the near Denali Park in that narrow section
I mean the pipeline will
Be installed adjacent to the road it'll be buried in
That narrow sections so there'll to be a lot of shared
Work there and then yeah, and of course the oversize what overweight permitting on the parks will Be essential
The seasonal road restrictions will. Be an issue
And so we'll be working with industry on how we're going to address that.
When you get to those times when the road's pretty soft, because we are coming off of winter and things.
So yeah, all those things we were trying to really put the thought into.
Commissioner, this, the,
all the rehabilitation and construction, is that in your budget request now?
Yeah, through the chair, or sorry, chair Giesle.
Yeah, these are all in our statewide transportation improvement program, so that's a four-year plan and
So it wouldn't be in the like this year's budget, but they are programmed, you know in
Our federal program that what will happen is the design
Potentially the right-of-way the utilities phases may be on the budget because we're doing the preliminary work and that is in
The budget but the actual construction would be whatever year it is and the in a statewide
Transportation improvement Program
Other questions seeing none so that takes us to slide 10 I think
Okay, and so yeah on this slide
We've been doing a lot of work because we recognize that point point Mackenzie port Mackenzi
You know could have real value to a pipeline construction scenario
When you look at where the pipeline has to go having all that pipe go through Anchorage has its disadvantages
So this, we've been looking hard at, okay, well, what would it take, you know, to get the point
McKenzie, the Port McKenzie. The rail extension going. We have engaged with a company called Macquarie
and Martinez, which is their MacQuarie is on the financial side. Martinez is
on, uh,
the rail building side to
get some preliminary work done to look at financial models.
as well as reach out to industry because it's more than just the gas line that could benefit
from an industrial port concept appointment, Kenzie. So they're doing that work now,
and so we'll see what comes of that. But the railroad extension, of course, is the
embankment that was built quite some time ago with state funds. And so I think the state has
several hundred million dollars invested already. The idea is what's the best way to complete that?
That's the road that goes out to the west from the Port MacKenzie rail extension and
The key piece there is you'll see where the the AKLNG route is. It's it's that red line on the left coming down
And it is on to west side of the of West to sit in a river
And so having a road access there does have some very big
benefits to pipeline construction.
So, you know, the state is actively working on that project.
The DOT is for the first 20 miles that gets us across the West
Sitner River.
And then that was the next section was where you hear
about the ADA project picking up and going on.
But this section would be a public road.
And, then, of course, yeah, we did have the discussion
on the Knick Arm Crossing.
has been very vocal about that continued, you know, push to understand that project.
One thing we recognized over the past few years was that tunneling technology has changed significantly.
And so we've been working with doing some feasibility technical engineering work
on the feasibility of a tunnel under Knick Arm. And and so that that work will become public very
You know, we understand, you know when conic arm crossing there was, there
was a lot of controversy surrounding government Hill, the belugas, some of
these things we feel, could be mitigated by a tunnel if you didn't have to go
through government hill and you went under conical arm. And so, yeah, so we've
got that work. We've been reaching out to companies like the boring company and
They showed some interest, you know, but it's just real preliminary, just kind of discussions.
But those types of things, as we look across what's possible over there, get pretty interesting.
The other piece is this idea of a sustainable aviation fuel development.
If you look at the Anchorage International Airport, we're doing over 900 million gallons
of jet A into those 747s and 777s every year.
industry came forward and said, hey, sustainable aviation fuel for the benefits of the reduced
carbon is of very much interest to us.
And we got letters of interest for about 300 million gallons annually is where they're
saying.
And so Deputy Commissioner Keith has been doing a lot of feasibility work about, you
know, this fuel is created from different feedstocks.
It can be woody biomass.
It could be fish waste.
different things there, and so, you know, we've been in the background doing a lot of technical work on that front as well.
Very interesting.
Senator Dunbar.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
So your earlier slides sort of stress the importance of the Dalton and it sort
of had a realization, basically. So here you have construction happening by West
Sue, but a law of construction will sort
at the North Slope and move down, right?
I mean, imagine there'd be construction
from in the other direction as well,
but the materials have to go all the way to the top
or near and it'll sort of start to come down.
And so it enters the state.
My question is about the port of entry.
So if it's going on the railroad, does it start in?
So here you have us extending the rail road
to Point Mackenzie, but let's assume that doesn't.
Happen or point Mackenzie is unable to take these things in time. Does it come in through the port of Alaska at Anchorage?
Or does it coming through Seward?
