1. What is a Road Improvement District?
2. Who pays for RID projects?
3. Who pays for the Arlene Drive, DKingfisher Drive, Pelican Drive and Pelican Court RID?
4. Why is my neighbor’s RID assessment higher, or lower, than mine?
5. How high can my assessment for the project go?
6. When do property owners begin to pay for the improvements?
7. Why does the Municipality have a road improvement program that is funded in this way?
8. What work will be included in the project?
9. You are adding a storm drain system in the street. Where will it be located?
10. What run-off sources can I connect to the storm drain system?
11. Can I choose the location for my connection to the storm drain?
12. Are sidewalks included in the project?
13. Will street lighting be replaced?
14. What about the Municipality’s new lighting policies?
15. Why does my driveway heave each winter and get the hump at the end?
16. How much of my driveway will be replaced when the contractor does the street?
17. Can I get the rest of my driveway replaced at the same time?
18. Can I expect to get a good price for driveway replacement?
19. What are the payment terms for driveway replacement?
20. How much of my lawn (behind the curb) will be affected?
21. I may have some plants in the street right of way. What will happen to them?
22. Will you need to acquire additional right of way?
23. How long will construction take?
24. What about my mailbox?
25. How will the storm water be treated before it goes into Campbell Lake?
26. Will the project include any traffic calming measures?
27. Can the project be extended to include, for instance, the stretch from Dimond to Curlew?
28. How can I keep track of the project design?
29. How can I provide input to the project team?
30. When will I know who the contractor will be and get contact information for the contractor?
31. Will I be able to get to my property during construction?
32. Will I be able to park on the street as usual during construction?
33. Will my utilities (water, sewer, electric, telephone, cable, etc.) be affected?
34. Will school bus pick-up and drop-off routes change?
35. When will construction start?

1. What is a Road Improvement District?   TO TOP
A Road Improvement District (RID) is a method of funding local road improvements in which the Municipality finances, designs, and constructs the requested improvements if property owners agree to repay a portion of the costs through special assessments. There are two types of RIDs — upgrade and reconstruction. The Arlene Drive project is a reconstruction RID. That means the project will reconstruct — or restore — the roads in the district to their original standard. To learn more about RIDs and how they are instituted, visit www.muni.org/projectmgmt/RIDistrict.cfm.

2. Who pays for RID projects? TO TOP
Typically, the benefiting property owners pay 10 percent and the property owners within the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ARDSA) pay 90 percent. In most RIDs if the project costs go up beyond 10%, the project is balloted again to ensure the property owners still want to participate. ARDSA is the largest Road Service Area in Anchorage. It has full maintenance and construction authority for drainage and road facilities in the Anchorage Bowl.

3. Who pays for the Arlene Drive, Kingfisher Drive, Pelican Drive and Pelican Court RID? TO TOP
Two municipal ordinances govern who pays for your RID. Ordinance AO 2006-91 addresses the
RID formation; Ordinance 2007-31 addresses who pays if the cost rises above the propertyowner-
approved estimate.

In accordance with Municipal Ordinance AO 2006-91, property owners on Arlene Drive,
Kingfisher Drive, Pelican Court and Pelican Drive will pay 10 percent of the cost of
reconstruction through a special assessment. The remaining 90 percent plus any cost overrun will
be paid by property owners within the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ARDSA).
Anchorage-area voters approve RID funding through road bond propositions voted on by
property owners within the ARDSA. Anchorage-area voters outside ARDSA must also approve
the bonds.

Ordinance 2007-31 addressed cost escalations anticipated due to rising fuel costs. For seven
RIDs, the municipal assembly capped the property-owner-approved assessment. That means that
project cost overruns will be paid for by property owners within the ARDSA and this particular
RID will not have to be re-balloted.

4. Why is my neighbor’s RID assessment higher, or lower, than mine? TO TOP
Assessments are based primarily on lot size and lot frontage, so assessments vary from lot to lot.

5. How high can my assessment for the project go? TO TOP
Property owners in the Arlene Drive road improvement district voted to pay up to 110 percent of the estimated assessment per property provided on the original ballot. Because of inflation in construction costs in recent years, the most likely outcome is that RID participants will have to pay 110% of the original estimate. However, additional cost overruns on the project will be funded through road bonds. Should the inflation trend reverse, causing the final cost of construction to be less than the balloted cost, the savings would reduce individual assessments.

6. When do property owners begin to pay for the improvements? TO TOP
Once the project is completed and all costs are totaled, final assessments are calculated and mailed to property owners. A meeting is held to discuss any concerns property owners may have about the final assessments. Documents are then presented to the Anchorage Municipal Assembly, which authorizes the assessment, and a public hearing is held. You will receive a bill about two months after the Assembly levies the final assessment. You will have the option of paying the bill in full, or through a payment plan.

