Send your input on the Sterling Hwy Safety Corridor

 

DOT held meetings recently on proposed safety improvements to the Sterling Highway Safety Corridor, sharing information and taking your input. Initially, this project was planned as a divided four lane highway with a depressed median. This design has limited driveway and left turn access with the goal of two median breaks per mile to allow for direct left turns at higher traffic intersections.

 

Many community members have expressed concern with this type of design. Now is time to share your thoughts and concerns, as the DOT drafts preliminary plans for presentation to the community this fall. Comments on this project can be submitted via the project website. I encourage you to share your feedback with DOT.

Winter Road Brine Update

The use of brine on winter roads is a big area of concern for folks on the Kenai Peninsula. The corrosion brine causes to vehicles and equipment, environmental impacts, and other negative aspects make road brine the wrong tool to use for safer winter driving. You’ve called and written my office, and thousands of you signed a petition asking DOT to completely end the use of brine on Kenai Peninsula roads. 

 

Since I came into office, I’ve met with representatives of DOT on multiple occasions in Juneau and back home on the Kenai. I’ve met with DOT one-on-one and in the company of other state and local elected officials. I even hosted a town hall meeting this April in Soldotna where representatives from DOT discussed several issues, including road brine, and listened to your feedback.

 

The engagement has worked. DOT lowered the use of road brine on the Kenai Peninsula by 69 percent last winter, well ahead of their goal of a 40 percent reduction. The limiting factor on further reductions at this time is that DOT does not have enough sanding trucks to keep all of the roads in the area under the Department’s jurisdiction sanded timely during winter weather events.

 

However, DOT is working on expanding the sand truck fleet and expects to make further reductions in the use of road brine this winter and in the coming years.

 

I appreciate those of you who have taken the time to reach out to me or attend events to share your concerns. I pledge to continue working with DOT to ensure that they keep to their plans to further reduce the use of winter road brine. Please feel free to contact me at sen.jesse.bjorkman@akleg.gov or at

907-283-7996 with any concerns you may have. 

Here are the most recent construction updates for the Kenai Peninsula from the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities' Central Region.

You can subscribe to updates from DOT or check this newsletter.

 

Current traffic impacts and road conditions can be found at 511.alaska.gov.

 

Maps for the current construction season and links to project websites can be found here.

 

More construction information and project contacts can be found on the Alaska Project Exchange (APEX) page.

 

Seward Highway: Milepost 75-90

·     Location: Ingram Creek to Girdwood

·     Description: Rehabilitates pavement and replaces bridges on the Seward Highway MP 75-90. Work includes road realignment, grade separations at Portage Valley Road, passing lanes, and pedestrian accommodations, including constructing a multi-modal pathway adjacent to the Seward Highway from MP 75-82.

·     Current Status: Completing minor paving and other touchup work.

·     Expected Completion: July 2024

 

Central Region Guardrail Inventory & Upgrade

·     Location: Kenai Peninsula

·     Description: Replaces guardrail and end terminals on roadways with a posted speed limit of 50 mph or greater across the Kenai Peninsula. Project work in includes clearing, grading, and roadway hardware.

·     Current Status: Temporarily shut down for July traffic.

·     Expected Completion: Late 2024

 

Sterling Highway Milepost 45-60: Juneau Creek Bridge

·     Location: Sunrise to Skilak Lake

·     Description: Construct a new bridge spanning Juneau Creek Canyon as part of the larger project to construct a new Sterling Highway alignment north of Cooper Landing.

·     Current Status: Pouring shafts on abutments and installing drainage and wildlife undercrossing.

·     Expected Completion: 2029

 

Funny River Road Pavement Preservation

·     Location: Soldotna Airport to Tachick Avenue

·     Description: Project work includes pavement preservation, roadside hardware, drainage improvements, intersection improvements, ADA improvements and utilities.

·     Current Status: Paving approaches and final work.

·     Expected Completion: July 2024

 

Cohoe Loop Pavement Preservation

·     Location: Milepost 0 to milepost 9.7

·     Description: Resurface Cohoe Loop Road. Work includes improvements to drainage and roadside hardware.

·     Current Status: Road work and paving is underway.

·     Expected Completion: Late 2025

Senator Jesse Bjorkman | State Capitol Room 3, Juneau, AK 99801-1182