Governor Sarah Kaminsky declared a statewide infrastructure emergency Tuesday, a move that unlocks $2.3 billion in state and federal funds for urgent repairs to roads, bridges, ports, and public utilities across Alaska. The declaration follows a series of engineering assessments revealing that nearly 40% of the state's major bridges are rated structurally deficient, and that permafrost thaw is accelerating damage to roads and buildings in rural communities at an unprecedented rate. 'We cannot wait,' the governor said at a press conference in Juneau. 'Every year we delay costs Alaskans more — in dollars, in safety, and in economic opportunity lost.'