Susitna Ferry & Knik Arm Bridge (Anchorage, Wasilla: houses, to buy, construction)

[Jonotastic]

I'm thinking about whether it'd be a good time to invest in land around Port McKenzie/Wasilla.

Do any of you thnk the Ferry will increase land values?
Also, do any of you think the Knik Arm Bridge will ever be approved?

[JavaPhil]

No clue on either! Sorry, but it's been on again, off again for years.

[Moose Whisperer]

Quite honestly, I am doubtful that Alaska will ever see any more large scale development of any kind. The politics, or more accurately, the politicians involved are simply too clueless. For example, despite claiming it as her pet project, our neophyte Governor and her administration of simpletons have succeded in mucking up the Gas Pipeline project to a point that I doubt it will ever go forward, and God only knows what will happen when the real anti-development crowd takes power in January.

Also, our potential next junior Senator, Bagwatch or whatever his name is, has claimed the ferry as his pet project, so that likely spells the kiss of death to that idea.

Besides, even if the project does start to get off the ground, some environmental group will crawl out from under some rock and sue, claming if ferry will disrupt some kind of obscure fish or snail.

[Rance]

I want a bridge dagnabbit! We need a spot for the folks that move up here and realize they won't get paid to live here...a place to jump and end it all!

Jacksonville, Florida has a handfull of awesome large bridges. Why can't we have one?

[Barkingowl]

If you look at the area on Google Earth or Wikimapia you'll see that there is a large area cleared for houses. I think that there are others that are waiting for the bridge to be funded & constructed. But as far as it being a new gateway to the valley? Well until they widen Big Lake Rd. the traffic will be slow & horrendous.

[warptman]

Big Lake road doesn't go there though. The Knik/Goosebay does.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by warptman

Big Lake road doesn't go there though. The Knik/Goosebay does.

Same difference.

[Marty Van Diest]

I do not expect a bridge anytime soon. There is too much politics involved. There might be a ferry, there should be a ferry, it is under construction right now. But even after it's built, don't count on it until you are actually on board.

There are politics involved in that as well. I think Anchorage is fighting about where to put the dock on their side.

The investors have already purchased property out there. They are sitting and waiting.

The big deal would be a geo-thermal plant at Mt. Spurr combined with a road from there to Pt Mac. The Tyonek area could develop. There is coal, gas, hydro and geothermal potential all around the Tyonek area. There are plans in the works do develop them all. Tyonek itself is part of the plan.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

I'm thinking about whether it'd be a good time to invest in land around Port McKenzie/Wasilla.

Do any of you thnk the Ferry will increase land values?
Also, do any of you think the Knik Arm Bridge will ever be approved?

Let see....

Yeah, land is always good there, no people.

No, the winter ice makes it a problem and would cost too much.

No, not for some time to come.


OK, now that we got the short answers out of the way....

Some years ago the State had a vote to move the State Capital to Willow, everyone bought land figuring they were going to make a million dollars, they didn't when the folks in Southeast fought it and won the right to keep it in Juneau, and the land prices came back down, but years later.

They have tried Ferry's before, but the road to the point isn't that great and it didn't make it financially because nobody wanted to drive there and leave their car in the winter cold with no place to plug their car in or have it vandalized.

When I was a kid, friends of my parents did seismic work for a future bridge in the 1950's, that same study has been repeated over and over. The city of Anchorage was in favor of it for years, until the last dozen of years or so when land value in Anchorage has gone though the roof. IF the bridge was built now, the city feels that there would be a great drain of companies moving across the arm to the other side out of the tax base to a cheaper one in the MatSu Valley, which is prob. a good reason for them to be against it.

Then with the Democrats in power now, they aren't going to be doing Alaska any favors for some time to come. We are going to be the "Bastard Child" of America until the face of Government changes again.

So if you want to buy land at the point, do it because you want to live there where there isn't many people and you can see the lights of the city across the water... and they are a two hour drive away!!!!

[Jonotastic]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I read the ferry will only be able to hold about 25 cars at once, which is a dissapointment.