DOT Engineer plans to reduce speed limit near Talkeetna library

The speed limit on the section of the Talkeetna Spur Road near the Talkeetna Public Library will be reduced, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Currently, the speed limit on the hill leading into Downtown Talkeetna is fifty-five miles per hour on the south side. It drops to forty-five near the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge at the crest of the hill, near a lookout where visitors often stop to take pictures of Denali.

DOT Traffic Engineer Scott Thomas says he plans to move forward with a plan to make the speed limit reduction take effect south of the library. According to Thomas, DOT prefers to minimize the amount of information motorists have to take in at once. He says having the speed limit change at the top of a hill is not ideal, since the sign may not be as visible. In addition, Thomas believes this particular hill adds the distraction of an often-spectacular mountain view.

As a result, the sign reducing the speed limit from fifty-five to forty-five miles per hour is moving south onto a straight, flat stretch of road. At a community meeting in late October, Thomas showed a map indicating the new location would be 400 to 800 feet south of the library. He says the final location is yet to be determined.

The request for a reduction in the speed limit for the area came from the Talkeetna Community Council. Council members felt that traffic pulling into and out of the new library could be at risk from vehicles traveling too fast. Scott Thomas says the work done by his team shows that there is adequate visibility in the area, and that the library’s driveway would not be busy enough to justify the decision if not for the other circumstances in the area.

Earlier this year, DOT removed the passing zone in the area of the library. In the future, Scott Thomas says there are possibilities for other traffic management schemes in Talkeetna. Locals have expressed concern over congestion, lack of parking, and other traffic issues in the summer. While Thomas says it’s possible something can be done, it will require the cooperation of all of the parties involved, including the state, the Alaska Railroad, and the Mat-Su Borough.