Rep. Young Praises Decision To Proceed With Knik Arm Bridge
Washington D.C.,
December 15, 2010
Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement this afternoon following notice that the Federal Highway Administration has signed a Record of Decision to allow the building of 19 miles of access roads and the construction of a toll bridge across nearly three miles of Alaska’s Knik Arm, connecting the Ports of Anchorage and MacKenzie:
“This has been a long time coming. It has been five years since SAFETEA-LU was signed into law, and at last we are realizing a vision. This project has endured environmental reviews, negotiations, and years of development but now we are finally ready to put the shovel to the ground and start developing Alaska for the betterment of our residents and the future of the state. When I wrote the highway bill, I included $230 million for the Knik Arm Bridge because it had been a transportation priority for our state for decades and I was in a position to make it happen.
“We have encountered many bumps along the way, but with this Record of Decision, we are ready to start a project that will provide jobs to Alaskans and economic growth for our future. I’m realistic, and I know that extremists will again file lawsuits to stop construction because there are some people in this world who don’t want to see our country advance and do great things. We need to ensure that this process is efficient and expedited and not allow these groups to stand in the way of what is good for Alaskans. Enough with the politicking, it’s time to get to work!”
