July 29, 2005
Friday

Alaska Governor Frank H. Murkowski today praised congressional passage of a landmark transportation bill and thanked the Alaska Congressional Delegation for their hard work on the measure.

In his remarks the governor noted the increase in overall transportation funding for Alaska and the funding for Alaska specific projects long advocated by the Murkowski administration such as the Gravina bridge in Ketchikan and the Knik Arm crossing in Anchorage.

Including the Gravina bridge funding in Ketchikan among the important milestones achieved in the bill, Murkowski said Ketchikan should have access, as Sitka does and as Juneau does, particularly when the airport is on Gravina island. Approximately $223 million is included in the massive Highway Transportantion Bill passed today for the Gravian Access Project. However, President Bush has yet to sign the bill and the Alaska State Legislature must approve approximately $65 million in matching funds for the Gravina project.

"Alaska is a young state - and our infrastructure is catching up to the rest of the country," said Murkowski. "If Alaska is to grow and prosper in the coming decades, we need to improve our transportation infrastructure to provide jobs and opportunity for Alaskans. This bill funds important priorities to help us do just that."

"This bill is good for America and good for Alaska," said the governor. "I want to thank our Congressional Delegation for their hard work throughout this long process, especially House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young. While a long time in coming, this bill will accomplish a basic and vital purpose - moving the nation's people and its goods."

SitNews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska