[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6078835,"mediaKeyId","2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5","parentId",2958731,"title","Representative McCabe presents resolution urging completion of Port MacKenzie and Northern Rail extensions","audioSeconds",1610,"startMs",2010000,"endMs",3620000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5&start=2010&end=3620","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5/thumbnail_2010000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6078835/Alaska/Representative-McCabe-presents-resolution-urging-completion-of-Port-MacKenzie-and-Northern-Rail-extensions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078835-b9c71929315be09e57f9af4f7f0685c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775486294&Signature=PMg~paszIc55ABu3RnEdZ16crAfFNasAePyrAo1Z2JaGmFsPLj4IA-8c~E8iZFzCVAoSZXEkjfqK9-QU8K~xFIWGOn3ijdcu2yoNm42OpX6Vwqgk3XDd9RiBgRpQgoMNDJi6XzPvFsNEF76OWWCc8rIQRgEs7DTLZhxqMwNU24ohA8CW13UUEMJVaQ2ui7ji0AdrvRstZDV4uM3HTDhcrtykicKoo1t7SFuUCeRy5xnGxG091~OiUcLoGIHckO-jBh83zXKLtfdbyLYUE7HQCj8Ub8MvKhtu1t00aNfFjN~z3U-9Hv1qV1adO6pYmsv0Sbr2SYH~Zf2CS-RgYBpweQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-04-10T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Kevin McCabe presented House Joint Resolution 14 on April 10, urging completion of two rail projects — the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension — and outlining benefits including reduced road congestion, resource transport to tidewater and improved defense logistics.

\"These rail extensions will alleviate road congestion, enhance supply chain resilience, and create jobs,\" Representative McCabe told the House Transportation Committee as he described potential uses including coal and pipeline materials. He also highlighted support from Mat-Su Borough letters and said he planned to use the resolution as support for a federal consolidated rail grant (CRISI) application.

Committee members questioned project cost estimates and community outreach. Multiple members noted large and differing cost estimates; Representative McCabe said the Alaska Railroad has provided an estimate in the range of roughly $275–$300 million to complete the 32-mile Port MacKenzie extension, a figure he characterized as high compared with lower per-mile estimates others have provided. \"If we follow the $290,000,000 estimate from the railroad, that would be 14 and a half million dollars per mile,\" McCabe said, adding he has not seen an engineering report supporting that figure.

Members requested maps and additional documentation: Representative Stutes asked for a map showing the planned routes and for more detail about which segments and what work remain. Committee chairs said they would provide maps and background materials. Representative McCabe also inserted language in the resolution urging the Alaska Railroad to renew a \"community-minded approach\" after committee discussion about right-of-way and local concerns.

Disposition: the committee heard the resolution and engaged in extended questions and discussion, but did not take a floor vote on HJR 14 that day. Committee staff recorded that HJR 14 would be set aside for later consideration and the sponsor intends to use the resolution to support a grant application to the federal CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements) program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/10/2025 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Kevin McCabe presented House Joint Resolution 14 to the House Transportation Committee on April 10, urging completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension and citing economic, defense and supply-chain benefits.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6078840,"House committee advances statewide public and community transit planning bill after amendments",1364,383000,1747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5&start=383&end=1747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5/thumbnail_383000.jpg","/articles/6078840/Alaska/House-committee-advances-statewide-public-and-community-transit-planning-bill-after-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078840-59f7e2c6fb69375a48b47e8e8f8f9f0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775486294&Signature=mxFCNCq9nYxn~eUocAGNHDiAo18hT8LxzBh0M0RduT3itc-A5kz80RqldQUvGaJRLkxLN2ttlSxPmFWCbnAqZezqo4zVfKdL1NEjsP6PaHlBxPTTB001IdcwojoXAyzweZnXYhNNVQ8SZmkxbKJk7DacXVuVu6zUoo77W1cby3o0IE1pVL-ipFCHiotYQaeTQ1h1FT3wk5kcp6aGGfup0L-kaeCLv1Ge~KAMka9dVTlY17c-1agVCoef4UexQevJp1CdH8vZ6m8RcTIOwKXwIWYtpdd~~guoD34PGrkHoGB2v9HLvPQd7cbQU61e59k6vmokwh9NhwVWoKJHQfSLsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alaska House Transportation Committee on April 10 adopted three technical amendments to House Bill 26, a bill to create a statewide public and community transit plan, then voted 5-2 to move the bill from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.

