Road Improvement District Program Information

A Road Improvement District (RID) is a method of funding local road improvements in which the Municipality finances, designs, and constructs the requested improvements if property owners agree to repay a portion of the costs through special assessments. Major roads, such as collectors and arterials, are fully funded through municipal and state capital programs. In upgrade RIDs, where local roads are improved to an upgraded standard (such as gravel to pavement), the Municipality pays 30% of the costs if property owners agree to pay the remaining 70%. In reconstruction RIDs, where local roads are reconstructed to the same standard, the Municipality pays 90% of the costs, if property owners agree to pay the remaining 10%.

These funding programs have some restrictions and are not available in all areas of Anchorage. Below is an overview of the RID process:

Step 1. Initiation:
RIDs are initiated with a written request from a benefiting property owner to the RID Coordinator.  The letter should identify the subject road(s) and the type of improvements requested.  If the road has municipal maintenance and is in an area with a funding program, the project is added the list of projects to be petitioned.

Step 2. Petitioning:
Once the improvements and the benefiting property are defined, costs and assessments for each parcel are estimated.  The assessments vary for each parcel based primarily on lot size and lot frontage.  Petition statements are then mailed to each property owner with information including the estimated cost, the estimated assessment, payment options, and an anticipated project schedule.  Property owners indicate on these statements whether they are in favor or opposed to the RID, and return them to the Municipality.  A neighborhood meeting is usually held during the petition process.

Step 3. Approval:
If property owners representing more than 50% of the assessable costs respond in favor, the RID passes and documents are prepared for the required assembly approval.   A public hearing is held before assembly action.  The assembly must agree that the assessments are proportionate to the benefit being received.

Step 4. Project Development:
Upon assembly approval, the district is created and the project is designed and constructed.  This process usually takes 1-3 years depending on the size of the project and the availability of funding.

Step 5. Final Assessments:
When project costs are totaled, final assessments are calculated and the information is mailed to property owners.  Final assessments cannot exceed the estimated amount by more than 10% without property owner approval. Then, a property owner meeting is scheduled to discuss any concerns about the final assessment calculations and documents are prepared for final assembly action to levy final assessments.  A public hearing is held before Assembly action leving the assessment.

Step 6. Billing:
Assessment billing occurs about 2 months after assembly action to levy the assessments. The annual billings give the property owners the option of paying the assessment in full or through the payment plan presented to them in the RID process.

Please contact the RID Coordinator at 343-8120 for additional information.  An RID can be initiated with a written request to the RID Coordinator at P.O. Box 196650 Anchorage, Alaska  99519 or by email to LamsonJL@muni.org.