I believe that 2012 was the last year that US dollars flowed to the Shakwak Agreement to fund maintenance and improvements in the Alaska Hwy and Haines Cut Off between Haines and the Border at Port Alcan.
This funding was normally in the range of $20 to $30 million dollars per year. Keep in mind the political situations in the world in 1997, when the Shakwak funding first started. It was put in the US federal budget under Gerald Ford and then in late January Jimmy Carter was sworn in as president.
During those years it was seen as a need to have an ice free port, such as Haines and a land connection to get goods and services to the US military in Alaska, the same basic reason the Alaska Hwy was built in the first place. Sometimes I think we RVers start thinking it wass built for our personal enjoyment as a way to drive to Alaska and hear the fat lady sing, so to speak.
The US no longer has any real need for the Alaska Hwy or the Haines Cut off road as the Alaska military is supplied by air and barge out of the lower 48 these days. I can't remember the last time I saw a US military convoy using either road and probably never will again. The Alaska Ferry system is in much the same situation, it was started as a way to subsidize transportation costs for the residents of SE Alaska, back when they basically controlled the legislature in Juneau, which is no longer true. The power has switched to the Anchorage bowl and the Railbelt region of the state.
The latest state budget short fall, that I have seen , is over $3 billion dollars. But with 2016 being an election year, I really doubt that much is going to be done to fix the problem long term. I suspect there will be major cuts in the ferry system for next summer, cuts in the state parks, road maintenance in general, and it may even get so bad that they will have to cut back on building and maintaining bike paths in the Anchorage area. LOL
Alaska dollars come from 3 main sources, about 1/3 are from oil revenues which are declining greatly in price and volume, 1/3 from federal spending, which will probably continue declining and the last 1/3 from all other sources, mining, fishing, timber, etc. The only real source of business dollars to the state come from the Alaska Native Corporations, which earn money outside the state but spend it in Alaska. Very few tourist dollars end up staying in state, very long. Very few Alaska owned tourist businesses. Current estimate is that 20% of the Alaska workforce doesn't live in Alaska.
All this verbiage to say, expect to see some changes in Alaska and on the way, those of you, that have been to the north country before. It will still be a great trip for 99.99% of the visitors.
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
2016 Fleetwood Flair 31 B Class A w/bunks
www.picturetrail.com/jbpacooper
Alaska-Colorado and other Trips posted
"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
