41.0°

The project, which has a preferred alternative of building a road from Juneau to Skagway, has been one of the mostly hotly debated topics in the capital in recent years.

The state could decide to build a road up the east or west side of Lynn Canal, offer better ferry service, or implement a combination of the two to enhance travel between Juneau, Haines, Skagway, and the rest of the state and Canada.

Pamela La Bolle, president of the state Chamber, said the group will lobby for, and promote, the access project next year.

"There eventually has to be better access to and around Southeast Alaska," she said. "In the Lower 48 you see hundreds of miles of new or widened roads. When's the last time we had a new road in Alaska?"

Those opposing the road have argued that it would be unsafe during the winter, and its construction would damage the environment.

Other priorities for the state Chamber include:

• Establishing a long-term fiscal plan for the state and balancing the budget.

• Building a natural gas line and getting Alaska gas to market.

• Establishing a system to inflation-proof the earnings of the Alaska Permanent Fund.

• Building and maintaining a superior school system.

Jim Scholz, a board member on the Juneau Chamber and the state Chamber, sponsored the position for making Juneau Access a priority. He said he believes that others in the Chamber supported the position because they realized it is expensive to operate the ferry system in Southeast.

"Most transportation projects are not considered a statewide issue," he said. "I think the big feeling is that it's a project for the entire state."

He also said Juneau is the only capital city in the country without a road to it.

"I think people have a tendency to feel a disconnect with Juneau," he said.