The bill sponsor, Representative Mina, said the amendments make language consistent across sections and add metropolitan planning organizations to the list of stakeholders. \"The reason why we are replacing the word cooperation with coordination is to have the work with stakeholders be similar to what's currently on page 2,\" Representative Mina said as she described amendment n.2.

Committee Co-chair Eisheide moved the bill out of committee \"as amended with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.\" Representative Kevin McCabe objected during the motion, saying the proposal duplicates work DOT says it already does and that it is focused on Anchorage. \"This is an Anchorage bill,\" McCabe said, adding that many communities in his district would not benefit under current statute. After the roll call, the clerk recorded five yeas and two nays; House Bill 26 was moved from the Transportation Committee.

Why it matters: supporters said the bill removes a statutory bias toward urban areas by broadening DOT's planning responsibilities beyond the current \"urban\" focus in subsection 5, and ensures tribal entities, ferry operators and metropolitan planning organizations are part of statewide coordination. Opponents warned the bill could create unfunded obligations if leadership or federal funding priorities change.

Debate and amendments: the committee adopted three amendments (n.1–n.3). Amendment n.1 inserted metropolitan planning organizations into the stakeholder list; n.2 replaced the word \"cooperation\" with \"coordination\" in one subsection to mirror language elsewhere; n.3 harmonized stakeholder lists across subsections 5 and 17 so the same groups are named where DOT is directed to coordinate.

Fiscal and implementation questions: members cited the bill's fiscal note and DOT commentary. Representative Tilton and others noted the fiscal note listed \"0,\" and questioned whether future requirements would create costs if DOT's responsibilities or funding changed. Andy Mills, legislative liaison and special assistant at the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, told the committee that planning can cover statewide communities but without additional funding planning alone may not yield new service. \"Without sort of additional resourcing, there is not, I don't envision a path to how to provide additional or new service beyond the operators that received the existing funding,\" Mills said.

Votes at a glance: the committee roll call recorded Yes votes from Representatives Moore, Stutes, Mina, Co-chair Eisheide and Co-chair Kerrick; No votes from Representatives Tilton and McCabe. The clerk announced the result as \"5 yeas, 2 nays.\" The bill will proceed from committee with the adopted amendments and attached fiscal notes.

Next steps: the committee filed the paperwork after the vote and moved on to other agenda items. The bill will follow the Legislature's normal floor and committee process for further consideration.","The Alaska House Transportation Committee adopted three amendments to House Bill 26 to standardize stakeholder language and add metropolitan planning organizations, then voted 5-2 to move the bill from committee with attached fiscal notes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6078830,"DOT officials describe emergency-response role, drones and new remote tools to House committee",3093,3662000,6755000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5&start=3662&end=6755","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2958731-bdf319f0bda711542f6e3623cb8f0ca5/thumbnail_3662000.jpg","/articles/6078830/Alaska/DOT-officials-describe-emergency-response-role-drones-and-new-remote-tools-to-House-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078830-bb03964880510122e8c78567001ccdde/orig.mp4?Expires=1775486294&Signature=ojqcoOxXQKMcvpeV9Qs2~2gDiVTvntFbl7QIaMsorTD8Wt-26zyOJ9HYdavQ7iYlKYy9hAKrPUUlMiaGfacejJBsZk51YJGzeoLFAleUuEiLEGWWbmK53Iom22CQyi6kZ9cQzro8znEW3JpRxP5G2cnS1D0YC3f7HELmiC5KlOzfhRJLt64dpjhWLoUNNqw1bAKwp-J4o5Idq1Ouu3UaHBrGmGs-suLhJapj80SLrGil6L0-P~m1mYHP8u5JhZYoZ1uXW~UV4pAWEmC-NBjTioOmtqQ71XX-5o6~lqqcYfp-rtGPNJTJ9UMQg8Yl7q6NoSql-gZChLZcRvdl39hWmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT) officials told the House Transportation Committee on April 10 that DOT often is among the first responders in transportation emergencies, that its contracting capability multiplies response resources, and that new remote technologies are expanding what DOT can do without putting people in harm's way.

