The road to Juneau: Not if, but when

I've been traveling a lot lately, mostly flying to Anchorage for work. The thing about seeing Juneau from the air is that it's small enough to know many areas - from islands to beaches, from the golf course to mountaintops - from personal experience. Sitting in a window seat flying over the capital city, I have moments of affection for the community that lies below, in no small part because I know it quite well. In addition to how special this place is in and of itself, one thing that always strikes me as I fly in or out is how magical it is to be coming or going. It just isn't that easy to get here. In fact, it's time-consuming and expensive.

• Photos

This summer I also flew to Haines on a Wings of Alaska Cessna 207 for the Southeast Alaska State Fair. That journey was very different than on a 737, but the view from much closer to the earth was every bit as lovely. The most striking contrast for me was that while I know so much of the Juneau area, the reaches of Lynn Canal traveling north were mysterious. It occurred to me I really wouldn't mind a road that opened up at least one side of this beautiful part of Alaska to me. In fact, I'm ready for one right now. I'd still have to fly, boat or swim to get to the other side, but I was excited thinking how the east side of Lynn Canal may be accessible by car in my lifetime.

I now have a new perspective on the much debated road issue. The truth is, I was looking at where the road to Skagway will go when it is built. Of course none of us knows when that will be, but I think at a certain level, we all know it will happen. Look at history. One hundred years ago, when Anchorage was nonexistent as a community for all but Alaska Natives (and for them only seasonally) the idea of a highway from Seattle, up through British Columbia and the Yukon, and over down to the shores of Ship Creek would have struck all but drunk or insane Juneau residents as impossible. Yet it happened. Why? Many factors, but the impetus was the establishment of a population center. The Parks Highway's direct route from Anchorage to Fairbanks was once probably seen as farfetched and goofy. Back when it was being planned, some probably thought the Glenn Highway's circuitous route to the Interior via Glennallen was perfectly satisfactory.

There's nothing crazy about not wanting to see a road built; just nostalgia and a real love for the way things are right now. But the conditions that justified the construction of the aforementioned transportation projects already exist here. Juneau is ready for today. A population of 30,000 and our status as the seat of government for the largest state in the union are but two overwhelming reasons why a road to Juneau not only makes sense but is inevitable. The need to plan this project thoroughly and carefully will not go away. It presents those who wish time could stand still an opportunity to delay things a while. The optimist in me hopes the final project will be that much more worthwhile from the engineering and aesthetic perspectives. I just hope the delay doesn't prevent crucial federal funds from helping make the project a timely reality.

Juneau has to face the future with a realistic assessment of what our responsibilities as the capital city are if we want to retain that role. One duty is that of accessibility. The ferry system and air travel are both great ways to get from here to there, and neither is going to go away. But a road is the logical next step. And in 20 years - 30 or 40 at the most - it's going to happen. I favor it rather sooner than later. This doesn't mean I have no respect for those holding the other point of view. But it does mean that I have to speak up as to the inevitability of the road's being built. I'm sure that no amount of naysaying on the other side will prevent it from happening in the long run. Hopefully this step toward the future will occur without acrimony, and we can all come to appreciate a better connection to the rest of the Last Frontier, and to the wider world.

• Benjamin Brown is a lifelong Alaskan who lives in Juneau.