Issues presented by Alaska Mobility Coalition to the State of Alaska and supported by the membership of the Alaska Mobility Coalition (AMC), the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education (GCDSE) and the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC):
- Support Human Services Transportation Grant Program–$1.25 Million: We support capital funding for the Human Services Transportation Grant program. The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority has recommended $250 K in Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority funding, matched with $1 million in state General Fund/Mental Health. These funds primarily support the transit needs of Trust beneficiaries. AMC is working with the Trust to make it easier for grantees to apply for these flexible transportation funds. The Governor has included this funding in his draft FY 25 budget and the Legislature is asked to support it.
- Transit Match Funding–$1.0 Million: Prior to FY 2018, the State put in General Fund capital dollars to help transit providers with their local match requirements for various federal transit program grants for operational support and capital equipment and facility purchases. This grant program existed for more than a decade and varied from $500,000 to $1,500,000. This state investment helped leverage more than three times as much in federal funds. During the Covid Epidemic, the federal government provided considerable extra funding, much of which did not require match, but that has changed. Now, more than ever before, the federal government is making huge investments in community and public transit systems nationwide, and Alaska can access these federal funds if they can come up with the local match. Applicants must provide matching funds in the amount of 10%, 20% and sometimes 50%, depending on the program. To ensure that our local transit providers can access all the new federal funding for community transportation, the Legislature should provide $1.0 M to transit sub-recipients to help meet local match requirements.
- Put Public and Community Transportation in Statute: The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTP&F) has many responsibilities in its enabling statute, but none deal directly with public and community transportation. Draft language for this statute change is attached. The Legislature should put public and community transportation in statute, requiring DOTP&F to report annually on progress.
Recommended Statute Changes to DOTP&F in Support of Public and Community Transit. Bold Italics denotes recommended changes to existing statues.
AS 44.42.020. Powers and Duties.
(a) The department shall
(1) plan, design, construct, and maintain all state modes of transportation and transportation facilities and all docks, floats, breakwaters, buildings, and similar facilities;
(2) study existing transportation modes and facilities in the state to determine how they might be improved or whether they should continue to be maintained;
(3) study alternative means of improving transportation in the state with regard to the economic costs of each alternative and its environmental and social effects, including public, tribal and community transit programs;
(4) develop a comprehensive, long-range intermodal transportation plan for the state, including public, tribal and community transit programs;
(5) study alternatives to existing modes of transportation in urban, rural and remote areas and develop plans to improve urban transportation systems through coordination with local governments and tribal entities;
(6) cooperate and coordinate with and enter into agreements with federal, state, and local government agencies and private organizations and persons in exercising its powers and duties;
(7) manage, operate, and maintain state transportation facilities and all docks, floats, breakwaters, and buildings, including all state highways, vessels, railroads, pipelines, airports, and aviation facilities;
(8) study alternative means of transportation in the state, considering the economic, social, and environmental effects of each alternative;
(9) coordinate and develop state and regional transportation systems, considering deletions, additions, and the absence of alterations;
(10) develop facility program plans for transportation and state buildings, docks, and breakwaters required to implement the duties set out in this section, including but not limited to functional performance criteria and schedules for completion;
(11) supervise and maintain all state automotive and mechanical equipment, aircraft, and vessels, except vessels and aircraft used by the Department of Fish and Game or the Department of Public Safety; for state vehicles maintained by the department, the department shall every five years evaluate the cost, efficiency, and commercial availability of alternative fuels for automotive purposes, and the purpose for which the vehicles are intended to be used, and convert or purchase vehicles to use alternative fuels whenever practicable; the department may participate in joint ventures with public or private partners that will foster the availability of alternative fuels for all automotive fuel consumers;
(12) supervise aeronautics inside the state, under AS 02.10;
(13) implement the safety and financial responsibility requirements for air carriers under AS 02.40;
(14) inspect weights and measures.
(15) at least every four years study alternatives available to finance transportation systems in order to provide an adequate level of funding to sustain and improve the state’s transportation system.
(16) Develop a statewide public and community transit plan in cooperation with public and community transit operators, local governments, communities and tribal entities.
(b) The department may
(1) engage in experimental projects relating to available or future modes of transportation and any means of improving existing transportation facilities and service;
(2) exercise the power of eminent domain, including the declaration of taking as provided in AS 09.55;
(3) publish plans, schedules, directories, guides, and manuals for distribution, with or without charge, to private or public entities or persons;
(4) operate state housing in support of the department’s statutory responsibilities and charge rent that is consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements, or, if no collective bargaining agreement is applicable, competitive with market conditions;
(5) charge reasonable fees to cover the costs of issuing easements, licenses, and permits and to cover the costs of reproduction, printing, mailing, and distribution of contract and bid documents and design and construction standards manuals;
(6) charge and collect fees for training services and technical assistance provided by department personnel.
Bold Italics denotes recommended changes to existing statues.
Contact Millie Ryan about our board at (907) 440-8635.