The Client

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) is responsible for a statewide modern, efficient, and reliable transportation system. Alaska is a geographically and demographically diverse state in which its citizens truly travel by all modes of transportation – road, water, air, and rail.

The Challenge

The long-range plan is one element of a federally required continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive statewide transportation planning process. The intent is for careful planning and sound evaluation to guide decision making. To do this, Alaska is required to prepare a twenty-year, long range plan that addresses all modes of transportation and takes into consideration eight planning factors that are to be addressed in all elements of the planning process; Alaska’s Plan is called Let’s Get Moving 2030.

The Analysis

Let’s Get Moving 2030’s technical work provided a comprehensive analysis of Alaska’s transportation baseline and future needs that includes all modes. A key objective for the analysis was to evaluate the different types of needs that ADOT&PF must address for transportation facilities and services. The technical analysis provided a comprehensive, fact-based assessment to set priorities and plan for the future; it presented a sound foundation for ongoing policy development. The models and decision support framework that were developed allow for monitoring the performance of the transportation system and determining how to allocate funds to best meet desired outcomes.

The technical work involved:

• Conducting a baseline assessment of the state-owned transportation system. The analysis addressed the surface, marine, and air transportation facilities that ADOT&PF is responsible for and assesses the current use, condition, and performance of the different elements of this statewide system. These broad categories of need were addressed: System development, life cycle management, and routine maintenance and operations.
• Analyzing the trends affecting the future performance of the transportation system. The analysis considered those factors that will impact the future performance of the transportation system. This includes economic and population growth, which determines future travel demands; the level of system preservation and maintenance investment, which impacts the physical condition of the transportation system; and factors affecting the delivery of transportation solutions, such as their cost, technology transfer and innovation, and changing citizen values and priorities.
• Evaluating the ability to fund the plan. Historical analysis of expenditures and future forecasts of revenue available for transportation were developed. The technical analysis provided the information necessary to ensure that the consideration of policy and plan strategies is realistic and addresses Alaska’s most pressing challenges. The information provided for a balanced and considered assessment of maintenance and system preservation needs, which are often overlooked in the desire to move forward with development.

The Results

Let’s Get Moving 2030 provides state officials with goals, strategies, and actions to guide transportation policies, programs, and investments through 2030; the graphic below details this information. This plan identifies strategic priorities and provides a guide to investing our transportation dollars. The ADOT and PF depends on the support of all citizens of Alaska to implement the Let’s Get Moving 2030 plan.

Visit the Let’s Get Moving 2030 (http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/areaplans/lrtpp/SWLRTPHome.shtml) web site for more information.