Anchorage, Alaska

Geography

Anchorage is a major port, receiving over 95% of all freight entering Alaska passes, as well as a major hub of the famous Alaska Railroad. Major industries include government and military, Petroleum, and tourism. There are two strategically important U.S. military bases bordering Anchorage on the north: Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson. Nearly all Alaska Interior-bound tourists pass through Anchorage at some stage of their journeys in Alaska. Not surprisingly, summer is tourist season, and downtown Anchorage, as well as the highways leading north and south of town, are typically teeming with tourists.

Climate

Notable neighborhood communities

Venues

Museums

Cultural parks

Botanical gardens

Indoor waterparks

Zoological Parks and Conservation Centers

Media

Anchorage is also well served by television and radio. Anchorage's major network television affiliates are KIMO 13(ABC), KTVA 11(CBS), KAKM 7(PBS), KTBY 4(FOX), KTUU 2(NBC), KYES 5(My Network TV) and KDMD 33(i: Independent Television). ARCS: The Alaska Rural Communications Service, which provides some original programming and also "cherry-picks" retransmissions from among the broadcast stations in Anchorage, though usually not KIMO except in very rare occasions (such as Iditarod coverage), to provide television service to remote areas.

Leading radio stations include AM Stations KTZN 550-Clear Channel Communications, KHAR 590, KENI 650-Clear Channel Communications, KBYR 700, KFQD 750,KAXX1020,KUDO 1080 andKAGV 1110. FM Stations (KRUA) 88.1-University of Alaska, Anchorage, KAKL 88.5-"Positive, Encouraging K-Love", Christian Music, K-Love, EMF Broadcasting, KATB 89.3, KNBA 90.3, KSKA 91.1,KBBO 92.1, KFAT 92.9-New Northwest Broadcasters, KAFC 93.7,KZND 94.7, KRPM 96.3, KEAG 97.3, KLEF 98.1, KYMG 98.9-Clear Channel Communications,KMBQ 99.7, KBFX 100.5- Clear Channel Communications, KGOT 101.3-Clear Channel Communications, KDBZ 102.1-New Northwest Broadcasters, KMXS 103.1, KBRJ 104.1, KNIK 105.7, KWHL 106.5 and KASH 107.5-Clear Channel Communications.

Citywide cable TV and Internet service is provided by General Communication, Inc. (GCI) There is no competing cable service, but satellite and broadcast TV is widely available. There are also numerous local and national Internet service providers serving the community.

Sports

Transportation

Anchorage also has a bus system called People Mover, with a central hub in downtown Anchorage and satellite hubs at Dimond Center and Muldoon Mall. People Mover also provides point-to-point van services to seniors and those with disabilities, as well as carpool organization services.

There's only one officially designated Interstate Highway in Anchorage. Unlike the Interstate routes in Hawaii, it is unsigned as such. The route, officially Interstate A-1 runs along the Seward and Glenn Highways. The highway is numbered Alaska State Highway 1. A portion of the Seward Highway, about 10 miles of it (known as the New Seward Highway) is built to freeway standards. The Glenn Highway also built to freeway standards goes northeast from Anchorage, six lanes carrying commuter traffic to and from Eagle River, Chugiak and the Matanuska Valley towns of Palmer and Wasilla. The highway is four lanes from Eagle River to the junction with the Parks Highway (Alaska State Highway 3) near Wasilla. Anchorage's roads and the state's highways are asphalt. They're plowed when necessary in the winter. Highway construction is limited to the warm months, so expect some delays, especially on the highways.

As of 2005, Anchorage has a long-range transportation plan. Building the Highway to Highway Connection is a limited-access highway link between the Glenn and Seward highways could be the backbone that efficiently delivers traffic to many destinations throughout the city.

Today, traffic is heavy all day long 5th-6th Avenues, Ingra and Gambell, and spills into East Anchorage neighborhoods to avoid congestion. In the Fairview, Mountain View and Midtown neighborhoods, the new road link would be dug down, out of sight and covered in some areas to allow easy pedestrian and vehicle access across Neighborhoods currently divided and isolated would be reconnected with each other and downtown

Once complete, the Gambell and Ingra couplet and other surface streets could be returned to pedestrian friendly main streets.

Reduces traffic on city arterial streets by 100,000 vehicles per day.
Removes traffic on Mt. View Drive, Bragaw, Lake Otis, 15th, Northern Lights, Tudor, and others.
Reduces neighborhood traffic intrusion, air pollution, crashes and noise.
Allows easier and safer pedestrian travel in the Fairview, Mt. View and Midtown neighborhoods.
Encourages neighborhood investment and development opportunities.
Requires phased investment and political/ public commitment.
Improves efficiency of freigh and goods movement.
Capital Cost: $575 million
Anchorage traffic department websites
Anchorage long-range transportion plan
Anchorage traffic department, transportation plan

Medical centers and hospitals

Education

Anchorage has an excellent public school system that is ranked among the finest in the nation. The is part of Providence Health System in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. It features the state's most comprehensive range of services. Providence Health System has a history of serving Alaska, beginning when the Anchorage School District is the 81st largest district in the United States, with nearly 50,000 students attending 88 schools.