Christopher Goins, South Coast region director for DOT, said the agency's role is \"to restore and maintain safe emergency access to and through critical assets, such as medical, fire, police,\" and to protect infrastructure and, where feasible, increase resiliency rather than just replace damaged assets. \"Our superpower as DOT is our contracting arm,\" Goins said, explaining that DOT can rapidly scale contracts to bring crews and equipment into the field during declared emergencies.

Jason Sakhalaskis, Northern Region maintenance and operations chief, described DOT's multi-modal emergency tasks — land, sea and air — and how the department adapts airport operations or road openings based on community need. He said DOT performs rapid initial damage assessments and coordinates with local incident command structures and the statewide emergency operations center.

New tools and programs: Goins and Sakhalaskis described two grant-backed drone programs and other remote capabilities. ARRW (Alaska Remote/Role Remote Operations Work plan) and SOAR (Scalable Operations and Advanced Remote Technology) provide uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), long-range drone operations and shared GIS for remote communities; SOAR was funded by a federal SMART grant of about $12.4 million. \"Drone-in-a-box\" systems that can be powered and operated remotely allow beyond-visual-line-of-sight missions for mapping, change detection and search operations, officials said. Goins described a recent Wrangell landslide response in which drone mapping and thermal imaging supported search-and-recovery activities that would otherwise have required manned aircraft or diver teams.

Underwater capability: DOT has an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) named Archimedes used for inspections and emerging emergency missions. Andy Mills said the ROV unit cost is in the $70,000–$100,000 range and that DOT is exploring broader deployment; committee members discussed possibilities such as placing units on Alaska Marine Highway System ferries for rapid use. Officials said the ROV is tethered and currently unique in DOT's inventory but that the department expects more use cases and potential additional purchases.

Interactions with forestry and other agencies: committee members asked who manages roadside clearing and fire-break decisions. DOT officials said routine clear zones are set and maintained by DOT for transportation safety, but during wildfires and declared emergencies DOT coordinates with Division of Forestry and incident command to take additional measures such as larger setbacks or contractor work when needed.

Examples: presenters reviewed recent incidents — a landslide that required search-and-recovery and staged debris removal; the Ketchikan slide that split parts of the community and required a bypass; the Merbok storm impacts in Nome, where DOT expedited runway and road repairs ahead of winter; and the Sag River flooding on the Dalton Highway, where the department adjusted long-term design to raise the roadway after repeated interruptions.

Committee response: members asked about text alerts (DOT said they are available through 511), availability of drone and ROV assets for multiple simultaneous incidents, costs and the tethered nature of Archimedes, and the use of DOT and AMHS assets in rescue missions. Several committee members praised DOT's responsiveness and interagency coordination.","DOT officials told the House Transportation Committee about their role in emergencies, interagency incident command work, contracting speed, and new remote tools including drone-in-a-box programs, SOAR/ARRW initiatives and an underwater ROV called \"Archimedes.\" Committee members asked about availability, costs and interagency use.","actionData","errors"]

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Representative McCabe presents resolution urging completion of Port MacKenzie and Northern Rail extensions

House committee advances statewide public and community transit planning bill after amendments

DOT officials describe emergency-response role, drones and new remote tools to House committee