Trails advisory commission backs borough's RAISE application for Fairbanks segment of Alaska Long Trail

The Trails Advisory Commission voted unanimously on Jan. 27 to send a letter supporting the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department’s application to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE grant program for planning and design of the Fairbanks segment of the Alaska Long Trail.

Commissioners approved the updated letter 8-0 after staff summarized how the borough revised the application following feedback from a previous submission.

Trail Coordinator Andrea Jacobs told the commission the project’s previous application received high ratings for quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness and state of good repair. Four merit criteria—safety, environmental sustainability, partnership and collaboration, and innovation—received medium ratings and Jacobs said the borough expanded its application to better address those areas before the Jan. 30 submission deadline.

Jacobs said the borough is adding clearer descriptions of partnerships and plans to elaborate on innovation during planning; commissioners suggested including remote-sensing or drone imagery as planning tools to demonstrate innovative approaches. Commissioner Seth Adams specifically suggested satellite data or drone imagery as possible innovations to include in the planning application.

The vote to adopt the letter was called after a short debate; the roll-call vote recorded every present commissioner voting yes (8–0). The letter will be submitted with the updated application ahead of the federal deadline, staff said.

Ending: The borough will submit the revised RAISE packet by Jan. 30; the commission asked staff to share any substantive changes to the application and to report back after federal review.