STEP
1 | STEP 2 | STEP 3 | STEP
4 | STEP 5 | STEP 6
Step Two in the process
was to integrate the options identified in Step One into logical
packages of improvements. As a starting point, the team devised
conceptual alternatives with potential to resolve, to varying degrees,
current and future transportation needs in the project corridor.
The team defined these concepts in terms of their overall design
emphasis (reliance on commuter rail, transit, highway improvements,
and so on) and added components to support the concept’s emphasis. Read
more about these concepts below, and click on the attached figures to
see graphic representations. For more detail, see the report titled "Conceptual
Alternatives Development" on the Reports
page of this website. Then visit our Contacts page
to share your thoughts. Keep in mind, though, that the final strategy will likely contain
a combination of components from each of the conceptual alternatives.
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| No Action Concept |
No Action
Concept
This concept features only the improvements already planned and programmed to support
exiting services such as the continued use of the Alaska Railroad for the tour market
only, continued use of the Glenn Highway for existing People Mover routes, and planned
trail improvements including Ship Creek Trail development. Programmed highway improvements
such as road surface rehabilitation and minor traffic flow enhancements are also included. |
Figure
1A (PDF 197 KB)
Figure 1B (PDF 363
KB)
Figure
2 (PDF 401 KB)
|
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| Commuter Rail Emphasis Concepts |
Stand Alone
Commuter Rail Concept
This concept features an Alaska Railroad commuter rail service between Anchorage and the
Matanuska-Susitna Valley. This service would use the existing tracks and infrastructure to
a large extent, and five inbound and five outbound trips in the morning and evening would
move passengers over an anticipated total train trip time of 1 hour. Stations would be
placed between Wasilla and the Alaska Railroad depot in Anchorage. |
Figure
3A (PDF 227 KB) |
Primarily
Commuter Rail Concept
This concept features the commuter rail service provided in the Stand Alone Commuter Rail
Concept but supplements that service with the full support of other transportation
providers. It also includes track and train set improvements to increase travel speeds and
reduce travel time between Wasilla and Anchorage to 50 minutes. Bus transit routes would
be modified to accommodate the scheduled rail stops and feeder buses would take passengers
to the stations during peak hours. Other components include a comprehensive parking
strategy to provide disincentives to vehicle travel (and thereby an incentive to use
commuter rail), land-use strategies to create population centers near stations, and
pedestrian and bike links. |
Figure
3B (PDF
256 KB) |
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| Transit Emphasis Concepts |
Stand Alone Bus
Transit Concept
This concept features transit improvements such as the development of additional express
bus routes between a Downtown Anchorage Transit Center and Wasilla; an express bus feeder
service; smart shuttle operations; increased local bus service; and park-and-ride
facilities at Eagle River and Wasilla. |
Figure
4A (PDF 218 KB) |
Primarily Bus
Transit Concept
This concept features the same service, routing, facilities, and equipment characteristics
as the Stand Alone Bus Transit Concept, but it incorporates a dedicated transitway
alignment (a separated concurrent or reversible high occupancy vehicle lane), traffic
signal preemption by transit at key intersections, and land use strategies to maximize
time savings and use of the bus network. |
Figure 4B (PDF
389 KB)
(Anchorage focus)
Figure
4BER (PDF 212 KB) (Eagle River focus) |
Stand Alone
Light Rail Transit Concept
This concept features light rail transit (LRT) running parallel to the Glenn Highway from
Eagle River to Anchorage. Service would be offered as frequently as every five minutes to
fifteen minutes during peak periods, with stations placed every 3 to 5 miles between the
Eagle River and Muldoon Transit Center, and every 1 to 2 miles between the Muldoon Transit
Center and the Downtown Transit Center. The trip between the Eagle River and downtown
transit centers, including stops at six stations, would run a reliable 31 minutes from
start to finish. |
Figure
4C (PDF 227 KB) |
Primarily Light
Rail Transit Concept
This concept features the same service, routing, facilities, and equipment characteristics
as the Stand Alone LRT Concept, with the exception that it would incorporate other system
improvements and land use strategies to enhance use of the LRT service. Such improvements
and strategies include new roadway connections, bus feeder routes, smart shuttles, and
pedestrian and bicycle paths to link the LRT system to the corridor's transportation
system. Land development would be of a mixed-use nature, located within walking distance
of a LRT station. In addition, employer incentive programs would be employed, and parking
would be limited and priced at locations along the corridor to encourage use of the
system. |
Figure 4D (PDF
249 KB) |
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| Roadway Emphasis Concepts |
Stand Alone
Roadway (8 Lane) Concept
This concept features four through lanes in each direction from Gambell Street to a point
to the east where three lanes in each direction would suffice. The eastern terminus could
be Airport Heights Drive, Bragaw Street or the McCarrey Street overpass, depending on
various factors. Additional features include interchanges located along the Glenn Highway
at both Bragaw Street and Airport Heights Drive. This concept could also include
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications such as ramp metering, congestion
management, and incident management, and as well as a designated high-occupancy vehicle
(HOV) lane during peak periods. |
Figure 5A (PDF
371 KB) |
Primarily
Roadway (6 Lane) Concept
The six-lane concept features three through lanes in each direction from Gambell Street to
McCarrey Street. This concept varies from the Stand Alone Roadway 8-Lane Concept primarily
in the number of lanes. This design concept also uses other transportation modes to
decrease the forecasted traffic volumes within the corridor. An increased use of buses,
commuter rail, and other strategies is incorporated into this concept to decrease the
number of additional lanes necessary to provide acceptable traffic operations along the
corridor. |
Figure 5B (PDF
400 KB) |
Spot Improvement
Concept
The concepts available for spot improvements vary significantly depending on the degree to
which improvements can be made while also limiting right-of-way impacts and the costs
associated with the improvements. The concepts vary from adding turn lanes to constructing
an interchange and all are located within the limits of the Glenn Highway corridor. |
Figure 5C (PDF
392 KB) |
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| TDM/TSM Emphasis
Concepts |
Stand Alone
Transportation Demand Management / Transportation System Management (TDM/TSM) Concept
This concept features the implementation of management strategies rather than major
capital improvements to reduce demand or provide more capacity in the existing roadway
system. Such strategies include changeable message signs and traffic control systems, turn
prohibitions, parking controls, public sector parking pricing, and bicycle plans and maps. |
Figure
6A (PDF 405 KB) |
Primarily
TDM/TSM Concept
This concept combines the demand reduction and system management strategies described
under the Stand Alone TDM/TSM Concept with specific highway improvements. These
improvements include: (1) a six-lane highway between Airport Heights Drive and Bragaw
Street, (2) a reversible flow general purpose lane between Karluk Street and Airport
Heights Drive, and (3) express bus service between Anchorage and Wasilla. |
Figure 6B (PDF
409 KB) |
Concepts
at a Glance
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Want to see these concepts in a comparison table? Simply click on
the "Concepts at a Glance" table below. For more detail, see the report titled
"Conceptual Alternatives Development" on the Reports
page of this website.
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read a PDF, you need to have Adobe
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