On Sept. 29, The Anchorage Daily News published a letter by Anchorage resident George Patterson arguing in favor of occasional ferry service to Cordova, supplemented by connection to the road system. Kenai resident John A. Anderson has written to The Cordova Times in response to Patterson’s letter.
Mr. Patterson alludes to the three times Cordovans were offered a chance to be tied into the road system. What he does not mention was that each time it was attempted it was shut down for some political reason or another. I worked on the Copper River Highway in the 1970s when the Alaska Highway Dept. shut us down due to it being unsafe and damaging to the environment. On the last attempt, by Gov. Hickel, to clean the mess up and at least make it passable the EPA shut it down cold.
Anyone who believes, for a moment, that the political power brokers in Anchorage would stand for thousands of tourists, with millions of dollars, taking a shortcut to Denali Park and Fairbanks via the Copper River Highway should consult the nearest psychiatrist as soon as possible.
John A. Anderson
Kenai, Alaska