JULY 6, 2015

Fairbanks Gas Bill Becomes Law; Meeting on Fox Spring Closure Tonight; Update on Local Road Construction

Dear Fairbanks Neighbors,

Last week Governor Walker took an important step towards lowering energy costs in Fairbanks by signing HB 105 into law.  This enables the Interior Energy Project to purchase natural gas from Cook Inlet to bring to Fairbanks.  Previously they were only authorized to buy gas from the North Slope, which proved to be too expensive.  Passing this bill was not easy- after it passed through the House Energy Committee, which I'm a member of, the House Resources Committee added amendments that could have killed the project. Luckily, the Interior Delegation rallied together across party lines and we were able to remove those amendments.

Road Construction in Our Neighborhoods

It's summertime, and every Alaskan knows what that really means – it's road construction season.  There's a lot of it happening in our neighborhoods this year.  Be aware of construction happening on the following roads:

    ·  College Road:
        o   Repaving from University Avenue to Maryleigh Avenue
        o   Addition of more sidewalk access
        o   Intersection improvements, including new turn lanes and traffic lights
        o   Realigning the intersection at Margaret and Antoinette Avenues
    ·  Chena Small Tracts Road:
        o   New multi-use paved pedestrian and bike path along the road
        o   Replacing the culvert at Cripple Creek Slough
        o   Building a retaining wall at Lark Pond
    ·  Amherst Drive:
        o   Preventative maintenance and repaving
    ·  Fairbanks Street:
        o   Preventative maintenance and repaving
    ·  University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus:
        o   Streetlight conversion to more efficient LED lights

Above all, please be sure to reduce your speed, be aware of new traffic patterns and lane closures, and watch for construction workers and equipment at all times.  More information on these projects can be found at www.alaskanavigator.org and http://fmats.us/fmats-area-surface-upgrades/ for Amherst Drive and Fairbanks Street projects.

Public Meeting and Public Comments on Future of Fox Spring Closure

For 35 years the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has maintained the Fox Spring as a free water source available to the public.  It costs DOT&PF about $50,000 every year to preserve access to the Fox Spring, with more costs anticipated as they expect the well to dry up this year.  The department recently announced that they are seeking to sell or potentially close the Fox Spring well due to budget cuts.  They are accepting public comments and holding a public meeting to inform residents about the proposal.

The public meeting will be held tonight, Monday, July 6 from 4-6 PM (presentation at 5 PM) in the Noel Wien Library Auditorium (1215 Cowles St.). Representatives from DOT&PF will be available to answer questions from the public.

The department is accepting public comments on the proposal until 4:30 PM on Wednesday, July 15.  Comments can be left online at https://adotpf.mysidewalk.com/, emailed to kevin.smith@alaska.gov, mailed to Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Right of Way Section, Attn: Kevin L. Smith, 2301 Peger Road, M.S. 2553, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709-5399, or dropped off in person at that address.  More information about the Fox Spring is available by calling 451-5400 or online at http://dot.alaska.gov/nreg/foxspring/.

As always, I work for you and I always want to hear your feedback.  Please feel free to call my office at 452-6084 or email me at rep.adam.wool@akleg.gov with any ideas, questions, or comments.

Sincerely,

Representative Adam Wool