“We do not agree with DOT & PF's proposed rehabilitation plan for the Seward Highway in Moose Pass.  This plan will forever erase this town's charm, destroy a family legacy, put lives at risk, decimate a local business that has conserved wildlife, and lessen the income of another business, our business. More than one of our customers has commented on the simple charm they felt as they entered this unique little piece of paradise we call home. This is no cookie-cutter town.  This is our community, our home. The road would not exist were it not for the Estes Family donation of the land for it. And now DOT & PF wants to repay that good deed by destroying the Estes Family historic building. Brooke Estes is working diligently to build on the family's legacy in continuing to run the Estes Brothers Grocery Store, providing necessary goods and locally handcrafted items for tourists to purchase. DOT & PF has said the Seward Highway must be brought up to standards because it's a critical economic link. What about the economic work that happens at this store? The purpose of the proposed project is to improve mobility and safety, says DOT & PF, but lives will be lost if this road is turned into a highway. There are three businesses in less than a half-mile stretch in this community and three more businesses on a side street that intersects with the Seward Highway within that same half-mile stretch.  Customers are attempting to turn into these businesses and the side street and exit these businesses and the side street.  They are driving cars, tour buses of various sizes carrying many passengers, motorhomes, pickups pulling campers, boats, and trailers, and eighteen-wheelers. If DOT & PF gets its way, the road will appear wider and cause people to drive faster through town. There will be more accidents, which means more injuries and, most likely, more deaths. We have witnessed drivers passing other traffic in front of our store.  Others have told us it happens in front of their homes right in the middle of this community. DOT & PF has said its plans will "add traffic calming measures. There is nothing in their plans that calms--ie, slows down--traffic.  Quite the opposite. Everything in their plan will cause traffic to speed up. DOT & PF wants to remove trees near the road, making the road appear wider.  In places outside the 'village,' they plan to widen shoulders, making the road appear wider. When the road appears wide open, people will drive faster.  People will die. Just down the road from us, Roland Dickason has fostered the natural growth of a micro-ecosystem on his land. A stream with spawning salmon runs through his land drawing in bears and wolves.  Moose mosey through.  It's a natural, wildlife habitat area that should not be destroyed. As well, there is the economic benefit his business provides, and DOT & PF says the reason for this Seward Highway project is because the highway is a critical economic link.  What about Roland's economic work? Our business, the Moose Drop-In Trading Post, will suffer if DOT & PF's proposed plan comes to fruition. This summer we enjoyed the economic benefit of one of the big tour buses stopping in to drop off its passengers.  That's the first time in our seven years that a big tour bus has stopped at our business. We had quite the flurry of business with all those customers.  We are starting to regularly enjoy the benefits of smaller tour buses stopping in, as well as tourists in their motorhomes and Alaskans pulling their boats and trailers.  Decreasing the size of the entrance to our business will put an end to the tour buses stopping.  People pulling boats and trailers will not be able to pull in. There will be a decrease to our income. DOT & PF says the Seward Highway is a critical economic link between our area and the rest of the state. What about the economy of this town? Do we not count? In their Project Fact Sheet, DOT & PF says an analysis showed there was no need for their original big plans to add passing lanes and straighten the road, so they had to come up with a new reason to spend federal highway money. Improving drainage infrastructure is their first reason. If they just dug out the existing drainage ditches and opened up existing culverts, that would be an improvement. They want bigger ditches, so they don't have to do any of the maintenance work.  If the ditches are bigger; it'll take longer for them to get filled up and not work anymore. Chris Bentz started saying this to us and stopped himself. DOT & PF says they need to rehabilitate the existing roadway. In a later letter, they say "this roadway segment has not been significantly improved since its initial construction in 1950."  And look how well it's held up. The biggest problems with it are superficial and that's because DOT & PF has not kept up with its maintenance.  They've put off repaving it, hoping they would be able to completely change it and enlarge it, and then lay down new pavement. This proposed highway project comes down to money.  DOT & PF wants to use federal highway money to completely overhaul the road instead of using state money to simply maintain the existing road.  We don't want our tax dollars used to pay for DOT & PF's overzealous ambitions to completely ruin our town. Our town--nay, our community--does not want a highway speeding through the middle of it.  We want a good road with speed-calming measures that cause travelers to slow down, enjoy the scenery, stop by one of our businesses and improve the economy of this town. Who doesn't want an ice cream cone or a piece of fudge? Maybe stay at the local campground or stop in for lunch at the local restaurant?  Maybe enjoy a scenic float ride or paddle yourself around the lake enjoying Alaska's beauty? What is wrong with making people slow down for a few miles?  It might save lives. Shouldn't that be the first concern?”

— Jane and Rodney Burrill