Mudslide briefly closes Settlers Bay Drive

WASILLA — Settlers Bay Drive was closed for a brief time on Thanksgiving morning.

Sometime after 2 a.m., heavy rains caused a mudslide across the road. Alaska State Troopers notified Mat-Su Borough officials around 3 a.m. and borough Public Works Director Terry Dolan redirected a contractor with equipment in the area to clear the roadway before 8 a.m.

“Big Dipper responded very rapidly and got that road open very quickly,” Dolan said.

Dolan said that it is not uncommon to have warmer temperatures, around this type of year but the Thanksgiving weekend often brings a large storm.

Elsewhere in the Valley plow drivers have been dealing with massive snowfall north of Willow in the Talkeetna, Caswell Creek and Trapper Creek areas.

Mud that had been pushed off to the shoulder of Settler’s Bay Drive was removed by the contractor to clean the roadway.