The Department of Transportation is fielding mixed responses from Kenai Peninsula residents about the federal project clearing both sides of the Sterling Highway easements near Skyview Middle School.
Local residents have asked why no notice was issued before work started. Shannon McCarthy with the DOT says this clearing was handled differently because of the aim of the federal project.
McCarthy: “These are projects that we put together relatively quickly and they’re specifically aimed at reducing fatalities and serious injuries accidents so they don’t have the same level of scoping and public meetings that we usually do. And because the work was being done primarily in the right of way, again we don’t have that same amount of scoping and public meeting process that we normally do.”
The DOT’s safety staff is working with a $1.9 million Federal Highway Administration grant on projects like this from the Kenai Peninsula to the Mat-Su.
She said safety staff noticed reoccurring issues with vehicles leaving the roadway in this area.
McCarthy: “A number of people have struck trees and been killed. So they were taking a look at that and they decided to put together a highway safety improvement project in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration to remove those obstacles. And then also to treat some of the shading that was occurring. We had some large trees that were throwing shade across the road and causing icing conditions.”
Regarding residents’ concerns about moose being attracted to the regrowth near the highway in the future, McCarthy says DOT crews work year round to minimize trees and shrubs near roads that might attract the animals.
The work will extend from where is started near Skyview Middle School to South Coho Loop and is slated to be completed by this September.