CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA
City Manager
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED STERLING HIGHWAY
ENHANCEMENT PROJECT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NOMINATE IT FOR
INCLUSION IN THE 2004-2006 STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (STIP).
WHEREAS, the Sterling Highway was originally designed and engineered as a “bypass” to carry traffic past the core of the community and directly to the Homer Spit, and
WHEREAS, for a variety of reasons, the Sterling Highway now functions as much more than a “bypass” and has become one of the primary business corridors in the community, and
WHEREAS, the highway now contains numerous entrances and exits to businesses, increased traffic and new traffic patterns, dangerous intersections, and much more pedestrian and non-motorized traffic, and
WHEREAS, the highway contains three banks, two hotels, the post office, the Chamber of Commerce, several visitor centers, a school, the new Islands and Oceans complex, a college campus, several grocery stores, and a wide variety of other commercial activities, and
WHEREAS, the Sterling will soon contain a new, large, wholesale and retail development and proposed commercial and civic development in the “town center”, and
WHEREAS, the Sterling Highway serves as the “gateway” to Homer and provides the only surface access to other business districts and visitor destinations, and
WHEREAS, Homer’s economy is based in large part on the visitor industry, the quality of life, its natural beauty, and its unique character, and
WHEREAS, the community is working to implement design, architectural, and site development standards to build upon and enhance those values, and
WHEREAS, a beautification and enhancement project on the Sterling Highway would promote economic development, make the highway safer and more user friendly, and set a higher standard for aesthetic and visual quality, and
WHEREAS, the enhancement project should transform the highway into a boulevard type of thoroughfare which includes wider sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks with state of the art signage, better lighting, landscaping, landscaped medians, traffic calming measures, and traffic control at key intersections.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Homer City Council finds that the proposed Sterling Highway Enhancement Project will improve safety, promote economic development, and improve the overall visual and aesthetic appearance of the community, and
Page Two
City of Homer
Resolution 04-91
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby expresses its strong support for the project and authorizes the Manager to nominate it for inclusion in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE HOMER CITY COUNCIL this 25th day of October, 2004.
James C. Hornaday, Mayor
ATTEST:
Mary L. Calhoun, CMC, City Clerk
Fiscal Impact: None