I have a follow-up to that Madam Chair. Yeah, through The Chair, Senator Dunbar, yeah
I
Couldn't speak definitively on that of where Glenfarn where the logistical plans would you know bring the pipe in
of course Sewer
has a freight dock that could be a port of entry.
And we don't believe Whittier is deep water,
but we do not believe they have the space there.
And then the Port of Alaska, of course,
is a primary point of injury for Alaska.
So follow up, Senator Denver.
Well, I appreciate that the port
of Alaskas here, but it sort of not
listed as one of your bullet points.
The Port Of Alaska has critical repair and maintenance needs.
Could the repair of the point that Port
necessary if we want the Alaska, the AKLG project to go forward, or could it be part of, you know,
could we see the the campus, some call it as part also of our infrastructure investment to to accelerate the
Yeah, through the chair, Senator Barr, that's a really good point and yeah, Port of Alaska should be on here as a key strategic asset
There's no doubt. I mean that we're 60% of our jet fuel for Anchorage National Airport comes in through The Port Of Alaska
So yeah absolutely. There are critical needs there that need to be accommodated. We have been talking to the Port
Of Alaskas as well. So, yeah I should add that to this slide absolutely
Just very briefly, I appreciate that commissioner.
And I would be interested in a future presentation about what,
if any changes might be needed at the Port of Alaska to accommodate a project of this scale,
or is it simply they can continue on with their current modernization project,
but we at this state need to.
Continue to inject capital into that project as we have in the past because it is such a crucial piece of our infrastructure
Thank you, madam chair
Thank You senator dendvar senator rosher questions. Yeah, thank you madame chair through the chair
so I was wondering you mentioned earlier the
20 miles out the west who there to the bridge so
My understanding is underway, and is there a completion date?
Yeah through, the Chair senator russia, yeah, we've been working very hard
on the environmental assessment, the permitting.
So we actually have a partnership with the Canik tribe
who support the project to move this thing, you know,
through all the steps as we go.
So yeah, we're in that full project development stage
on that right now.
We would love to be in construction for a first phase
just to get a pioneer road in this fall.
And so we are still working towards that.
And then of course as we work out towards the bigger bridge
There's I think right now we're projecting there's six bridges along this route several of them are more like single span bridges
But the west of sittin of courses the one that's so I thinks about two thousand feet
And length and so that that would be more in the 2027, you know 2028 construction. Thank you very much
Senator Myers, well, thank you, so
to point back versus Anchorage debate here.
We've had on your larger slide there, you pointed out Valdez.
And it's probably not as critical this time around as compared to TAPs.
But still a major port, still bringing a lot of freight that's either too large or
too dangerous to bring through Anchorage and I'm curious how that fits into your thinking.
Yeah, VLD is absolutely as important. I mean, I know we've done a lot of work on the Richardson
south of Glen Allen that stretch through from Glen
Allen north to Delta Junction. We have some pretty big projects scheduled
some this summer and then of course, you know, we upgraded the
Richardson between Delta junction and Fairbanks with the passing lanes and whatnot.
So we're feeling good about that piece of it.
There's still some bridges there, too, as well, you know, that we've got to address
that are in our steps, so we got make sure that's covered.
We do recognize, I mean, there are times when some of these big loads that
are coming up, we can't get across the Chaletna Bridge.
And so,
we have to go on the Glen and up the Richardson and over to Fairbanks because that of the
restrictions for certain large loads on that bridge,
as
well.
So, yeah,
we
have
All right, I see no more questions.
I'll let you move on to the next slide.
I think it's 11.
for the record, Catherine Keith.
One key project that will be critical
for natural gas liquefaction facility
is in the Kiski with the Keeneisburg highway reroute.
This has been in discussion for several years.
This is a project, that's being led by AGDC,
the design of this re route.
So the slide shows
Briefly where this reroute would go would be approximately 3.9 miles
It would, be designed up to modern standards for the to lane highway
Allowing for traveling of both public and any heavy trucks
so this allows the
contiguous
footprint of the liquefaction facility
so that the public during construction or other times
you don't have to go through or near that construction.
So this is an important safety improvement
that we're working on.
The estimated cost is $30 to $40 million.
Thank you.
I've seen no questions.
If you're ready to move.
And I had touched briefly on aviation earlier, but what I didn't comment on was just where
those airports are and how critical they will be for construction of the gas line.
There's several airports that are along the hall road that
are owned and maintained by DOT, not all of them.
what we've been doing is looking at these airports
for any upgrades that they may need
to the runway surfacing and anything with their lighting
that could be done so that as we have increased amount
of construction staff and drivers along the way
that we had the airports in good shape,
whether it's for medevacs or for bringing in supplies
for man camps and other things,
that airports that would expect significant increased use
It's a 6,500-foot runway.
It allows for the larger aircraft needed to bring in major supplies.
And further south there, at the Anchorage International Airport and Fairbanks International
Airport, both of these with the increased amount of activity in Alaska would naturally
see increased use.
And then further South, we have the Keeneye Airport which will also have additional activity
So, for us in our airport improvement program, we're taking these into consideration so that
we can plan for that increased use and shore up, make the resiliency of the airports as
solid as we could.
Of course, in the rural airports, off the road system, you know, our challenge is certainly
with weather reporting.
We're paying attention to these things.
Our weather reporting stations are not within the department's oversight, but we do collaborate
with National Weather Service and FAA on these reporting
stations to try to support the improved operation of them to help them be as reliable as possible.
So a question on the Hall Road airports.
These are all short runway gravel service.
Is that true?
but they could accommodate a leer, for example,
a medivac-ing aircraft.
I'm sure you have the links for the record Ryan Anderson.
Yeah, Commissioner Yiesel, typically you
have to have special equipment to land a jet on gravel.
So that's typically, you'll see more like the King Airs
that are doing the medvacs up there.
Yeah and you know, a lot of these airports were built
And then they've been upgraded over time.
So they're definitely capable of the large heavy haul aircraft.
Hergili C-130 is those type.
Yeah.
Good.
When we have a mega project, injuries happen.
I was an RN during taps.
We've had a lot of clients, a
lot patients in the hospital.
Further questions on this slide?
All right, seeing none.
Thank you.
Regarding there's other things besides infrastructure improvements as I mentioned that we need to do emergency response management is a very important one.
A tool that is our programmatic agreement that have been in discussion with Glenfarn and what that does is pre-negotiate in a sense terms how we're going to work together to ensure the safety of those corridors.
responsible for what, how often are we going to have
medevac sites available, and how are
we gonna work through permitting?
We can have some of the agreements predetermined
through one common operating agreement,
and then we can modify that as we move forward
and we learn more specifics about the constructability plan
for the gas line.
We have mentioned the Alaska 5-1- 1 where we have a freight mode, which helps drivers be able to see
any any things of concern along the route and can help with re routes areas where there's pullouts or bypasses
We've bridge heights in there as well
to help
Reduce the risk of bridge strikes, or which has been a known issue in the state as, well
All right
I'll let you move on.
I don't see any questions.
OK, I'm for the record, Ryan Anderson.
Yeah, another piece of this, the highway permitting
and compliance is a big piece this.
We have a strong team that works this right now.
And technology is our friend on this
we're really hoping that with some of these more mobile type
monitoring stations that we can allow trucks to move through
quite so many checks. Some of the things we look at is if you're a truck driver and you have a
good record, there's advantages to that in terms of how you are inspected at what frequency and what
not. So there are some good strategies there just to make sure that on the trucking side,
recognizing additional activity, limited resources, where we're still caring for the laws and regulations
that we abide by. Very good. I'll let you move on. Okay, and then really as we get to the end here,
is absolutely high on our list.
You know, there's a lot of good concerns about, you know
these pipeline jobs come in and what happens to all of our
folks that are maintaining our highways, airports,
you across the board.
So.
The types of things, we're doing a lot with workforce right now in terms of training opportunities.
We have scholarship programs to get young people in to see the L's and then work for the state.
We're going more and more with contracting.
You'll see even with our snow removal now, when we get events, you'll
see contractors out doing snow removial.
So we are trying to really make sure that we can scale up.
as we need to, and then if we do get into a situation where we're going to be
struggling maintaining our workforce, that we have that knowledge and that
ability to quickly do some things like contracting or whatnot.
There's been other discussions too about incentives and those types of things,
but that's pretty early for us, but we'll be continuing to work through that to make sure that
we can maintain our roads and highways and airports. Yeah, when does this
Yeah, of course.
Senator Rosha, question?
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I was just wondering when you talk about bridges being rebuilt along the way on the Parks Highway.
I just wondered if it went by rail, you wouldn't have to worry about any kind of traffic all the
way to Fairbanks.
