3.0 Affected Environment - Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority

Knik Arm Crossing DraftFinal EIS
Affected Environment
In 2002, 64 percent of all traffic collisions and 41 percent of all fatal crashes that occurred
statewide took place in Anchorage, which has about 42 percent of the Alaska’s population
(ADOT&PF 2002a). The percentage of collisions that resulted in fatalities (0.37 percent) was
lower than the statewide percentage (0.58 percent). The Mat-Su, with about 10 percent of the
state’s population, accounted for 14 percent of fatal crashes. The percentage of traffic
collisions that resulted in fatalities decreased from the previous year (0.78 percent in 2002,
1.12 percent in 2001) but remained higher than the statewide average (0.6 percent in 2002,
0.5 percent in 2001) (ADOT&PF 2002a). Motor vehicle accident information in the affected
area is provided in Appendix B of the Land Use and Transportation Forecasting Technical
Report (KABATA 2006b).
3.2.2.1.1 Mat-Su road system
The Parks and Glenn Highways serve as the backbone of the Mat-Su vehicular transportation
system. The Mat-Su road network includes a limited number of other arterial or collector
roads. Generally, the urbanized area is served by paved local roadways and short
discontinuous segments of paved collector roads because of the irregular and narrow pattern
of urbanization along the Parks and Glenn Highways corridors and the large number of
interspersed lakes and wetlands.
The arterial and collector road network in the Mat-Su includes the Glenn Highway, the Parks
Highway, the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, Point MacKenzie Road, Knik-Goose Bay Road,
Palmer-Fishhook Road, the Old Glenn Highway, Wasilla-Fishhook Road, and Big Lake
Road. The southern portion of the Mat-Su that is within the Study Area for the KAC project
has a limited system of secondary and local roads. Mat-Su Borough and ADOT&PF are
planning a substantial number of new and upgraded collector and arterial roads to serve the
rapidly growing area.
During a 4-year period, from 1999 through 2002, vehicular accidents ranged from 1,290 in
1999 to 1,611 in 2001. On average, 68 percent of the accidents involved property damage
only, 26 percent involved minor injuries, 5 percent involved major injuries and 1 percent
involved fatalities. The city of Wasilla’s lowest accident numbers were 236 in 1999 and
396 in 2001. On average, 69 percent of the accidents involved property damage only,
27 percent involved minor injuries, 4 percent involved major injuries, and less than
1 percent involved fatalities. Table 55 in the Socioeconomic Affected Environment Technical
Report (KABATA 2006a) provides more information on accidents in the Mat-Su.
The following sections provide a general description of the major facilities within the Study
Area and important planned improvements to the vehicular transportation system. The
roadways described can be seen on Figure 3.10.
Specific facilities
Parks Highway
The Parks Highway is located in the northern portion of the Study Area. A segment of the
National Highway System (NHS), it connects the state’s two largest population centers
(Anchorage/Mat-Su and Fairbanks) and serves Denali National Park and Preserve. The Parks
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