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Old 07-23-2007, 07:17 PM
 
5,762 posts, read 11,596,990 times
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According to the 2006 Census estimates, the Anchorage metro area has almost 360,000 people already. Obviously future growth is hemmed in by the military base, the mountains, and the water - but if the Knik Arm bridge gets built, and if development keeps moving forward as it has been, how big of a metro area might Anchorage eventually become? Do you think it's too big as it is?
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Old 07-23-2007, 07:25 PM
 
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Sure that isnt 260,000?
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Old 07-23-2007, 07:35 PM
 
5,762 posts, read 11,596,990 times
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Nope. It's 359,180 for the 2006 estimate.

Link to table of Census MSAs

Anchorage is not part of a larger CSA, so the MSA figure is representative of its metro area.
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Old 07-23-2007, 08:56 PM
 
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Provocative question to be sure.

The area to the north, Wasilla, has been growing rapidly and is becoming a substantial suburb.

While the area is somewhat hemmed in, there is still plenty of room for growth. As you noted, an idea has been floated for a new bridge over Knik Arm to the west, and that would open up a large area for development, but there seems to be a lot of opposition on both sides.

The other variable is economic. Oil and Tourism. These variables can change, although tourism is more dependable. My uneducated guess is the area will continue to grow, but nothing explosive. Which would mean perhaps 425,000 by 2020, maybe approaching a half million by 2030. I don't think population projections higher than these have been published.

One other factor, while a lot of people move into the area, a lot also leave due to the climate and daylight factors. There are really two kinds of people in Anchorage: Those who love it and will never leave, and those who can't wait to get out.
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Old 07-23-2007, 11:07 PM
 
Location: North Dakota
740 posts, read 1,967,253 times
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If the natural gas pipeline finally gets built(started), Anchorage and suburbs will have a major population boom. They say it will take about 10 years to get it up and running, so that will employ a lot of people. As of now, it is a slow but steady growth. A lot of people move back south due to the long winters.
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Old 07-24-2007, 12:05 AM
 
Location: Alaska
69 posts, read 319,948 times
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Back in the early 80s there was a National Geographic publication that had an artists interpretation of Anchorage in the future. 2020 maybe. It showed bridges going every where!

I'll see if I can find because I'd like to see it again.
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Old 07-24-2007, 12:50 AM
 
Location: Lovelock, NV - Anchorage, AK
1,195 posts, read 5,398,408 times
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Still don't know how they are going to get around the extreme tides and the boar tides, they've talked about a bridge going over to Hope and that has been on the discussion table since the 40's. I just don't see the bridge working and like they say it will only help a minor few, the bridge would be way out of their way to use it and will continue to use the higway, beside the tolls will be un affordable.
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Old 07-24-2007, 01:11 AM
 
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Is it just the south central area that is seeing a rather large boom? Or is the whole of Alaska seeing a boom?
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Old 07-24-2007, 01:30 AM
 
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Some of the rural areas are seeing a reduction in population. There are actually a couple hundred less year round resident in Skagway, for instance, than what was reported on the last census. And some of the bush communities are losing people as well. I read in the adn last year that the fuel costs are so high out in the villages that a lot of the Natives are moving into Anchorage.
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Old 07-24-2007, 02:45 AM
 
Location: Alaska
69 posts, read 319,948 times
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Not only fuel costs in the villgages a lot of Alaska natives are in the Guard which was called up to go to Iraq. First time since WW2 were Alaska Guard units called to active duty. They and their families that moved to the cities left a big hole.
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