CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA                      

                                                                                                                   City Manager

RESOLUTION 04-91

 

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.

                       

CITY OF HOMER

 

 

 

 

 

James C. Hornaday, Mayor

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

Mary L. Calhoun, CMC, City Clerk

 

Fiscal Impact: None