Governor’s vetoes whittle list of funded Alaska Long Trail projects to four

Hikers ascend Anchorage’s Flattop Mountain connected June 17. This is simply a conception of nan upland wherever nan way has eroded, causing conditions that are vulnerable for immoderate hikers. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Only 4 of 9 projects that nan Legislature funded this twelvemonth arsenic portion of an envisioned Alaska Long Trail web survived Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto pen.

Dunleavy’s vetoes left a spot complete $1.1 cardinal of nan $3.7 cardinal successful Alaska Long Trail projects that lawmakers approved in their superior budget.

Steve Cleary, executive head of nan nonprofit Alaska Trails, said nan veto decisions near way and outdoor recreation advocates acold short of what they had hoped to get successful nan budget.

“We deliberation these were a batch of projects that would beryllium a bully finance for Alaska, truthful we were disappointed. So were our partners,” Cleary said.

The Alaska Long Trail, an eager task being pursued by Alaska Trails and different groups, would beryllium a web of connected trails spanning astir 500 miles from Fairbanks to Seward.

At nan commencement of nan session, Alaska Trails sought astir $20.3 cardinal successful authorities backing for 21 projects. The database was winnowed down to nine, each successful nan Municipality of Anchorage, erstwhile lawmakers yet passed nan budget.

Despite nan disappointment, Cleary said, “we’re grateful for nan ones that were passed and are looking guardant to moving connected them.”

Left intact are projects to amended trails astatine Chugach State Park’s 3,510-foot Flattop Mountain, nan state’s most-climbed peak; create an Indigenous gateway successful downtown Anchorage astatine what is intended to beryllium an intersection of trails; make improvements successful Girdwood to a conception of nan Iditarod National Historic Trail; and commencement creation and feasibility studies for expanded trailhead parking astatine Arctic Valley.

Upper Cook Inlet, disconnected downtown Anchorage, is seen connected June 26, 2023, beyond a statue of Olga Nicolai Ezi, a Dena’ina matriarch and an important fig successful section history. This area astatine nan Ship Creek vessel motorboat is envisioned successful nan Alaska Long Trail scheme arsenic a connecting tract linking nan Ship Creek Trail and Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The scheme besides envisions this tract arsenic an expanded gateway focused connected Indigenous culture. That task won backing successful this year’s superior budget. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Also surviving nan veto pen were respective way and outdoor recreation projects extracurricular of nan Alaska Long Trail plan. Those 7 projects, totaling astir $5.5 million, see support for nan Iditarod Trail Committee, authorities parkland sanitation installation attraction and repairs, wintertime way grooming grants and money for nan statewide way program.

Additionally, nan Dunleavy-approved fund includes $450,000 for parking and entree improvements connected nan backmost broadside of Flattop Mountain, nan replacement trailhead connected Anchorage’s Canyon Road that is sometimes referred to arsenic “Sunnyside.” That task was not among those pushed by Alaska Trails, Cleary said. Rather, it came retired of requests from nan neighbors who person coped pinch overcrowded parking there.

In his veto memo, Dunleavy cited nan aforesaid logic for nixing nan 5 Long Trail projects arsenic was utilized for almost each of his vetoes: “Preserve wide costs for savings and fiscal stability.”