Your voice is needed by January 16 to advocate for funding of Fairbanks-area trail projects.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor and Assembly are working on a public works list for future projects. Several of those projects being considered are specifically about trails or are trail-related. If no one advocates for any of these projects, borough leaders will justifiably think no one cares.
The borough is forming a capital improvement plan and must decide which projects to include on the plan. The borough administration has selected a list of projects. The assembly is now reviewing those projects and wants to hear from the public.
Plans are for a public hearing to be held on Thursday, January 16 to help decide which projects to include and how to rank them. If you can’t make the public hearing, please consider submitting comments to the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly at: http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/assembly/Pages/Assembly-Members.aspx
The trail-related projects included:
- Equinox Trail Extension and Completion
- Peede Trail Head and Trail Development
- Isberg Recreation Area Master Plan Implementation
- Tanana Lakes Master Plan Implementation (several phases)
- Chena Lake Area Revitalization
- Fairbanks Lions Recreation Area (FLRA) Revitalization
For more information
- The resolution with the complete list of projects being considered can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/spaefus
- A page on the process for ranking the projects can be found here: http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/CIP/Pages/default.aspx
(The above list of trail-related projects, which is included in the resolution, came from the mayor’s office. The assembly can still add or remove projects.)
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner has also done a couple of stories on the process:
- Assembly to review 66 potential building projects: https://tinyurl.com/uwb5v72
- Fairbanks North Star Borough seeks comments on public works projects: https://tinyurl.com/tbt7g6k
I would like to add that there are many worthy non-trail projects in the resolution. The point of this advocacy is not to take away from those projects. Rather, it is to speak up for trails-related projects. I’m sure many trail supporters will find that they support some other projects higher than the trails-related projects. That’s fine. Just remember to speak up for trails-related projects if you feel they are worthwhile.