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The mayor of Soldotna has called on residents to contact their elected representatives in Juneau to urge support of funding highway and other road projects in the central Kenai Peninsula area.

As the city council on Wednesday approved a priority list of highway improvements it would like the state to consider, Mayor Peter Micciche encouraged people to send e-mails to Juneau and have their friends do so, as well.

Heading Soldotna's list of State Transportation Improvement Plan projects is the widening of the Sterling Highway to four lanes all the way from Devin Drive near the Fred Meyer store to Sterling, where the highway already has four traffic lanes and a center turn lane.

One Sterling resident, Mary Ellen Johnson, said she is concerned about safety on the highway from Sterling to Soldotna. She said the area is too congested for the current design of the highway, which is over capacity.

"We need a more comprehensive plan for the entire length from Soldotna to Sterling," Johnson said, adding that residents of both communities have a responsibility to help the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities get projects such as this pushed through.

"We need to convince the decision-makers that this is an emergency," she said.

"I am so proud of Soldotna for putting this on their (STIP) list," said former Kenai Peninsula Borough Assemblywoman Grace Merkes. "Traffic in the summertime is just ridiculous."

Number two on Soldotna's STIP list, which was approved unanimously Wednesday, is installing a traffic light at the Birch Street intersection of the Sterling Highway in the center of town.

With Soldotna Creek Park being redesigned, possibly including a large new playground, a traffic light to accommodate pedestrians crossing the busy highway at Birch Street is of particular necessity.

At a previous council meeting, council members learned the price tag for such a light has risen to $1.5 million. According to state officials, the traffic light would require installation of pressure sensing devices into the roadway pavement to activate the signal only when needed. The light would be synchronized with traffic signals all the way to the Kalifornsky Beach Road intersection, as well.

Road repairs on Funny River Road from the Sterling Highway to Soldotna Municipal Airport also are on the list. The city is seeking funding for planning, engineering and construction of improvements.

Other work on Funny River Road, changing its course past the northwest corner of the airport, already has been earmarked for funding. Some ground-clearing work is expected to begin along the north edge of the airport this year with most road construction coming next year.

Soldotna also is seeking the expansion of the Kenai Spur Highway to a five-lane configuration between Soldotna and Kenai.

The city of Kenai has approved a similar request for state funding.

Because Soldotna is a tourist destination, the city is interested in having the Sterling Highway through Cooper Landing be as safe and motorist friendly as possible, according to City Manager Larry Semmens.

Though the city listed the project on its STIP list, state Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, said earlier he was not predicting movement on the highway redesign through Cooper Landing any time soon.

"I don't think they've come back with anything they all agree on," Chenault said of the state highway department and interested residents of Cooper Landing.

Establishing an emergency connector road between the Spur and Sterling highways also is on the list approved by the Soldotna council.

In his mayor's report, Micciche said the Unified Community Memorial Park Committee has narrowed down its list of potential city cemetery sites to two -- a combined site of two privately owned parcels off Knight Drive and a hilltop parcel north of the city water tower.

"The property on Knight Drive became our number-one choice," he said.

The cemetery committee is scheduled to meet again at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Micciche said they will attempt to meet with the owners of the parcels to discuss a possible sale.

Any decision on a purchase would require approval of the city council, he said.

Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.