Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
Abstract
Replacing Alaska’s public infrastructure
would cost nearly 59billion,intoday’sdollars.Thatincludes,asthetableshows,thecostsofreplacingpublicbuildingsaswellastransportationandutilitysystems.1ThisisanupdateofanestimateISERmadein2007—whichatthattimewasthefirstcomprehensiveestimateofthecosttoreplaceAlaska’spublicinfrastructure.2That2007estimatewasconsiderablyless—about39.5 billion—but we emphasized at the
time that it was preliminary.
It did not take into account that costs to
replace infrastructure in remote areas are
higher, and it undercounted and undervalued
certain types of infrastructure, including
power and telephone systems.
This revised estimate is based on an
analysis of cost differences across the state,
additional data on existing infrastructure,
and additional consultation with engineers,
architects, and cost estimators