A bipartisan resolution that passed the Alaska House of Representatives unanimously is now facing an unexpected roadblock in the state Senate. House Joint Resolution 14, which supports the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension, has stalled in the Senate Rules Committee under the direction of Chairman Bill Wielechowski.
The resolution garnered support from every Democrat and Republican in the House, reflecting a rare moment of complete bipartisan consensus. It has strong support in the Senate — enough to pass the Democrat-controlled body.
The resolution emphasizes the strategic importance of improving Alaska’s transportation infrastructure, particularly for enhancing national defense capabilities at Fort Greely and boosting economic activity in the Delta Junction region.
The Port Mackenzie Rail Extension would add 32 miles of additional rail line from Port MacKenzie to the Alaska Railroad’s main line south of Houston. Following the Environmental Policy Act review, the Surface Transportation Board authorized ARRC to build the new rail line in December 2011. Construction on the first of six construction segments began in 2012, but Alaska cannot seem to complete a project because of political struggles.
The approved-but-not-built rail line is an extension of the ARRC system, which already connects ports in Seward, Whittier, and Anchorage with Interior Alaska, including Denali National Park, Fairbanks, and North Pole. The Matanuska Susitna Borough is the operator of Port MacKenzie, project sponsor, and co-manager of the project. Wielechowski is apparently being protectionist for the Port of Alaska at Anchorage, seeing the Mat-Su port as competition and thus killing progress in the state.
HJR 14 outlines several key priorities: Completing the long-stalled rail projects at Port MacKenzie and north to Delta Junction, enhancing military logistics, supporting Alaska’s agriculture and mining industries, and reducing energy costs while setting up the railroad for future critical expansions to the Lower 48, which is a priority of Congressman Nick Begich, who as vice chair of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, is positioned to advance this goal. Begich has specifically highlighted the potential of rail infrastructure to unlock production in energy, minerals, and timber, which he sees as key to lowering costs and fostering long-term growth in Alaska.
The House resolution also stresses the urgency of Arctic infrastructure development, citing growing international interest in the region and logistical challenges. It encourages Alaska’s congressional delegation to advocate for these initiatives in Washington, D.C., as a matter of both economic resilience and national security.
Despite this broad-based support, the resolution has not advanced in the Senate due to inaction by the Rules Committee, which controls the flow of legislation to the Senate floor. Chairman Wielechowski has not publicly explained the decision to withhold the measure.
Completing these rail projects would provide essential redundancy for supply chains, lower transportation costs, and position Alaska more competitively in the evolving Arctic landscape. They also note that the Northern Rail Extension, which includes rebuilding the bridge across the Tanana River, is crucial for long-term military logistics and operations at Fort Greely, a key missile defense installation.
The resolution itself is not merely symbolic, but is a key aspect to being able to obtain the federal grants needed to support the project, such as the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Gram from the national Railroad Administration. Such grants typically require legislative support.
Wielechowski, a Democrat, refuses to give the Republicans in the House any win, especially after his bill to create more election fraud was killed over the weekend.
With the legislative session winding down Tuesday, the resolution supporting critical infrastructure now appears dead.
Good job bill you just screwed south central Alaska transportation. Was that your goal to make transportation more dangerous??? Who elected this fool??
The mat Su has rail freight customers waiting on this project to be completed. In fact everyone who drives between anchorage and Fairbanks is waiting on this project to be completed. Ridiculous.
“……The mat Su has rail freight customers waiting on this project to be completed………”
Who would that be? Also, what is the ARRC’s official position on these rail extensions? I don’t think I’ve ever read an official ARRC statement on these projects.
I can tell you we are whole heartedly in favor of this project, expanded rail infrastructure means creating more capacity for customers commodities to be moved and that means more jobs for the railroad.
Thanks, Ben, but you aren’t official.
I think it’s a rather sound project, but most importantly, once started (ie, money spent on roadbed), it needs to be finished.
Contango minerals to ship ore to Ft Knox for processing, vitus fuel, Crowley fuel, colville fuel, every fuel company that does not want to drag fuel threw down town anchorage and downtown Wasilla. Any more questions??? Reggie. As is about 100 fuel tankers go through Wasilla daily northbound, real safe right??
“……. As is about 100 fuel tankers go through Wasilla daily northbound, real safe right??……..”
As long as the tracks are sound and the speed limit is proper (35 mph through Wasilla). They’ve been hauling fuel by rail through Wasilla for a century. How safe is it hauling fuel by barge on the Yukon? They’ve been doing that for a century, too.