The district's average SAT and ACT college entrance exam scores are consistently above the national average and Advanced Placement courses are offered at each of the district's high schools. The average teacher/student ratio in the district's elementary schools is one teacher to approximately every 25 students.

The district offers a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes the basic communication skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. The standard program also includes social studies, health, science, and physical education. All students receive a quality education enriched with technology, foreign language, visual and performing arts and social sciences.

A variety of programs and alternative learning environments meet the needs of the diverse student population. Some examples include ABC (back-to-basics curriculum) and Montessori schools, open-optional programs, foreign-language immersion, vocational/technical training and charter schools. Comprehensive services for bilingual students and students with special needs are also available.

Private schooling offers choice in private education. Grace Christian School, a K-12 grade community Christian school, offers a rigorous college-preparatory program that emphasizes critical thinking, skill building and character development-within a traditional classroom format. Visit their Web Site at: [16] for more information.

Colleges and universities

Anchorage has four higher-education facilities. The University of Alaska Anchorage[17] and Alaska Pacific University are within walking distance of each other, and Charter College[18] and Wayland Baptist University are also located in city limits.

Anchorage also has other higher education facilities: Grainger Leadership Institute, LLC
Nine Star Enterprises
CLE International
Nana Worksafe, Inc.
PackBear DBA Barr & Co.

Utilities

A municipally owned utility since 1932, ML&P supplies high-quality and reliable electric power to more than 30,000 residential and commercial customers in the Anchorage area.

Chugach Electric Association is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative that was formed in 1948.

Most homes have natural gas-fueled heat. ENSTAR Natural Gas Company is the sole provider for Anchorage, servicing some 90-percent of the city's population.

While some homes in Anchorage use private wells and septic systems, the Municipality of Anchorage owns and operates the Water and Wastewater Utility serving an approximate population base of 214,000.

Anchorage Municipal Solid Waste Services and Anchorage Refuse conduct trash removal in the city depending on location.

Shopping and Entertainment

Nightlife

There is a full-size family-owned shopping mall in Anchorage: Dimond Center located at the intersection of East Dimond Boulevard and Old Seward Highway is the largest shopping center in Alaska, at 728,000 square feet, with 120,000 square feet of professional office space. The mall is home to over 200 stores and offices and dance floor, mezzanine overlooks first floor, abstract iron, diamond-plated decor, lots of bling bling.
Bitoz, all-ages musical venue and pizzeria located downtown
Bruins-Hilton Anchorage Hotel, join the locals for sports on the big screen!
Chilkoot Charlie's, live music in world famous rustic Alaska saloon.
Club Millenium, a nightclub for young adults. Hot music and dancing in downtown Anchorage.
Crazy Horse Saloon/ Crazy Horse Too
Darwin's Theory
F Street Station
Great Alaskan Bush Company 2, come join the party and enjoy the classy entertainment at our world famous club. Casual atmosphere uniquely done in the Alaska saloon tradition.
Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse has 43 brews on tap, full bar, live music nightly.
Rumrunner's Old Towne Bar & Grill has microbrews, cocktails, music and great food!
Snow Goose Restaurant & Sleeping Lady Brewing Co. has great beer, great burger, great pizza, great view. Two great decks with stunning views, live music, and award-winning beers. Our theatre will host meetings, plays, concerts, and large dining events.
The Alley has live music, full bar, great service and NTN.
The Shed

Skiing and heli skiing

Heli skiing

Points of interest

There are other features of Anchorage that make it unique: the large tidal range; multiple, beautiful cross- country ski trails; the Fur Rendezvous festival, held each February; America's highest percentage of licensed airplane pilots (with several airports and landing strips in the city or nearby); a very low population density for a city its size; frequent small earthquakes; spring windstorms ("Chinook winds"); active volcanoes nearby (to the southwest, in the Alaska Range, volcanoes such as Mount Spurr, Augustine Volcano, Mount Redoubt, and others have coated the city with ash in recent years); its extreme youth (it was founded in 1915 but didn't grow much until the 1940s); and much else. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Anchorage is definitely an American city, replete with a vibrant business climate, large shopping malls, traffic congestion (one can't easily move about by foot and public transportation in the middle of winter), suburban-style subdivisions and two suburbs, Eagle River and Chugiak, unless one counts the massive numbers of commuters who drive from as far away as the Matanuska Valley communities of Wasilla and Palmer.

Anchorage has been named an All America City in the years 1956, 1965, 1984-85 and most recently in 2002. The city won its latest award based on civic activities like the 2001 Special Olympics Winter Games, the Anchorage Youth Court, and Bridge Builders.

Sister cities

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Camiling, Philippines
Chiayi Township, Taiwan
Chitose, Nemuro, Noshiro, Obihiro, Saroma, Teshio, Japan
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