Joining freeways is answer

Rebuilding the intersection of Lake Otis Boulevard and Tudor Road, if it ever occurs, in the way of a tunnel or a bridge is a great matter for Anchorage. But it does not fix the transportation problem at that area.

Look what will happen then: The cars will pass the intersection but will stop anyway at the next red light, since we have many of them on Tudor and Lake Otis. Those stops could be shorter but they will break the car movement creating the same problem as we have now, and in five to 10 years the traffic should be worse than now.

What really has to be done in Anchorage is connecting all the three highways – Minnesota, Seward and Glenn, as well as International Airport Road, in one freeway. I am wondering why the creators of those existing highways did not make it at the time of construction? Or have they never seen and drive the highways in Seattle?

Whoever comes to Anchorage International Airport from the north or Kenai has to drive through city streets. Tudor Road works now as a connector between the airport and the Seward Highway with the Glenn Highway. That is why it is so busy.

In my vision, for the best possible release of the transportation problem in Anchorage, the city has to connect the Glenn Highway with the Seward Highway through the new straight freeway going under Merrill Field and over the Sitka Street Park.

The intersections of the Seward Highway and 36th Avenue, Northern Lights Boulevard, Benson Boulevard and Fireweed Lane also have to be “freewayed”.

This new “Merrill Field” freeway will take care of the traffic problems of all the North and East Anchorage intersections, including Tudor/Lake Otis.

And the downtown would not be bothered because of building the tunnel under Fifth Avenue, as I heard somebody propose.

---- Fyodor Soloview

SOURCE: Anchorage Daily News,
Anchorage, Alaska, January 8, 1998

WHAT WAS HAPPENED NEXT:
THIS PROJECT IS NOW UNDER WAY!
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