7. Why does the Municipality have a road improvement program that is funded in this way? TO TOP
It makes sense to keep all of the city’s roads in good repair. Road improvement districts are
designed to prolong the useful life of subdivision streets in neighborhoods. This funding method
relies on property owners in the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area to bear most of the
cost, but charges a bit extra to those who benefit directly from the improvements. City residents
benefit by keeping neighborhood streets in good repair. Residents benefit because property
values are maintained.

8. What work will be included in the project? TO TOP
The pavement, curb and gutter and lighting will be replaced. Also, streets in the Arlene Drive RID are being compromised by water in the ground beneath the streets and poor soils. To prolong the life of the pavement and reduce groundwater damage to the subgrade, a piped storm drain system will be installed. Individual storm drain connections to each lot are a planned component of the project.

9. You are adding a storm drain system in the street. Where will it be located? TO TOP
Near the middle of the street. The depth of the storm drain will be planned to serve the drainage needs of the surrounding lots.

10. What run-off sources can I connect to the storm drain system? TO TOP
Any source of natural run-off, such as footing (french) drains, sump pumps, or gutters can be connected to the storm drain system. You may not connect sanitary sewer (toilets), floor drains, or other sources of water that may contain contaminants or chemicals.

11. Can I choose the location for my connection to the storm drain? TO TOP
Absolutely. There are some rules about separation distances to water services, fire hydrants, streetlights, etc., and we will be happy to let you know about those rules and what your available choices are. If you elect not to choose a location for your connection to the storm drain, the design team will choose a location. In the absence of your input, we will usually place the storm drain service in a lawn area and usually about 10 feet from the lowest corner of your lot.

12. Are sidewalks included in the project? TO TOP
No. The RID was established by the property owners to reconstruct the streets as they presently exist. RID regulations allow the costs to be shared through 90% bonds/10% assessments to replace the existing improvements. However, improvements that were never a part of the original construction are subject to different rules. Sidewalks can be added to the project, but the majority of the cost (70%) would be assessed to the property owners. Sidewalks in this neighborhood would be very expensive, as they’d need to be built of sufficient quality to withstand frost damage. Because it would result in much higher assessments, sidewalks were not included in this RID.

13. Will street lighting be replaced? TO TOP
Yes, the project will replace the street lighting to conform to new Municipality of Anchorage guidelines. Examples of the new lighting can be viewed in Bayshore West Subdivision, south of 100th Avenue, along Eshamy Bay, Bettles Bay and Admiralty between Bayshore and Ensign Drive.

14. What about the Municipality’s new lighting policies? TO TOP
Lighting will comply with current municipal lighting standards, which call for a reduction in lighting power consumption and the cost of bulb replacement. This lighting generally requires more poles spaced closer together. Once the design is further along, the team will begin talking with individual property owners about pole placement.

15. Why does my driveway heave each winter and get the hump at the end? TO TOP
The general answer is because soils consisting of fine silt or clay cause excess water to form ice lenses in the winter. The reason why the soils heave in a common location along the front of driveways is an interesting question to the design team that we plan to answer in detail during our geotechnical
engineering study.

16. How much of my driveway will be replaced when the contractor does the street? TO TOP
Usually about 5-10 feet behind the curb will be replaced on each driveway when the street is
reconstructed. The replacement area will include some excavation, gravel backfill and insulation
as needed to transition to the street section.

17. Can I get the rest of my driveway replaced at the same time? TO TOP
Yes. Let the project team know if you are interested in driveway replacement. You will have a chance to know the final cost for driveway replacement before you are obligated in any way.

18. Can I expect to get a good price for driveway replacement? TO TOP
Usually, there is a distinct price advantage when residents are able to team up and buy many driveway replacements in bulk. The price can be even better when that bid is obtained with a larger project because contractors want to be the low bidder on the entire project. As a service to RID participants, MOA will include a bid item for driveway replacement with the rest of the project. So, a very attractive price can be expected. In addition, the driveway area to be paid for by the homeowner is reduced, since the RID project will pay to reconstruct the usual 5-10 feet behind the curb on each driveway.

19. What are the payment terms for driveway replacement? TO TOP
The cost will not be added to individual assessments. While the MOA is happy to help RID participants join together to get the best bid price, the driveway replacement work is on your property so it will not be done under the Municipal contract. Each RID participant who elects to have a driveway replaced must pay the cost directly to the Contractor. Payment terms will be based on your agreement with the
Contractor.