ARRC had the railroad bed constructed originally thats their position Reggie.
Then why don’t they finish it? They’re authorized:
‘https://www.portmacrail.com
Why don’t all those businesses seeking profit all gang up and pay a share to finish the project? Your list:
“……..Contango minerals to ship ore to Ft Knox for processing, vitus fuel, Crowley fuel, colville fuel, every fuel company that does not want to drag fuel threw down town anchorage and downtown Wasilla……..”
Why are they holding the state up for funding now, after the roadbed is there, especially now with everybody else screaming for money, including most residents demanding a bigger PFD?
As you often hear “elections have consequences”! Over the past day many contributors have made it be known that they have extensive backgrounds in Urology. So today I want to ask the contributors with economic degrees how is the “90 deals in 90 days” going and who pays for the tariffs? Don’t Masked Avenger and CBMTTek have former careers with the World Bank or was it McKinsey?
What does that have to do with the disposition of HJR 14, the subject of the article?
Actually not a whole lot. I was just curious who had the thinnest skin on the site.
He doesn’t care what the subject is he likes to talk to hear the wind blow. He is a never ending black cloud.
The answer my friend, is blowing…..
Something you probably like to do
Sebastian has trouble typing because it takes a lot of effort to climb down from his crucifix.
Said the blowhard with the most posts here who has not backed up any of his own BS.
How about just turn off the lights and everyone leave Alaska. Who votes for people like this?
George Orwell wrote: “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims but accomplices.”
While I support economic development in the valley and agree that the motivation to kill this bill in the rules committee was most likely politically motivated, there are reasons to be concerned about this bill. First, this bill did not need to couple the completion of the rail from Houston to Point McKenzie with the northern section into Delta Junction and Fort Greely. These could have been and should have been separate projects and discussed on their individual merits. Second, Point McKenzie does not have an anchor tenant waiting or wanting to use this rail spur to offload goods at the port. In fact, there are challenges with this port (6 knot currents, High bank access,…) which should be addressed thoroughly before simply building this spur and expecting new business to come from this. And finally, how will this impact the Big Lake and surrounding communities. The rail bed was paid for with public money, it bisects through the heart of recreational use area and with the valley growing westward, this rail bed ought to be considered a community asset for public use (unmotorized only is fine) to encourage walking, bicycling and tourism. Rails with Trails is very popular in the lower 48, yet there has been no consideration for this project providing enhanced community connection along with economic development. This singular focus to complete the rail tracks without engaging the affected communities, addresses the real economic viability of the port and by hiding this along with the more necessary expansion into Delta Junction/Fort Greely are a few reasons this bill should be reconsidered in the next session.
“…….this rail bed ought to be considered a community asset for public use (unmotorized only is fine) to encourage walking, bicycling and tourism………”
Sorry, Keith, but there is no shortage of non-motorized recreation areas in the region. A whole new system was just created in the glacier moraine area between Trunk Road and Palmer. There are miles and miles of new non-motorized trails. This roadbed was created for motorized use (railroad). Let’s not try to convert it into a Jellystone (or Disneyland) park, please.
What are you talking about Keith ?? My dad flew ice patrol on the chip ships for several years and there was never a serious problem with the current. I was also on the 800’ jp Azure when it docked. At point Mac as well not a problem. The ice build up on the side of the ship was easily removed with a tug boat in cold weather. As for anchor tenants. Vitus fuel has a beautiful tank farm they want to build the architect’s rendering can be seen at the mat Su borough office. I suspect every fuel company would rather rail fuel north to Fairbanks and the military bases as use the highway, now let’s talk about military ordinance going through town. How great is that when it could bi pass population centers. Oversized equipment through anchorage and Wasilla. All this could be everted by using pt mc and the rail. It looks like a logical and more economical solution to me. Of course the Marxists like Sebastian would rather send tanker loads of gas through town .
The northern extension makes sense and should move forward.
The Port Mackenzie extension, and I’m speaking as a Mat-Su resident, is a stupid waste of money. Continuing the project would be throwing good money after bad.
Everything having anything to do with Port Mackenzie has been an abject failure, including the ferry and the port itself.
Simply put, there is no need or viable reason for Port Mackenzie and there is no reason to think it would be viable anywhere in the foreseeable future.
“…….Everything having anything to do with Port Mackenzie has been an abject failure, including the ferry and the port itself………”
The Cook Inlet Ferry project was killed by…………Anchorage. Mat-Su, Kenai, Tyonek, and Williamsport were on board and the ferry acquired. All that was needed was an authorization to modify the Anchorage small boat launch into a dual purpose landing for the ferry, and Anchorage wouldn’t have it.
