Anchorage Daily News
Published: February 15, 2006
The final route proposal for the politically challenged south Coastal Trail extension would cut through fewer private properties, provide more screening and fencing to protect wildlife from trail users and their dogs, and would trade some city-owned wetlands to the state to compensate for its effect on the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge.
The $26.5 million route is described in a final environmental impact statement prepared by a consultant for the city, state and Federal Highway Administration. It was released this week and is available online, at city libraries and at the municipal clerk's office.
But the long-debated project faces strong opposition and a dubious future.
The concept of extending the existing TOny Knowles Coastal Trail about 14 miles from Kincaid Park south to Potter Marsh has been discussed and studied for nearly a decade, with varying degrees of political support. It was revived when Mayor Mark Begich took office in 2003, and a route proposed by the city last September shaved millions in projected costs and lessened its impact on property owners and the state-managed wildlife refuge.
Supporters have pointed to the great popularity of the existing Coastal Trail. Opponents have included South Anchorage homeowners whose property the extended trail might cross and state biologists who worried about waterfowl and animals that live in and depend on the refuge.
It now is opposed by a majority of the Anchorage Assembly and the state-city transportation policy committee that funds most big road and trail projects. But when funding dried up in 2003, the private Rasmuson Foundation stepped in with more than $450,000 to complete the environmental and route studies.
In an interview Tuesday, Mayor Mark Begich conceded that support for building the trail as a whole piece is slim.
"It's a tough hill to climb," he said. "At the same time, I think there are segments of that trail that have no opposition," largely because they cross only public property or line roadways, or connect existing trails to coastal views. Those segments may draw support even if the larger project doesn't, he said.
South Anchorage Assemblyman Chris Birch, who sponsored a recently passed ordinance that ruled out the use of eminent domain to take private property for the Coastal Trail or any other "leisure" purpose, said he had not seen the latest impact statement and could not comment until he had.
He was annoyed that reporters got to see the report before Assembly members.
Mike Jens of Friends of the Coastal Trail said he had not seen the report either. But he said he liked what he has heard about it so far.
"We are supportive of anything these days that will keep the project moving forward," he said.
The new Coastal Trail route generally follows the line drawn by the city last year, with a few significant changes partly resulting from comments at public meetings since last fall, according to Begich and one of his aides, Michael Johnson. In most of those shifts, the route diverts through city parks or existing public rights of way instead of through private property.
In the latest version, some 98 privately owned lots would be touched, Johnson said. That's down from 122 in the route released in September and from 179 in 2002.
In one case, Begich said, a route change takes the trail away from about 25 privately owned lots, through Johns Park, down the bluff and through Oceanview Bluff Park. The new route also runs closer to the Seward Highway at Potter Marsh to lessen its impact on the marsh and waterfowl there. It crosses more roads and driveways and makes use of more existing trails than earlier versions.
Segments of the trail would run about 70 feet to the seaward side of the Alaska Railroad, separated by fencing. About 34 acres of city land seaward of Oceanview Bluff Park would be transferred to the wildlife refuge.
Trail sections near bird habitat and wildlife corridors would be fenced to a height of 3 feet -- designed to be high enough to discourage trail users and their dogs from crossing into the refuge but manageable for moose and duck hunters, and with a 6-inch gap below to allow birds and smaller mammals to cross.
The impact statement is available online at www.resourceak.com/southtraily/FEIS/CoastalTrail.htm as well as at city libraries and the municipal clerk's office. A series of public briefings and hearings is scheduled for the afternoon and evening of March 1 at the Egan Center.
Daily News reporter Don Hunter can be reached at dhunter@adn.com.