Access road would be a waste of money
People have differing opinions on issues ranging from matters of war and peace to matters of roads and ferries. And some people base their opinions on facts.
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It's a fact that when asked whether they preferred a Juneau road or better ferry service, both Juneau and Skagway voters supported improved ferry service. Haines didn't vote, but McDowell surveys consistently indicated Haines strongly favors improved ferry service over an east Lynn Canal road.
So, it's a fact that a majority of residents whose transportation options would be most affected by the Juneau access project oppose the proposed Juneau road.
According to a recent poll by Anchorage-based Hays Research Group, it's a fact that a large majority (80 percent) of Alaskans from around the state stated they would not use this proposed road to access the Legislature.
It's the opinion of state Department of Transportation engineers that a Juneau road can be built for $374 million. It was also their opinion that a "pioneer" road could be built for about half of what the actual bids came in at.
Given DOT's past track record and the extreme terrain, it's my opinion that DOT's $374 million estimate is unrealistically low. But even if it were accurate to the penny, given the sentiments of residents from the region and from around the state, it's my opinion that it would be a tremendous waste of the state's declining transportation dollars for the Palin administration to fund Murkowski's road to nowhere.
Nancy Berland
Haines