6:00 a.m. UPDATE – 11/2/21 – Maintenance crews with the Department of Transportation were able to open up the Sterling Highway near mile point 50 in Cooper Landing to two lanes last night around 10:00 p.m., however repair work will start again this morning. Expect flaggers and one-lane traffic with the potential for delays of up to an hour.
5:00 p.m. UPDATE – 11/1/21 – The guardrail crew was able to make a lot of progress replacing guardrail this afternoon. In this section of highway, the rail was swept downhill during the slide on Saturday night. Continue to expect long delays when traveling the area.
3:00 p.m. UPDATE – 11/1/21 – According to DOT, A single lane will be open to traffic for roughly one hour at a time. The Northbound lane towards Anchorage will be open for about 30 minutes, then the Southbound lane towards Soldotna will be open for the next 30 minutes. After both lanes had their turn, the road will close for the next hour. The plan is for the road to be open during even hours, but this is just an approximate and will depend on how quickly work can be completed before opening the road again. Please expect delays up to an hour. During closed hours, crews will first reinstall the guardrail then work to remove the remaining debris. This work is expected to last several days. A plan is still being formed for night-time work/closures.
1:00 p.m. UPDATE – 11/1/21 – KSRM has confirmed that the Sterling Highway near mile point 50 has reopened, however the delayed traffic from the past day will be slow moving as a result of only one lane being open, and likely will remain through the day today. The Alaska Department of Transportation states that a flagger will be directing the single-lane traffic. Guardrail repairs and clearing are on going, so please expect waits of up to an hour.
7:16 a.m. UPDATE – 11/1/21 – DOT Maintenance made progress last night and are expecting to open the highway to one-lane, flagged controlled traffic by noon. Work on the section will be ongoing so we appreciate your patience. A guardrail repair crew is headed down from Anchorage and the Soldotna crew will continue to clear shoulders and ditches.
6:00 a.m. UPDATE – 11/1/21 – Work continues on the Sterling Highway at MP 49 to 51 in Cooper Landing. DOT provided this photo of construction crews working to reopen the highway. The Sterling Highway remains closed.
5:20 p.m. UPDATE – The Alaska Department of Transportation is reporting that the Sterling Highway will remain closed until tomorrow, 11/1. The roadway remains at high risk of an additional slide and the continuing rain is flowing through the work area. The surrounding slopes are not stable. Plan on the road being closed through, at least, Monday morning.
4:48 p.m. UPDATE: DOT crews are continuing to work. Clearing the debris is very slow—the soil is heavy and wet and it’s still raining. Spotters are watching the slope to ensure the safety of operators—the slope is still moving. The Alaska Department of Transportation reports that they have not been able to punch a lane through but are bringing lights down to allow crews to continue to work.
2:27 p.m. UPDATE: Work is going as quickly as possible but the continued rain is making clearing difficult. We’ll continue to post updates as information becomes available.
1:10 p.m. UPDATE: Alaska DOT reports work continues to the Sterling Highway. Shannon McCarthy, Media Liaison and Admin Operations Manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities told KSRM, that work is continuing and progress is being made. No estimate yet on when the highway can be reopened to the public, however crews are working as quickly as they can.
10:40 a.m. UPDATE: The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reports that clearing has started. No estimate yet on when the highway can be reopened to the public, however crews are working as quickly as they can.
ORIGINAL: The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities reports that a landslide is blocking both directions of the Sterling Highway from mile marker 49 to mile marker 51. According to AK 511, this reportedly happened this morning at 1:38 a.m. The lanes are anticipated to be blocked till at least 12:00 p.m. today.
The Alaska State Trooper dispatch told KSRM:
“An update to the Sterling and Seward Highways this morning, in reference last night – landslides. I’m just calling to let you know the 21 mile Seward Hihgway landslide has been cleared and traffic is flowing in both ways. The same is the case with the landslide at the 45.5 mile of the Seward Highway in Summit Lake area. That landslide has been cleared and traffic is flowing. Mile 50 of the Sterling Highway just outside of Cooper Landing however, the highway is still closed and DOT is on team assist, you will not be able to get through. It’s closed in both directions and they’ll be able to clear as soon as safely possible. We do not have an ETA on that. So, again mile 50 the Sterling Highway just outside of Cooper Landing is currently closed.
The culprit appears to be the forecasted weather with warming temperatures, high winds and the heavy rain forecasted by the National Weather Service in parts of the region.
A Flood Warning was issued for Girdwood last night due to the continued heavy rainfall with up to 6 inches of rain falling and an additional 4 – 6 inches expected by Monday morning. In addition, a High Wind Warning was announced for the Turnagain Arm and Upper Anchorage Hillside from 1:00 a.m. Saturday to 1:00 a.m. Sunday. Some locations saw east winds between 50 and 60 miles per hour as well as gusts near 80.