20. How much of my lawn (behind the curb) will be affected? TO TOP
When the curb and gutter is replaced, the contractor will likely disturb 5 to 6 feet behind the curb. Because most people’s lawns actually extend beyond their property lines, most of this disturbance will occur within the right of way. If for any reason the project must impact private property, the property owner will be notified in advance. To see a good example of how much impact you might have, visit Bayshore Subdivision along Eshamy Bay, Bettles Bay and Admiralty between Bayshore and Ensign Drive. Construction of a RID in this area took place in summer 2008. To see an example of a RID completed six or seven years ago, drive Curlew Circle and Albatross Circle located south and east of Arlene Drive.

21. I may have some plants in the street right of way. What will happen to them? TO TOP
The contractor will not be required to replace landscaping in the right of way. Please remove plants before construction begins. The contractor will replace topsoil and reseed grass areas.

22. Will you need to acquire additional right of way? TO TOP
The team will identify any right of way needs as the project develops. At this time, the intent is to work within the existing right of way.

23. How long will construction take? TO TOP
The bulk of the construction will probably require one long summer construction season, from May to late October. Typically, some clean up items such as topsoil/seed placement that cannot be completed due to cold weather are finished the following summer. The team’s intent is to complete construction documents allowing for early bidding (February/March). This will allow the contractor to begin as soon as the Municipality of Anchorage lifts load restrictions from roads in the spring.

24. What about my mailbox? TO TOP
Mailboxes will be re-installed at their current locations, unless directed otherwise by the U.S. Postal Service.

25. How will the storm water be treated before it goes into Campbell Lake? TO TOP
The storm water collected by the new storm drain will be released into Campbell Lake after undergoing treatment to remove oil and grit. The release of storm water is regulated by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and permits will need to be obtained. The design will comply with permit stipulations.

26. Will the project include any traffic calming measures? TO TOP
We will work with the residents and Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Engineering to examine the merits of traffic calming on the project. More information will be available later.

27. Can the project be extended to include, for instance, the stretch from Dimond to Curlew? TO TOP
No. The project boundaries are set by the RID formation.

28. How can I keep track of the project design? TO TOP
The team will hold three meetings to discuss the project with area residents. The first will be near the completion of the project’s design study report. The second will occur when the detailed design is about 80% complete. The final meeting will hand the project from the designer to the construction team. You will receive mail, e-mail or telephone (depending on your preference) notice of each of these meetings. The team will be looking for your comments at each meeting.

29. How can I provide input to the project team? TO TOP
The team walked each of the streets in the improvement district in October 2008. Through individual conversations with property owners, highly useful information about site drainage, visibility at intersections, winter icing locations, possible underground springs and speeding vehicles has been collected. Each property owner also received a Homeowner/Occupant survey requesting site-specific information.

The team is now working on the Design Study, and the information gleaned from one-on-one conversations is very helpful to us. We want you to feel free to contact the team at any time if you want to provide additional information or just get the project status.

30. When will I know who the contractor will be and get contact information for the contractor? TOP
The final public meeting will introduce the construction team. At that time, you will get a chance to meet the Construction Manager(s), Project Inspector(s), and representatives of the successful bidder. The invitation to the public meeting will include their contact information. Todd Jacobson will continue to be the point of contact through construction to provide continuity.

31. Will I be able to get to my property during construction? TO TOP
There will be times during construction when you will not be able to drive to your property. At all times, you should be able to walk to your property. The contractor will provide notice of road closures to adjacent property owners. At the pre-construction public meeting, the contractor will be required to present a work plan and schedule, and provide details of access restrictions that may be required. The contractor will provide a traffic control plan showing traffic routing during construction and the project will likely be constructed in segments.

32. Will I be able to park on the street as usual during construction? TO TOP
On-street and in-driveway parking will be impacted during construction. The construction contractor will post notices when parking is to be impacted.

33. Will my utilities (water, sewer, electric, telephone, cable, etc.) be affected? TO TOP
Underground utilities may be temporarily interrupted during construction. More information on this will be available as design details are developed.

34. Will school bus pick-up and drop-off routes change? TO TOP
This project will not affect school bus routes. Since bus pick-up and drop-off vary depending on student population and location, the project will not install any permanent pedestrian facilities at which students could wait for the bus.

35. When will construction start? TO TOP
As of January 2011, The Municipality of Anchorage is proposing to include a portion of the funding required to construct the project on the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area (ARDSA) bond that will go before voters in April 2011. As currently proposed, the bond will include only $2,000,000 with subsequent funding proposed in ARDSA bonds in 2012 ($3,300,000) and 2013 ($2,800,000). Construction is not likely before full funding has been approved.  Each bond will need voter approval.