Roads are most susceptible to damage from heavy trucks during the spring break-up season when the freeze-thaw cycle can make them squishy. The Mat-Su Borough Assembly passed an ordinance in February allowing heavy trucks to traverse certain restricted Borough roads if drivers have a permit. The permit fee is $100 and covers one round-trip for a vehicle carrying equipment or other material that cannot be broken up, such as gravel. There is no limit to the number of permits that can be issued.
The ordinance was brought back to the March 3rd Assembly meeting for reconsideration, but failed. It came back again at the March 17th meeting. This new ordinance specifies that heavy trucks could only use restricted roads during emergency situations.
The main Road Service Area Board requested that the drivers be responsible for damage to roads, but that is not addressed in either ordinance. Individual RSAs are responsible for maintenance and that funding comes from property taxes paid by residents of each area.
According to a Borough representative, current road contracts cover about 22 miles in Trapper Creek, about 78 in the Caswell area, about 69 in Talkeetna, and about 65 in the Willow area.
For now, the Borough allows heavy trucks to use restricted roads as long as they have the permit. According to Borough Planning and Land Use Director Alex Strawn, staff will monitor the condition of the restricted roads and will report damage. District 6 Assemblymember Dmitri Fonov says he wants to see data on how the heavy trucks are damaging the roads during the season. The ordinance that would only allow heavy trucks on restricted roads during emergencies will come back to the Assembly at their July 21st hearing, well after the roads have gone through this season’s freeze-thaw cycle.