Yeah, through the chair senator rosher. Yeah. That's a good point. I mean we're big advocates for the rail
It takes a lot of pressure off our highway system
There but you know those stretches of the parks highway
They're still going to be active construction and so there will be pipe unloaded and then moved on the highway to its construction location
So they'll be there'll still be a fair amount of activity
But it was limited
Greatly and take the strain off wouldn't it?
through the chair, Senator Rousher.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, thank you, ma'am.
Yes, senator Dunbar.
Thank you Madam Chair.
And actually, the Chair pointed this out earlier
with her experience while TAPS was being built.
So we've gone through this before, something like this.
Granted, we were a very different state.
But what did the state do?
While taps was being built and those kind of jobs and we must have a similar pressure on our state employees that we're maintaining
You know our roads and highways and maintainers. What did the state do? Do we know?
What would they do back then to to tackle this challenge?
Yeah through the chair senator Dunbar. Yeah, you know, that's a good question and maybe that something we could do a little more work on
I mean, I have lot of anecdotal stories,
you Know people that stuck around and people it didn't and
you know, those types of things, um, yeah, that's, you
know in some respects it, it was different times. You know
I think the expectation right now for road maintenance,
you
know when there's snowstorms and things is, is a lot higher
than it used to be. I mean, there is so much information
available and, and but yeah it's a good question. It's yeah
it something we could do a little more work on for sure.
Thank you. Thank
you ma'am chair.
Well, I share that concern, Senator Dunbar.
I think the wages that will be offered on the pipeline work will
be far higher than what the state is offering.
So that would be a challenge, keeping our workforce in place.
All right.
I see no further questions.
You can move on.
Yeah, and this is just a quick slide.
Just the importance of our capital budget,
the important of operating budget.
You know, we're working through the AL 360 legendary reform, that's going to be really
important just to, you know when these, as a pipeline comes to fruition, our ability
to responsive and have, I mean having our infrastructure in good shape as we start,
you now is really important.
You know, we we're pretty proud of our infrastructure in Alaska
I mean, there's a lot of talented engineers them, you know across the state both working for the State and for contractors
They're really, You Know, We've built a pretty robust system here. So yeah recognizing they'll be so stressed there
But we you Know we feel like you don't work for The Challenge, so thank you
Senator Myers thank You Madam Chair, So I think one thing that should be on here that that isn't is the step itself
One of the things I think that we've highlighted in this presentation here is the role that
the STIP plays in our infrastructure, and sometimes the roll that the StIP doesn't play,
but should.
You know, we talked, you know I hammered on this a little bit when we were talking about
the Dalton Highway.
You have all these projects set up for the dalton, but not necessarily the maintenance
money to set, either to maintain what we have already got or to obtain after those projects
have gone through.
You know, it's been, call this my own personal opinion here, you know.
I think that in some ways we're better off on that all in the highway taking some
of the money out of some of those projects and putting it into the maintenance.
Senator Kawasaki brought up the 2008 study on some
of things that need done, that needs built, and you
know in order to support a gas line or something similar,
and that have not gotten done already.
And this is, this isn't a money issue.
Well, we were rolling in the dough in a lot of ways.
So this tells me it's a programmatic problem.
And so I get concerned, nothing against Commissioner
Anderson or anything you've done since in your time there,
but I got concerned that we have fallen into a pattern
in this state of when we use our step or other programatic
things like it, that,
we've taken away the focus on
what does our construction do to benefit our economy in the long run and focused it much
more on how do we maintain jobs in a construction industry for a year or two.
And now we're seeing the end result of that.
We knew, now I understand the pipeline route has changed somewhat because it wasn't until
what 2013, 2014 we made the decision that was going to go to Nokiski.
We knew in 2008 that we needed to get some of this stuff done and we did not do it and our
STIP did reflect that. So it's a large-scale concern that I've had for a while and I think
it is time for us within the legislature, within executive branch, both to recognize that it
Let's maintain our construction jobs for summer too. It's about what's going to benefit us 10 or 20 years down the line
And I'm worried that we're not doing that so
So commissioner we've understood that
The that Glenfarn is sort of counting on in a way
Or it's an option that the Department of Energy is going
Fund a major portion of this of his work
has DOT put together a budget for the next five years
during which this construction will take place
as far as what your needs will be financially?
Yeah, Chair Geesell, I mean,
I think what you'll see in our upcoming step,
which is a four year plan will
be how we're planning with the capital resources
that we have available for that next four years.
a focus on AKLNG and what you're going to see is a very similar what
you saw today in terms of the projects and and
what's not. When it comes to maintenance, I mean,
I think what, you know, what the governor had with the pipeline
corridor maintenance fund, that's a nice
addition that that helps us in a lot of areas,
you now, for the maintenance piece of it and so that gets at our operating
Like frontline can do operation, and so we're pretty focused on the here and now
And and recognizing you know some of our experiences with some the other industrial, you
Know
activities that have gone on
Have we put together a five-year plan for?
