Anchorage Assembly to vote July 21 on $351K for pedestrian and bike count program

The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to vote July 21 on a $351,143.59 appropriation for the AMATS Traffic Counts 23-26 Program, which funds collection and processing of non-motorized traffic data on roadways and pathways across the municipality.

Mayor Suzanne LaFrance submitted the resolution. It combines $317,732.59 in Federal Highway Administration funds passed through Alaska DOT&PF, structured as a Transfer of Responsibilities Agreement, with a required 9.03% local match of $33,411 from the 2026 operating budget, plus up to $6,987 for central service agency support. The largest expenditure line is $200,742.60 for professional services, with $110,002.99 for operating supplies.

Associate Traffic Engineer K. A. Carpenter described the scope as covering "collection, analyses, system input, and enhancements for processing and/or retrieval of information pertaining to non-motorized volumes, crashes, and traffic studies" on roadways and pathways regardless of ownership. The Traffic Engineering Department's Data Division manages the program.

The vote comes as Anchorage has pressed non-motorized safety on multiple fronts, including adopting the "Anchorage Stop" and related law changes in 2023 and a separate $1.25 million pedestrian safety request for key East Anchorage routes.