Anchorage Daily News

JUNEAU - Voters in November will decide if the state should incur $315 million in debt to pay for road projects around the state.One of the last actions of the Alaska Legislature was approval of the general obligation bond package on Sunday.

Despite concerns over the size of the bond package, Gov. Sarah Palin says she will not veto it.

The projects range from more than $22 million for a new highway section in Anchorage to almost $5 million to resurface a road on Prince of Wales Island.

Lawmakers say the bonds would be paid off at a rate of about $24.6 million a year over the course of 20 years.

House Bill 314 passed the Senate 15-5 and the House 24-16.

Among the projects:

* Anchorage: Dowling-Minnesota connector, $22 million

* Mat-Su: Fairview Loop reconstruction, $22 million

* Dalton Highway: Improvements, $14 million

* Aleknagek: Wood River bridge, $20 million

* Seward Highway: Windy Corner upgrade, $20 million

* Sitka: Sawmill Creek Road upgrade, $10.8 million

* Fairbanks: University Avenue widening, $30 million

* Nome: Snake River bridge replacement, $10 million

* Sterling Highway: Mackey Lake Road to Sterling, $11 million

* Copper River Highway: Mile 38 - 43, highway protection $5.1 million

* Anchorage: Port expansion $10 million

* Anchorage: Victor Road upgrade, Dimond to 100th, $14 million

* Statewide: Emergency bridge repair $20 million

* Kenai Peninsula: Various projects $8 million

* Ketchikan: Harriet Hunt Lake to Shelter Cove road, $10 million

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