The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities told KSRM News over the Labor Day weekend that work is well-underway on the Sterling Highway MP 45 – 60 project. The project’s aim is to upgrade the highway between Sunrise Inn and Skilak Lake Road, near Cooper Landing.
Clearing started the week of May 26 and geotechnical drilling began the week of June 3.
Most construction is occurring off of the main highway and full access to the Bean Creek and Resurrection Creek trail systems will remain. While using these trails, DOT asks that travelers watch for equipment, ATV traffic, crews working near the falls, and hand clearing activity within 20 feet of the trail systems.
Shannon McCarthy of the Alaska Department of Transportation has details: “Right now, we have a lot of clearing and geotechincal work going on. Our clearing crews are working on it – they’ve cleared about 95 acres out of the 140 planned acres of clearing. They’re working west from Juneau Creek. We also have a drilling crew working in the area. They have completed over half, 104 of the 190 planned drill locations, and they’ve also performed about half of the planned test pits. So, making lots of great progress. Most of it is prep work for the project.”
She also noted that the project is still far from impacting the daily drive of Alaskans: “Obviously, it will take several years before we get to construction that has impacts to drivers, but we’re making lots of great progress and doing this new section of road – preparing it for construction.”
The project is 90% federally funded with a 10% state match.