Motorists, area merchants finally get respite from monthslong ‘really tough’ construction project
Traffic will soon be moving more smoothly through the city of Fairbanks as some long running construction projects wrap up. Third Street re-opened last week, and the Wendell Avenue Bridge is scheduled to open next week.
The state Department of Transportation opened Third Street after contractors completed work on a traffic circle at Eagle Avenue, just east of the Steese Expressway. And as soon as the project contractor sets up a temporary signal light at the Old Steese Highway intersection, DOT will finally be able to reopen the Wendell Avenue Bridge.
“We’re going to have that online and operating and fully functional before Thanksgiving,” says Transportation Department spokesperson Caitlin Frye. “As soon as we get that up, then we can open the Wendell Bridge.”
Motorists have had to deal with ongoing closures and detours since June, when work began on the $14.5 million Third Street Widening Project. It’s also been tough for the contractor, North Pole-based HC Contractors, because of the complexity of the project.
“There are a lot of pieces to this Third Street project, and they tie into other projects,” Frye said in an interview Wednesday. “And so, there is a lot going on here, and it’s not done yet.”
She says in addition to the usual challenges of orchestrating work in a heavily trafficked area, workers also have had to deal with unexpected challenges, like the discovery of contaminated soil around an old dry-cleaning facility. And, like everything else these days, supply-chain issues related to the pandemic.
“The signal poles and the signal cabinets that is like the electric control for the intersection, have not arrived yet,” she said. “Those were delayed because of manufacturing delays, related to covid.”
Frye says DOT officials hope those signal-light components will arrive next month. When they do, workers will replace the temporary light at the Old Steese intersection, and another at the intersection of Hamilton and Farewell Avenues, east of the expressway.
“So, we do plan to get that work done over the winter,” she said.
Some traffic lanes on Third will remain closed for a few weeks, until the permanent signal lights are in place. But Frye says all the side streets and business entrances will be open, to help motorists and merchants who’ve had to deal with all the construction headaches firsthand.
“This construction season has been really tough on a lot of people in Fairbanks, and especially on businesses,” she said. “And there was no place that was harder-hit this summer than those who had to navigate through the Third Street project.”
Motorists will get a respite from all that through the winter. Then, come next construction season, they’ll have to deal with a two-week closure of the Steese Expressway for some work on curbs and sidewalks and the like. And, the even bigger project just to the south – the reconstruction of the intersection of the Steese and Richardson Highways and Airport Way.
