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Chugach Foothill's Connector Trail.
Chugach Foothill's Connector Trail.
This new trail (2023) connects the Botanical Garden with the East Muldoon neighborhood of Chugach Foothills. It is wide enough to run fire trucks on in summer so doubles as a fire suppression road. Extending this "trail" to the Gas Line Trail and then north along the East side of the Gas Line to the Glenn Hwy. and the Ship Creek Bridge Underpass to tie into the Glenn Hwy. Bike Trail was the next idea to be put into a North East Community Council Resolution. This would allow for Ship Creek and other waterways to be accessed by tanker trucks in case of fires in fire season and provide for an excellent four season non motorized multi-use trail. Of course the JBER Muldoon Boundary would have to be adjusted to make sure the civilian side has access to the four season non motorized proposed trail and fire suppression road 24/7. This goal would require the moving of the live fire ranges as stated in the JBER correspondence below.
Here is a fun group shot of some of the movers and shakers that got the Chugach Foothills Connector Trail to become reality. Clearly someone sees it as the first step to other things. The poster in the right for ground is the same as the first image on this site. One step at a time.
JBER Letter RE Muldoon Boundary Trail Access 1-27-22.pdfsigned - 673 ABW CC response to Sen Wielechowski.pdfNECC Resolution 2023-04 JBER Muldoon Boundary Realignment.pdf
Ship Creek Bridge Underpass on the Glenn Hwy. is plenty big for a bike trail. Conveniently located on the South side of the creek so it is perfectly situated for connecting the Glenn Hwy Bike Trail with the proposed Muldoon Perimeter Trail. It currently is fenced off from the Bike Trail Side of Glenn Hwy. depriving trail users of the option of accessing water. In years past it was always open to the public.
This is a map given to the Northeast Community Council five or so years ago from JBER when they were doing public outreach for comments on the Maneuver Trail (in Red). Since this effort the Military seems to have moved away from the "Maneuver Trail" name in favor of something to do with (forest) fire mitigation. The details about the specific fire ranges is of interest to the discussions relating to the Muldoon Perimeter Trail. As the above letter shows the placement of the live fire ranges is one reason the JBER Muldoon Boundary cannot be realigned as was done in other areas north in Peters Creek and the Beach Lake Area. Once source gave us a $34,000,000 price tag to relocate the live fire ranges farther East away from East Muldoon neighborhoods.
Here is a not so good photo of the East Anchorage District Plan Vision Map. Note the dotted line along the East Boundary of Muldoon. This map is very similar to the 1979 Anchorage Trails Plan* Map. Some members of the community have pointed out that there is an easement already on the East side of the military fence for a trail. We have been informed that there is a 20 ft. wide easement for a trail along the current fence for a trail. Unfortunately home owners have made it clear having a trail right along the fence is not acceptable. Also having a trail running along a fence is very dangerous with moose especially. When moose see folks coming they sometimes high tail it away and often will run along a fence and or trail to get away. If folks happen to be coming in the opposite direction that means head on issues. Also moose will back up to a fence and use it as back protection when dog attacks. Having a fence along a non motorized mult-use trail is not an option so the resolutions are asking for 400ft. wide easement with the trail on the East one third.
Below is a resolution that was presented under new business at the February NECC General Meeting and passed at the May 16, 2024 NECC General Meeting. Due to the fact that fire safety was not mentioned in the large NECC Resolution 2023 - 04 and that after seeing the very wide Chugach Foothills Connector Trail, the question if there is support for such a wide fire safety road / non motorized trail running from the Ship Creek Bridge Underpass on the Glenn Hwy. South to the Chugach Connector Trail or just a standard bike trail, this resolution had to go through the process to find out and it was clear the community DOES support the Muldoon Perimeter Fire Safety Road and Multi-Use Trail since it passed with overwhelming support. More detail will be added after formal publishing of the resolution in the Federation of Community Council Home Page. It takes months sometimes for that page to be updated.
NECC Resolution 2024-03 SIGNED.pdf
The Muldoon Perimeter Trail and Fire Safety Road Rough Draft. The red line is the proposed trail and road. The black line is the existing Chugach Foothills Connector Trail. Hopefully we will have better maps when updated. The top of the red line trail starts at the Glenn Hwy. Ship Creek Bridge Underpass and continues down to the Chugach Foothills Connector Trail (in black). Chugach Foothills Community Council will have to decide the details of the proposed road / trail in their section, though ideas were mentioned in the North East Community Council Resolution.
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