DOT Making Slow Progress on Clearing Parks Highway

Many State roads throughout the Mat-Su Borough are considered to be difficult driving conditions, according to Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Central Region Administrative Operations Manager Justin Shelby. 

Road conditions are displayed on the State’s 511 website, where they are updated frequently. Shelby reports that there are maintenance staff in the Upper Susitna Valley working to clear the roads of ice. He says they have been working for the past week or more to scrape the ice from the Parks Highway, but it’s proven time-consuming. He says conditions are not likely to improve on the Parks until the weather calms. 

Graders and plow trucks with ice blades are deployed, but they are encountering hard ice. Shelby says the colder it is, the harder the ice sets up, making it more difficult to remove. 

The 511.alaska.gov website allows users to see the status of the roadways, sometimes with camera footage. Shelby notes a new feature that shows approximately where the maintenance vehicles are in the area.

The 511 website includes several winter driving tips, including checking the National Weather Service forecast and checking the 511 website for road conditions.