The Kenai City Council passed a resolution requesting and supporting the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities provision of continuous lighting along the Kenai Spur Highway within the City of Kenai and the Sterling Highway Safety Corridor. Lighting along the roadways greatly reduces the risk of vehicle collisions with wildlife such as moose and other vehicles at night.
City of Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel said:
“Now that I’m retired, not that I’m speaking for DOT, but I was working for DOT when this was originally scoped out Phase I and Phase II. Part of the discussion they had was dealing with moose vehicle strikes along that section of highway. It’s one of the highest in the state. They looked at different ways of providing mitigation and one was lighting and one was fencing, you know, much like the fencing that they did out on the refuge on the Sterling Highway going towards Anchorage. At that time, it was a pole that I believe because of costs, if I remember right. I’m happy to see maybe with LED lighting that costs have come down. This was scoped quite a number of years ago. I do support this. I think that area is definitely got a high moose strike and turning traffic is also important, especially when we get into the later seasons when we have a lot more activity down here.”
Many city residents and visitors travel the Sterling Highway which provides a vital link between Kenai and other communities and continuous lighting along the Sterling Highway Safety Corridor improving motorist’s safety is in the best interest of not only the city but for people as well.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities notified the city that there are potential funding opportunities to complete lighting projects for the Kenai Spur Highway and the Safety Corridor. DOT requested legislation to be passed to support the projects to improve the chances for funding and completion.
The resolution unanimously passed.