This has been. the universal death of every such project tying Anchorage to it’s sister communities in the region. Ditto the bridge/causeway/crossing. It’s easier to kill an engineer than it is to build infrastructure, especially when you repeatedly get away with the murder.
I guess some folks never learn……….
The ferry was NEVER going to work, it can’t crawl on ice. 8-9 months of the year, that ferry could not even cross the Inlet. And the small boat harbor road goes right through an industrial freight yard, so that was also a fools errand to believe you could dock a ferry there. That whole fiasco had more problems than a pregnant nun.
“……..it can’t crawl on ice. 8-9 months of the year…….”
Are you referring to a ferry project on the Arctic Ocean? We’re discussing Cook Inlet here. Even if taken out of service for a couple months per year, it would still provide heavy equipment and vehicular access service to the west side fir most of the year. Is the Anchorage small boat harbor closed for 8-9 months per year? If not, but is still not used in January, does that mean it never should have been built?
Completion of the Port Mackenzie rail line will greatly enhance the military readiness in the State along with the northern extension. Currently this fall the military will conduct an offload of ammunition for the military that is traditionally done out of the Port of Valdez. The rail extension would be a benefit for the military and would allow them to utilize the rail to ship ammunition north and south reliving the transport of this over the road via Trucks. Besides that building the Port of Mackenzie will allow the transport of military equipment into the interior of the state. Also when I did my senior thesis for my BA in Transportation and Logistics the use of the port and rail line will greatly enhance commerce into the interior that is currently lacking.
I agree with you Steven.
So you are in favor of 400 semi trucks going through Wasilla every day northbound in which 100 are fuel tankers. I don’t see your logic. Not to mention the extra tankers going through downtown Anchorage every day and up the Glenn. What possibly could go wrong??
If he thinks this is going to hurt the feelings of Matsu conservatives, he’s wrong. He just took one more swing at the hornets nest. When will they think of the STATE first over their district or politics. This is why we can’t have nice things in Alaska!
Whose interests are served by his doing this?
Union or environmental?
People who hide behind masks?
Yeah, that’s who.
THAT was a good one.
Watching the discussion on this today was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! Basically, if you hurt our feelings, we won’t vote for your bills. REALLY? That’s how we support and move Alaska forward? If I lived in the interior, I’d be so pissed off. They are the ones who will be forced to pay higher energy and goods prices. Anchorage’s increased port fees will hurt them the most. What I saw today on the senate floor was shameful.
This was a resolution not a bill. Has about as much meaning as the Canadian resolutions that were passed. Nothing more than virtual signaling. The national railroad administration just killed a grant to Texas due to lack of private investment. Do any of these proposed projects have any interest from private investors? I think this country us done financing pipe dreams. Wielechowski hasn’t even entered the governor’s race and the hit pieces have already started.
Has he expressed his own opinion on the project?
It’s easy to castigate a politician as being a short pencil retard if they think differently than you or I but in this case there’s got to be more to it than wanting to be a contrarian, no?
Watch the video. Listen to what bjorkman says. I know this is a resolution. Who gives a crap about Texas. Focus. Yes they do have interest from private investors — that’s the whole point. You should keep tabs on what these projects need to move forward. Wielechowski isn’t running for governor. He knows no one in their right mind would vote for him.
There are many interested in point Mac properties and good safe northbound transportation that doesn’t go threw down town anchorage and up the glenn threw wasilla. Running 14000 gallon tanker loads of gas through town isn’t exactly smart. Not when it can be railed north away from population centers. I don’t understand the anti attitude about this. Port McKenzie is a good port.
I’m with you. We need to expand our rail system not only for goods, but people as well. Run the trains 10x a day. It will boost the Alaskan economy everywhere the train stops. Plus, no one will have to be stuck behind a convoy of RVs.
The rail should have been extended to Nome, Red Dog, Ambler and Kotzebue, not to some obscure, useless dock across from Anchorage. it was a complete waste of money.
Been a loser since the Road was put in, a real corrupt operation by the Mat-Su Borough. Port has never made enough to pay for itself to this day, we paid a port commissioner for 30+ years big $$$ to do nothing but pick up His check.But as long as we pay taxes out here they will keep pissing away money.
Ahh. So, it isn’t about the good of the State of Alaska, it is about HIS POWER! What lousy legislator he is. I hope his district can remember when the time comes to vote!