The road to prosperity: state sees funding increase of nearly 50 percent.

• Author: Hamilton, Vivian
• Position: Road and railroad construction in Alaska - Includes related article on Alaska Railroad Corp.

You know the drill. If you have to drive anywhere in Alaska this summer, expect road work and traffic delays. The state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has once again squeezed its annual construction program into a few hectic months.

However, there is a silver lining to this cloud of minor irritation: In total, more than $200 million in federal highway funds is being spent to improve and beautify the state's transportation system.

This summer, several hundred miles of roadway are being built or rehabilitated throughout the state, half a dozen bridges are being repaired, and 16 bridges in Southcentral Alaska are being retrofitted to withstand earthquakes. Plus countless trails, turnouts and pathways are being constructed. It's no wonder there are delays and detours. Then, of course, there is the 2-mile tunnel being bore through the mountains from Portage to Whittier to provide the first road access to that community since it was founded during World War II.

And, finally, a new ferry. The M/V Kennicott was added to the state's 8-vessel Alaska Marine Highway System, arriving about a month late, the result of construction delays blamed on El Nino. The Kennicott, named by a Glennallen 6th grader, was greeted with much hoopla as the first new vessel added to the fleet since 1977.

NEXT YEAR'S GOOD NEWS

Paving the way for future projects in Alaska, Congress passed a new $203 billion highway funding program called the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21). Signed into law in June by President Clinton, this new funding formula will benefit Alaska by increasing the state's share of highway money by 47 percent. That's an average of nearly $312 million annually over the next six years.

"This act provides a tremendous opportunity for Alaska to improve our transportation system," Gov. Tony Knowles said in a prepared statement. "With additional funds available for federal highways, the Alaska Marine Highway System (ports), and the Alaska Railroad, this plan reflects the true multi-modal nature of transportation in Alaska. This new legislation works for Alaskans whether they ship or travel by land, sea or rail."

This year's road work is being funded as part of a federal highway funding program, which is derived from the acronym ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (often referred to as "ice tea"). Originally envisioned as a 3-year program, Congress continued to extend it each year, for a total of three additional years, while a funding formula was hashed out to satisfy a greater number of states. This year is the last year ISTEA funding is available.

TEA 21, which some government officials are referring to as "next tea" because it follows on the heels of "ice tea," allocates transportation funding to states on a percentage basis. Under the new act, Alaska will receive 1.1915 percent of the total, an increase from the previous 1.16 percent. Alaska will receive $5.13 in federal highway funding for every...