Upgrades to the Sterling Highway through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge will accommodate motorist and wildlife safety.
The Department of Transportation’s Shannon McCarthy …
McCarthy: “So the purpose is to improve safety and traffic flow in that section of highway, they’re talking about rehabilitating the existing highway and installing passing lanes. Some of the rehabilitation would be widened shoulders, improving the alignment and of course improving the drainage. I know that wildlife crossing is a focus of this project so they’ll be looking at enhancements such as wildlife under-crossings.”
The DOT has been studying the Sterling Highway from mile 58-79 and found the road can interfere with wildlife migration through the refuge. To improve safety for animals and passing motorists, they’re proposing six underpasses. The largest would be installed at mile 71, at the east fork of the Moose River, which currently passes through a culvert.
The project will go to bid in February of next year. The DOt anticipates it will be completed in the fall of 2017.