You know, the entirety, I think you're going to see DOT come out with more once we get that
information from Len Farne about the types of trucks,
the weights, you know really those activities along our highway, then we can assess more on
if there's any weaknesses in our infrastructure that we need to address or those types
of things. So basically you are on hold until the plan is rolled out to
in terms of because it seems to me you're going to be asking for a pretty large budget.
There's a lot of work here that you've described.
Yeah, Chair Geese, so the things that
you are seeing right now, you know, we will be addressing in our step.
Okay. So that will
be there. But yeah, as we get more information on the logistical plans of Glenfarn,
we'll definitely be taking hard looks at those. Absolutely.
Good. Any other questions? Senator Kosaki.
Thank you. Thank
you, Madam Chair. I was looking at page eight on
Maybe to answer some of the question it talks about the investment in court or resilience
the planned amount at between
2026 and 2031 it have about a half billion 45
million is that
That's and I'm trying to figure out what court of resilience means is
that just to get to a standard that would be anticipated for pipeline construction or
to maintain
Through the chair senator Kawasaki yet, which is the numbers you see there, so
The planned is you know, that's that what's in our step. It's based on
Where we know the road needs work?
It needs upgrades it could be because maybe the curves don't meet standards
It could because we have a bridge that we recognize it's coming to lots of different reasons there
But yeah, what what you would see in the next, you Know from 2026 to 2031 right now is planned
And estimated is $454 million invested in the reconstruction projects.
Follow-up, Senator Kosaki.
Yeah, just to follow up again, taking back this 2008 briefing titled,
entitled, Infrastructure Improvements Needed to Support Gas Pipeline Construction.
And then, seeing where we're at today, I'm just trying to figure out how the timelines will sink.
I think, you know, we are all super excited about hearing.
Glenfarn ready to put pipe into the ground in December of next year and I'm just I've not
convinced hearing the report today that the roads will even be in a condition for that to happen
and so I am trying to get you to make a pitch for yeah we'll be done we will be ready
Yeah, through the chair at Senator Kawasaki one thing that might be helpful is we could go through that 2008 list
And we can identify the projects that were completed and then any that may not have been
Because I'm familiar with the list, I don't have on the top of my head, but I thought the last time I looked at it,
we had not done a significant amount of work off that list.
You know, one thing with DOT that I love about working and being in this role and why I took this roll,
I mean you just have a group of phenomenal people, and I was just going to use the Typhoon Halong and the West Coast Storm as an example.
The devastation out there and what happened and occurred,
and in the way we were able to resource that with, we have folks from...
Noam, Fairbanks, Juneau, Southeast Alaska, Anchorage,
all of those Deputy Commissioner Keith is leading that effort.
We're out there actively rebuilding boardwalks and the roads.
And we're delving into where we had delved into housing and school repairs.
I mean, we are a contracting agency.
We get out on a response.
We have contractors.
contractors are our partners and we're working through these things.
I mean, I think you're going to get that same response on the gas line.
I'm in everybody's in this together.
And with our infrastructure, you know, when we start seeing weakness,
you have ways that we work through that.
I am confident we are ready for the Gas Line.
I know you are going see us really putting our heads to it once we get more details here.
And we will be upfront and transparent about what's happening out there with everybody.
I think we're going to, as we learn more and recognizing the type of event this is, kind
of going back to the beginning, where we had the Gold Rush, World War II, TAPS, I mean,
I believe this going be an event like that, and we did those, so I'm excited about what's
coming up in the future for transportation.
Thank you very much. I see no further questions
Commissioner Anderson Debbie Commissioner Keith. Thank You very Much very helpful presentation
I think the committee learned a lot and
Enjoyed the presentation. So thank you for being here
We had another issue on our agenda, which I'm setting aside. This will conclude our meeting
Our next meeting will be on Friday January 30th at 3 30.
I know that's late in the afternoon on the last day of the week, but
you'll make it. The presentation should be super interesting. It'll be the Department of Natural
Resources talking about the North Slope Gas and the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
opining on what amounts of gas are legitimately removed from the north slope or point Thompson.
So at this time this meeting will stand adjourned. Let the record reflect.