AMATS Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting

The Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) Technical Advisory Committee is reviewing a proposal to realign U.S. Bicycle Route 97. Currently, the route follows the Seward and Glenn highways through Anchorage and Eagle River/Chugiak, which staff notes is not bike-friendly and fails to meet U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) guidelines that prioritize dedicated facilities and low-volume roads. The proposed realignment, developed by DOT&PF Active Transportation Planner Julius Adolfsson in coordination with AMATS and the Municipality of Anchorage, would shift the route to the Coastal Trail and Ship Creek Trail in the Anchorage bowl, and the Old Glenn Highway pathway in Eagle River and Chugiak. The USBRS is managed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). AMATS staff is requesting that the Technical Advisory Committee recommend approval of a letter of support for the realignment to the Policy Committee. The proposal is also scheduled for review by the AMATS Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee on September 14, 2026, ahead of the October 1, 2026, application deadline for AASHTO.