The Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the permit for the hospital expansion. At a meeting last week, the Commission took its action unanimously after hearing an update from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation and the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities about an agreement to deal with the increased traffic that the project will bring to Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway. Project Manager Kent Crandall said that a fence on the property is temporary during construction, and will be removed when the project is done.
City Planning Director Ted Meyer told the Commissioners that the project is consistent with city requirements, except for the traffic issues. He then introduced Scott Thomas from the state's Transportation Department to outline an agreement between the state and YKHC on mitigating the traffic problems that will come as the number of vehicles using the highway increases from 8,000 to as many as 12,000 per day. YKHC agreed to construct a pedestrian and bike lane and pay for re-striping the lanes on the highway. The state has money to resurface the highway, but not to build additional lanes. Thomas said that money for the state road might come later, but it would be after the hospital expansion project's completion.
The biggest issue is the need for a left turn lane for access to the facility from the highway. A second issue is how many lanes the exit from the parking lot will have. Crandall said that their budget does not currently have enough money for a second lane, but they might be able to stretch other expenses to pay for it.