The Alaska Department of Transportation has opened the Taylor Highway in the eastern Interior. And the department will begin plowing snow next week on another seasonally accessible highway to the west.
DOT opened the Taylor Highway last week, but crews are still working on it. Spokesperson Angela Stabs recommends caution for anyone who wants to take a drive on the highway, which runs from Tetlin to Eagle, near the Yukon border.
“So, it is open,” she said, “however, motorists should be prepared for a range of spring conditions. We still have sections that have snow and ice while others are slushy with standing water and ruts.”
Stabs says the going gets especially tough from milepost 93 to 97 and 112 to 118.
“If people are going to try to venture out, we recommend four-wheel drive vehicles,” she said. “And any vehicles hauling trailers or super heavy loads, they should be equipped with chains.”
She says crews got to work on March 7th, and it took about four weeks to clear a path through the snow that’s been accumulating since the 160-mile road was closed back in October.
DOT also recently cleared and reopened the highways to Tanana and Rampart.
Work on the Denali Highway will get underway next week. That’s the 133-mile-long road that runs from Cantwell, on the Parks Highway, to Paxson, on the Richardson Highway.
“ Crews will begin snow-clearing operations on April 11th from the Paxson side and April 15th from the Cantwell side,” she said, “and those two teams will work on both ends and then kind of meet in the middle around milepost 68.”
Stabs says DOT officials also anticipate challenging driving conditions on the Denali Highway over the next few weeks.
She says DOT is cautioning drivers to stop if they encounter barricades in the roadway while the spring clearing work is underway.
“Please do not go past those barricades. We have those up to protect the public. The road is not passable and there's no opportunities to turn around. They will get stuck.”
DOT officials say motorists planning to drive the Taylor or Denali highways should first check on conditions and road work by going online to 511.alaska.gov.
