Local residents may have noticed tree clearing alongside the Sterling Highway near Skyview Middle School recently.
Shannon McCarthy with the Alaska Department of Transportation says the routine maintenance work to increase safety will extend to South Coho Loop.
McCarthy: “First of all visibility, so that if there is a moose you would be able to see it, and also oncoming cars. And then also to reduce moose strikes, if you get the browse away from the road you get the moose away from the road.”
The work is funded by the Federal Highway Administration.
The agency chose that area because of two safety concerns: a high level of moose collisions and trees near the roadway casting shadows, causing increased ice or frost in those spots.
Wintertime is often the best time for maintenance crew members to clear the highway easements…
McCarthy: “When you clear there’s always the danger that you could start a brush fire so of course wintertime is better for that. Many times you have frozen soils, although right now I’m not so sure about that with this crazy weather we’ve had but frozen soils can be very useful for our maintenance crews because they can get in there and not have to worry about marsh or water in the ditches.”
McCarthy says keeping vegetation farther from the road also prevents trees and brush from destroying the bases for guardrails and obstructing sight lines for DOT signage.