Joint MSB Assembly, Planning Commission receive updates to road construction, Parks Highway alternate corridor projects

During the joint Matanuska Susitna Borough (MSB) Assembly and Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, Clint Adler, the lead engineer for the Mat-Su District office of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, gave a presentation, updating the status of road construction projects and the Parks Highway alternate corridor projects.

First up, Adler addressed the planned road construction projects set for this summer, including Central region guardrail inventory and improvements, which will be made throughout the summer, and the Church Road and Spruce Avenue, which will be getting a flashing beacon installed.

Construction will continue on the Sheep Creek, Montana Creek, and Goose Creek bridges along the Parks Highway. Adler told members that the bridges projects are all expected to be completed this summer.

Another project coming this summer is along the Glenn Highway near Chickaloon at the Kings River Bridge.

“The western federal lands division of the federal highway administration is the design and construction manager are in charge, and they’re going to replace the Kings River Bridge,” he told the members.

Adler reported that most of the earthquake repair work that has been taking place for the last several years is coming to an end.

“I did want to mention that there’s a few projects in the area that are going to be polished up. One is the Glenn/Parks interchange that’s going to be finished up. There’s also some culvert work on Knik Goose Bay to finish and some work on Woodworth Loop near the (Mat Su Regional) Hospital.”

The big project the DOT has been working on the past several summers has been the Parks Highway expansion from Pittman Road to Big Lake Road. Work included expanding the highway from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, installing medians, frontage roads along the highway, and several traffic lights, including a new one at the Big Lake/Parks Highway intersection.

“Most of that is done, but there will be a few clean up items we’ll be finishing up this summer.”

Looking ahead, Adler told members that the Glenn Highway, from milepost 34-42, from the Parks Highway interchange to Inner Springer Loop, is gearing up.

“We’re going to continue the theme of a divided highway. It also includes a frontage road, and a pathway as well.”

When asked to clarify, Adler explained that likely utility relocation will start at the end of the summer, with the bulk of the work likely begin next summer and continue into 2025.

Assembly member Stephanie Nowers expressed disappointment that construction is not happening this summer, saying that the project is 5 years behind already and that the Alaska State Fair had set aside parking fees because construction was planned, and asked for a later meeting to discuss the project.

Another major project set to take place this summer and next is the Knik Goose Bay (KGB) Road project. Long considered one of Alaska’s worst traffic corridors, the KGB expansion project had been greenlighted in the past, only to be cut or delayed.

Adler explained that the DOT is currently continuing work on Phase 1, which is acquiring right-of-way as needed, and that Phase 2 is in the design phase now.

He also said that the DOT is hoping to get the Seward Meridian Parkway Road project advertised this summer as they work to finish up securing the right-of-way and permitting for the roadway.

After finishing up the road construction update, Adler shifted gears to the Parks Highway alterative corridor Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) studies.

Adler said the area studied was just south of the Parks Highway near Hyer Road all the way near Big Lake Road, down to Cook Inlet.

According to the DOT website, this PEL Study was preceded by several projects that sought to identify a bypass corridor around the City of Wasilla, dating back to the 1980s. Most recently, the Parks Highway Alternative Corridor Project Conceptual Planning Report in April, 2015 explored options for relieving Parks Highway congestion through development of a Wasilla area bypass rather than through expansion of the existing Highway.

Since the completion of the Conceptual Planning Report, the population in the project area continued to experience rapid growth and further development, necessitating a new PEL. This PEL Study will provide a fresh evaluation of the existing conditions and issues, develop a clear project purpose and need, and identify alternatives that are able to be implemented to effectively permit and construct a Parks Highway Alternative Corridor. The PEL considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation planning process.

“We’re almost ready to unveil the preliminary alternatives that we’re going to take into further screening,” he said, explaining that the alternatives will soon be presented for public feedback through community and city councils.

“The project team will then identify potential interchange locations to facilitate movement between alternate corridors and existing roads. They will also identify if the alternate corridor can be delivered through 1 or multiple projects, given the size of this effort.”

Adler said all of this information is to be presented to the public later this year, most likely in the fall.

For more information about the Glenn Highway construction project, please visit www.brooks-alaska.com/glennhighway/upgrade

For more information about the upcoming road construction projects, please visit www.dot.alaska.gov/creg/project_info/

For more information about the Parks Highway Alternate Corridor, please visit www.parkshighwayalternative.com