The Department of Transportation and Public Facilites's mission is to improve the quality of life for Alaskans by cost effectively providing, operating and maintaining safe, environmentally sound and reliable transportation systems and public facilities.

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Departmentwide: -- Two years ago the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) was enacted which lays out transportation entitlement funding for 6 years. Alaska's level of basic entitlements will grow from the previous Act's $200 million to over $300 million during those years. In addition, various discretionary funds were created in which Alaska can request participation including ferry, border crossing, public lands and bridge and corridor funding. These additional federal funds must be matched with more state funds. The Airport Improvement Program under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was reauthorized last spring. The new AIP includes a growth of state entitlement funding from $90 to $145 million. Other changes being implemented by the FAA include a requirement that 90% of all projects over 4 years of age must be completed or future funding will be withheld, and a requirement that 10% of all eligible reimbursements will be withheld until a project is financially completed. 

Maintenance and Operations: The State Equipment Fleet (SEF) operates 44 shops and has more than 150 employees that provide general and preventative maintenance and all parts supply. There are approximately 7,600 vehicles accounted for in the fleet information system, with 4,800 vehicles comprised of light duty, heavy duty and attachments under SEF management. The Department has under contract a private fleet management consulting firm that is doing a broad review and a detailed performance and productivity evaluation of the delivery of fleet services. By the first of January 2001, an in-depth status report on the management and maintenance of the State's fleet and prioritized list of changes that need to be made will be available from the contractor.

Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement: -- The department has received Federal Highway Administration funding to develop intelligent transportation systems for commercial vehicle operations (ITS/CVO). The ITS/CVO program is focused on the use of technology to streamline state regulatory, enforcement and motor carrier practices increasing levels of safety and productivity for both states and carriers. A business plan has been developed and has been approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Funding has been identified for bringing commercial vehicle safety information to commercial vehicle inspectors at the roadside, developing a system to enable motor carriers to submit applications for oversize and overweight permits electronically, and installing weigh in motion systems at the Glenn Outbound and Potter Weigh/Inspection Stations.

Alaska Marine Highway System: -- Inadequate general fund revenues to support the AMHS have caused rapid depletion of the Marine Highway Fund. The recent fire and lay-up of the Columbia exacerbated this situation. The Department is taking a more aggressive approach towards revenue generation to support the system. An independent marketing and fee study was completed that identified 80,000 potential customers available to the AMHS. Recommendations in the study will be analyzed and implemented where possible. Web based ticket procurement will be further refined during this fiscal year. The preliminary steps towards implementation of the Southeast Transportation Plan are underway which will eventually result in greater efficiency and reduced costs.

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Capital Projects Listed by Department.

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Department Budget Summary
Funding Source Summary
Position Summary

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Highway Maintenance and Operations:
The FY01 operating budget provided funding for the reopening of maintenance stations closed in FY00 and opening of seasonally closed roads in Northern Region. The funds for these actions came from the Highway Working Capital Fund. This fund is an internal service fund that state agencies pay into for the use of state vehicles and is used for the maintenance and replacement of that equipment. Continued use of the fund source for other purposes would undermine the ability to purchase vehicles as needed and result in higher costs to finance vehicle purchases. This budget request reflects a change in fund source to general funds which is the appropriate means of funding this basic state service.

Facilities:
The Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law Chapter 126, SLA 00, containing a method for the Department of Administration to receive payments from state agencies for costs of the occupant's use of building space. The FY01 budget transferred general funds to various state agencies for the maintenance of eight state-owned facilities. Since the passage of this legislation, it has been determined that DOA should supervise the maintenance staff. The staff also work on buildings other than those included in CH. 126. To keep the lines of supervision and responsibility clear, this budget transfers the costs of maintaining these Juneau facilities and the staff to DOA.

International Airports:
The Anchorage and Fairbanks International Airports have seen growth in cargo and international airplane activities and in requirements placed upon them by federal regulatory agencies. The FY02 budget includes increases essential to meeting the safety, maintenance, operation and environmental concerns with those additional responsibilities. Total increase requested is $1,375,700 in International Airport Revenue Funds.

Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement:
The Federal Office of Motor Carrier Safety provides funds for motor carrier compliance reviews. The commercial vehicle safety program will be increased to provide those reviews plus driver and vehicle inspections and inspections for violations in transporting of hazardous materials. Federal funds will also be used to implement the commercial vehicle information system that provides safety information to inspectors in the field. A cooperative agreement is being developed with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, to fund a position that will perform the inspection and testing of flow scales and observer scales utilized in the CDQ fisheries.

Alaska Marine Highway System:
The Marine Highway Fund will be depleted during FY2002. The Department is taking various actions to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, revenue generation actions have a delayed time frame and the fund is in need of general fund support. The addition of $819.8 million more than the FY2001 level is necessary to keep the fund balanced. Funds are also being requested to improve future revenues through increased marketing as recommended by an independent marketing study, for increased inspection of vessel passenger services, and financial management support to the system.

Departmentwide:
As a result of a task force review of the department's methods used to calculate and bill indirect costs, modifications were made to the department's overall indirect cost allocation plan (ICAP) to bring it in line with federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-87 guidelines. This action moves expenditures that are not considered direct costs of projects and makes them indirect. The budget adds $2,003.4 in CIP funds to travel, contractual and commodities to reflect this change in ICAP process.

The Department found that with a growing construction program and a national shortage of engineers, there is intense competition for qualified engineers. In an effort to meet the needs of the design and construction programs, a salary study was completed and approval was received to increase the range of all engineering classifications. So far, the result of this action has been extremely positive in being able to recruit and retain engineers in positions that had remained vacant for months. The FY02 budget adds $3.6 million of mostly capital improvement program funds to cover the cost of the increased salaries.

The position count for the department shows an increase of 8 full-time positions. The following is a brief explanation for the increase:

1 - Alaska Marine Highway - Financial Manager for the system

3 - Measurement Standards/Commercial Vehicle Enforcement - CIP for implementation of the     following federal programs: Intelligent Transportation Systems, motor carrier compliance     review, and National Marine Fisheries "at sea" weighing program

1 - Measurement Standards/Commercial Vehicle Enforcement - an administrative clerk     supported through fees of the MS/CVE programs

3 - International Airports - revenue supported increases for operations and maintenance

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