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Assembly Chambers were packed during the body's regular meeting, as the public took advantage of the opportunity to give testimony in favor of or against construction of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities' road from Echo Cove to the Katzehin River.

"This is obviously an issue that people feel very passionately about," Mayor Bruce Botelho said prior to the beginning of public testimony.

A move by Assembly member Bob Doll to table the resolution indefinitely failed by a vote of 5 to 4. A move by Assembly member Jonathan Anderson to refer the resolution to the Committee of the Whole failed by a vote of 6 to 3.

When public testimony began, 55 Juneau residents had signed up to speak before the Assembly. A representative of Capital City Fire and Rescue staffed the door to the chambers, instructing people to wait outside after the room reached maximum capacity.

"I'm getting a little bit tired of it," said Robert Garrison, a 58-year resident of Juneau who has seen the road issue be discussed since before statehood.

Garrison said it is time to build a road out of Juneau, which he contends would open up recreation opportunities for the community.

Assembly member Merrill Sanford presented the resolution, causing this round of public testimony on a road out of Juneau. The issue came before the Assembly and the Planning Commission late last year and led to many hours of public testimony. The resolution follows Gov. Sarah Palin's termination in December of a preliminary construction road for the project.

"(A resolution) will further polarize this community ... we do not need more divisiveness in this town," Richard Gard said.

If the Assembly supports a resolution making the Juneau access project a top priority of the community, then it should pass a resolution making ferry service a top priority of the city, he said.

Rosa Miller, tribal leader of the Auk Kwaan, said she is against constructing a road through land traditionally used by Alaska Natives.

"I am against it because of the disturbance to our ancestral burial sites," she said.

Traveling up Lynn Canal by road would be faster and cheaper than the present option on the Alaska Marine Highway System and would provide more economic opportunities, Jesse Hay said.

"It will put a lot of us to work building it," he said. "Let's quit talking about it and get it done."

There are lots of reasons to support the road, particularly economic reasons, Juneau business owner Max Mertz said.

"It will bring jobs and possibilities to Juneauites," he said.

Bringing the issue before the Assembly once again is a "failure in leadership," Dixie Hood said.

"Juneau does not support the road," she said

Henry Garcia, a marine highway employee for 17 years, said he supports the road because it will give less ammunition for those who want to see the capital move out of Juneau.

"We build the road, we keep the capital," he said. "We don't build the road, the capital walks."

Assembly members who voted in favor of the resolution included Johan Dybdahl, Sanford, David Stone, Randy Wanamaker and Sara Chambers.

The following Assembly members voted against the resolution: Botelho, Doll, Jeff Bush and Anderson.

In other action at Monday's meeting, the Assembly approved a resolution that authorized a request for a no-build easement on a portion of city property facilitating an addition to the Juneau Costco Warehouse in Lemon Creek. The no-build easement deals with nearly 2,000 square fee of city property.

• Eric Morrison can be reached at eric.morrison@juneauempire.com.