Planning for UMed and More...

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Thank you to everyone who attended the community picnics at Cuddy Park and/or David Green Park. I truly enjoyed sharing some BBQ and good conversation with our neighbors! The picnics are a great way to meet new, as well as longstanding, members of our community.

Last week, I was able to attend several meetings which discussed a plan and framework for the future of the UMed area. Conversations with neighbors at the picnics helped me have a better understanding of the wants and needs of our community as we begin this process. Please contact me any time if you would like to know more about a particular topic or if you are concerned about a specific issue.

Catching up with a neighbor at the Cuddy Park picnic

Great to see so many faces!

UMed Master Plan and Visioning Meeting

I had the opportunity to attend the UMed Master Plan and Visioning Meeting at Wendler Middle School. Along with many members of our community, I learned about the efforts of a consulting team, Paige and Turnbull, who are working with community members as well as local institutions to put together a framework for the future of the district. The meeting included discussions about retail and restaurant development, maintaining green space and trail systems, as well as expansions of the local institutions like Providence, UAA, and APU.

Currently, the team is gathering feedback from the community via an online survey that you can take HERE. I will continue to monitor the progress of the consulting team throughout the summer and fall.

Northern Access Road Update

The consulting team is working in coordination with the Municipality of Anchorage, the State Department of Transportation, and DOWL HKM to incorporate the Northern Access Road. As promised, I intend to give regular updates on the progress of the road, in addition to ways the community can stay involved. It is important to remember that when the capital budget (SB 18) passed the legislature, it passed with an amendment on page 12 line 20 that stated, “It is the intent of the legislature that the Municipality of Anchorage and the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities work with the public, including both the community and U-Med organizations, and consider their input and desires on the design, construction, and mitigation elements of the project.”

Within the next week, DOWL and the Department of Transportation are solidifying a public involvement plan. The plan will include several community open house meetings, the ability to submit comments online through the Northern Access UMed Road website, and the option to schedule meetings with the project managers. I have attached a public comment sheet to this email that can be mailed to the DOWL headquarters at 4041 B St, Anchorage, AK 99503.

Northern Access Working Group

Several members of the Legislature and community leaders have put together a “Northern Access Road Working Group” as a way to start a discussion about the project and as a source of information. The group will have meetings as well as regular email updates.

If you would like to be included on the working group’s distribution list, please email meghan.cavanaugh@akleg.gov with the words “Working Group” in the subject line.

Upcoming Events

PRIDE Festival: A week-long celebration that reflects upon the journey of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. PRIDE festival is also a celebration of Alaska’s diversity and seeks to eliminate prejudice. To see a full schedule visit the event’s website here.

June 8 through June 16 is PRIDE festival, click here for a full schedule

Anchorage Baseball: Last weekend kicked off the Anchorage Minor League Baseball season at Mulcahy Stadium. It’s a great way to get outside with the kids and enjoy a hot dog or two while cheering on your local team!

As always, please contact me if I can be of service to you or your family.

I Answer to You!

Sincerely,

Representative Andy Josephson
716 4th Ave, Room 390
Phone: 907-269-0265
Rep.Andy.Josephson@akleg.gov