Construction to close Parks in two spots

August 19, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Traveling through Wasilla won't be as much of a hassle with a little bit of planning and a heads-up, according to John Waisanen, project engineer with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Continuing construction along the Parks Highway necessitates the complete closure of two intersections for two weeks - starting today, according to Waisanen.

The Parks Highway will be closed at Seward Meridian Parkway, with traffic shifting to the recently constructed overpass. A section of Crusey Street north of the Parks Highway also will be impassable, he said. Those two closings should last until Sept. 2, unless uncooperative weather delays the project, he said.

Usually, DOT halts road work on the weekends to accommodate heavier traffic, but crews will be busy during these next two weeks.

"Our goal is to get done before the Labor Day weekend, and before school starts," Waisanen said. "This is a full-blown closure for two weeks."

The Seward Meridian Parkway construction zone will span the Parks Highway between Sears and Wal-Mart. Drivers traveling east and west on the Parks Highway will be rerouted onto the overpass, known as the Seward Meridian Bridge, which will have two lanes of traffic going in opposite directions.

"They won't be stopping for signals anymore, but they'll have to reduce speeds because it's still a construction zone," Waisanen said.

While traffic moves over the top of the bridge, crews will be concentrating on tasks below the overpass, such as tearing out the interim traffic signal and tying the South Frontage Road to Seward Meridian Parkway.

The existing gravel road linking Seward Meridian Parkway to Hyer Road via South Frontage Road will be paved, Waisanen said.

On the bridge, work will be in progress while traffic passes back and forth, so watch for orange-vested workers, he said.

Wal-Mart shoppers will be forced to take the Old Matanuska Road or Hyer Road to Fairview Loop. People who want to go south on Seward Meridian Parkway and are traveling either east or west on the Parks Highway will need to use the Hyer Road off ramp to get to their destinations. Hermon Road is also an option to avoid construction.

People should watch for detour signs as well as instructions on sign boards, he said.

At the Crusey Street and Parks Highway intersection, workers will build a 6.5-foot embankment in addition to widening the road. The new road will be paved, and a new traffic signal will be installed, Waisanen said.

The wider road and higher elevation require a new signal at that intersection, he said.

Yenlo Street will offer drivers access to the businesses off Crusey Street. Signs will help drivers find their way around that part of town. Bogard Road also provides easy access to businesses in the Crusey Street area.

"There will be a little bit of cleanup on Crusey Street once the closure ends," Waisanen said.

The federally funded upgrades to the Parks Highway have cost $30 million for roughly 2.5 years worth of work, Waisanen said.

Road crews will continue to work on the project through the months of September and October - depending on the weather, he said.

While these closings are inconvenient now, they actually shorten the construction time and place less impact on the driving community, he said.

Dawn De Busk can be reached

at 352-2252, or dawn.debusk@frontiersman.com.