Construction Report: New traffic changes starting Friday, August 26 for Steese Highway road construction project

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - Multiple traffic changes have taken place on the Steese Highway since the start of the construction project.

While traffic has been able to travel on the Steese Highway during the road construction this will change in the coming days as another traffic change is about to take place.

Starting this weekend from Friday, August 26 at 9 p.m. until Monday, August 29 at 6 a.m. there will be another change to the traffic flow on the Steese Highway.

Kaitlin Williams, from the Alaska Department of Transportation explains, “”This weekend from Friday at 9 p.m. until Monday at 6 a.m., this is August the 26th, we will be closing the Steese Highway north-bound.”

This new closure will impact the Steese Highway between the Mitchell Expressway and 3rd Street.

“This means that coming from Airport Way, you’re not going to be able to take a left turn onto the Steese from Airport Way. Gaffney Road will also be closed as well as the main gate to Fort Wainwright,” adds Williams.

The primary goal of this closure is to allow workers time to pave the intersection so when the highway reopens it will be ready for school buses to use.

The first weekend of September is also currently scheduled for a closure to south-bound traffic on the Steese while the north-bound lanes will be reopened.

“Going forward, we’re expecting this project to carry over into next construction season which means that we’re going to go ahead and put the intersection back to the original configuration that it’s been all these years for the winter,” said Williams.

Plans for the expected replacement of the Airport and Steese Intersections are scheduled to begin next season.

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