Goodbye Johansen Expressway, Hello Self-Driving Vehicles

BREAKING NEWS

Bye Bye Johansen Expressway

Demolition Notice

A recent study proved that the Johansen Expressway was not worth the maintenance cost and the most profitable outcome would be to tear it down and reconstruct the highway underground.

The Expressway has not been experiencing enough traffic to devote any more resources to and the State's maintenance budget continues to be cut. This may be the first of many.

The study provides alternative uses for the highway, such as a pedestrian route or a park-like greenspace.

"With an underground highway system, Fairbanks will see less congestion during rush hours and will eliminate all snow-removal needs."

-Judy Chapman

FMATS Technical Committee

DOT&PF Planning Director

To view the study, visit www.fmats.us/johansen_demo

Autonomous Vehicles Coming to Fairbanks

New, Innovative Technology

Fairbanks is on the leading edge of ground-breaking technology with autonomous vehicles. With break-up just around the corner and roads getting slicker, self-driving cars will be introduced into the community.

They won't have blizzaks, they won't have studded tires, they won't be able to see the moose about to come out of the trees, but don't worry, they will have a computer behind the wheel that can function at temperatures down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

"We recognize that Fairbanksans love their independence and now they will have the freedom to do whatever they want in the comfort of their own vehicle."

-Andrew Ackerman

FMATS Technical Committee

City of Fairbanks Environmental Manager

Take a look at what's coming: www.fmats.us/autonomous

Elimination of On-Road Parking

Parking Garage remains

This summer, on-street parking will be removed and turned into shoulders.

According to a recent parking study managed by the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Community Planning Department, there are over 8,000 parking spots within the Fairbanks downtown area excluding the parking garage.

Surveys taken by residents that are interested in the update of the Downtown Plan have yielded conflicting results on parking availability. About half participants saying there's not enough parking and half saying there's too much.

"The ones who think there isn't enough parking I'm assuming don't even know about the parking garage. It's very much underutilized and ignored."

-Kellen Spillman

FMATS Technical Committee

FNSB Community Planning Deputy Chief

For more information, visit www.fmats.us/parking

Bigger, Better Roundabouts

More lanes, more efficiency

As University Avenue is set to start construction this summer, engineers are looking to build a 4-lane Roundabout at the University Ave and Airport Way intersection.

A bigger roundabout also means capabilities for a bigger feature in the island. The leading proposal for the feature is a fountain that can be used for swimming in the summer and ice-climbing in the winter.

"The public seems to really like the single lane roundabouts that have been introduced so this 4-lane roundabout will be four times better."

-Bill Butler

FMATS Technical Committee

City of North Pole Director of City Services

For more information or to submit a comment, visit www.fmats.us/4laneRAB

FMATS| www.fmats.us | 907.459.6805 | web@fmats.us