The Alaska Department of Transportation is planning to begin replacing a bridge north of Healy on one of the state’s main highways this summer.
Built in 1963, the Rex Bridge is over 60 years old. It crosses the Nenana River at milepost 276 of the Parks Highway, which is the main road corridor connecting Fairbanks and Anchorage.
Angelica Stabs is the northern region’s public information officer for the transportation department. She said the department had slated construction to get underway in 2028, but the start date got bumped up to this summer, with design and bidding now set to happen over the next few months.
Stabs said the bridge has exceeded its 50-year service life, and that modern designs aim for a lifespan of 75 years.
“Instead of continually going out and maintaining it, it’s just easier, safer and cheaper for us to go out and replace it,” she said.
The project is funded at roughly $66 million, according to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP. That’s the federally-required plan for highway, bridge, ferry and public transit projects.
The plan shows the Federal Highway Administration will provide about $60 million for the Rex Bridge replacement, with the state covering the rest.
The project didn’t appear in the original version of the STIP, which spans years 2024 to 2027. But the Alaska Department of Transportation added it in an amended version of the four-year program, and the Federal Highway Administration approved that update last July.
The state department in September implemented new, precautionary restrictions on the bridge due to signs of wear and tear. Those rules allow only one “long-combination vehicle” – or, large tractor-trailer – to drive on it at a time.
Stabs said, this summer, the department is looking to build a temporary, two-lane bridge next to the existing bridge. Parks Highway traffic will use that temporary structure to cross the river once it’s in place while crews replace the permanent bridge. Stabs said the department hopes to complete the entire project by 2028.
“We’re constrained to whichever contractor gets this project. So, keep in mind that a three-year timeline is what we’re shooting for, but that’s not necessarily set in stone,” she said.
In a 2024 letter of support to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Denali Borough Mayor Chris Noel described the replacement as essential for the community and important for tourism, freight and military traffic. He also wrote that the current state of the bridge is “deeply concerning.”
Noel said by email Monday that he’s surprised to see how fast the project is coming together.
He said he does have some concerns about possible impacts while construction is underway. That’s because of “how many residents depend on shopping and services in Fairbanks, and of course the large number of summer visitors who arrive or depart by bus,” Noel said.
But he said he hopes the temporary bridge will function well for the flow of traffic.
An online public notice says the transportation department is working on conceptual designs, engineering and environmental studies. The notice, which was posted on New Year’s Eve, also says the department is soliciting feedback on the project. The public comment period closes on Wednesday.