Time to recover

WASILLA — There’s a number of reasons why a vehicle may be left on the side of the road. During these winter months, roads prove to be persistently perilous with multiple vehicle collisions or people slipping off the road on a regular basis.

Across the Mat-Su Valley, some of these vehicles can be seen in the ditch for days, even weeks. Removing these cars varies case by case, according to Department of Transportation spokesperson, Shannon McCarthy.

“We wait because someone may need time to get their car towed,” McCarthy said.

Several factors determine how long an unattended vehicle is allowed to stay at the scene based on Alaska statutes and the road system it’s on. McCarthy said each community has its own regulations and DOT only focuses on state roads, which include Parks highway, Glenn Highway, Palmer Fishhook, Palmer-Wasilla Highway, KGB, Fairview Loop, and so on. If a vehicle is in a hazardous spot or closer than 10 feet to the road, McCarthy said vehicle will be moved to ensure safe travel.

DOT has no tow trucks of its own; rather, they work with local towing companies to recover vehicles. She said that once a vehicle has been flagged, there is a 72-hour window for the owner to find a way to get it towed. She said that they leave room for flexibility because of the sheer size and amount of roads throughout the Mat-Su Valley.

After the towing company picks up the vehicle, there’s a window of 30 days to pick it up. The state defines a “wrecked” vehicle as one that is disabled and unable to move without substantial repair. “Junked” vehicles are those that are unregistered, stripped down is otherwise immobile, or exhibits the following conditions — broken glass, missing tires, wheels, body panels, or parts of drivetrain.

Especially after a series of snowstorms and slick roads, it’s common to see cars submerged in a snowbank and left there for days. McCarthy said that if anyone sees a vehicle or any other object that is abandoned that is hazardous otherwise obstructing the state’s right of way, to call DOT at 907-269-7000 to report it.

The Mat-Su Borough has a Community Clean-up program that included “unwanted junk” vehicle removal. Since most of the major roadways are state owned, these cases fall on the remaining roads, neighborhoods, trails, and so on. To learn more about the Community Clean-Up Program and to see a list of local towing companies, visit www.matsugov.us/community-clean-up-program