PROGRESS: Road Construction Forecast

Summer in Alaska means more daylight and pleasant weather for everyone, including road

construction crews.

Just like years past, state and Borough officials will be using the summer season to start — and, hopefully, finish — a series of major road projects.

And while the cash-strapped Borough’s projects will mostly be minor resurfacing and paving projects, the state has some big plans for the Valley that could cause headaches for motorists, starting with the Glenn Highway.

Where can Valley residents look for those big orange barrels this year? Here’s a list:

Glenn Highway improvements in and around Palmer. Two major projects will impact Palmer drivers this year, as well as anyone using the Glenn to get in and out of the Anchorage bowl through the town.

The first project, set to start this spring, will aim to improve mobility and road conditions where the Glenn Highway meets the terminus of the Palmer Wasilla Highway in Palmer, state transportation officials said. A crew will repave, resurface and re-stripe that area, officials said.

But it’s the second project is sure to cause the most headaches as state officials launch on part one of the long discussed major Glenn Highway widening.

Starting at South Inner Springer Loop, just north of the fairgrounds, and stretching to West Arctic Avenue, the project will reconstruct and widen the highway, add frontage roads and improve pedestrian access, said Shannon McCarthy, a state department of transportation spokesperson.

The upwards of $40 million project will start as early as June, she said, and stretch through the rest of the summer.

“It will definitely help with congestion and safety,” she said. “This is actually an area that we’ve had a number of fatal crashes on. People are anxious to get around, it’s two lane in most places, you have a lot of congestion, high speeds and people taking risks … when all is said and done it’s going to be a wonderful benefit for anyone who travels the corridor.”

She said the contract will stipulate that work cannot interrupt or impact traffic during the Alaska state fair in late August.

Glenn Highway, Eklutna to Parks Highway. Although not entirely inside the Borough, residents who commute to Anchorage are likely to notice this pavement preservation project on the Glenn. The state plans to remove two inches of highway and repave, McCarthy said. The work will be mostly done at night with limited weekend work, she said, in an attempt to impact drivers as little as possible.

Parks Highway mile 83 to 99 and mile 99 to 123. Two separate projects will put in place improvements to the Parks Highway, McCarthy said. The first, from mile 83 to 99, is slated to start this spring and will combine the addition of new passing lanes with construction of pedestrian improvements on the Talkeetna Spur Road and rehabilitation and repaving of the highway. The second, which will be started later in the year, will created passing lanes and provide pavement preservation between mile markers 99 and 123.

Edlund Road and Knik-Goose Bay Road. A project at the intersection of Edlund Road and Knik-Goose Bay Road will provide resurfacing and installation of guardrails, drainage, new signage and road striping, among other improvements, she said.