Trapper Creek Traffic Study Does Not Support Speed Reductions

Trapper Creek residents say drivers are speeding through their area, even through a blinking light at the intersection of Petersville-Susitna River Roads and Parks Highway. The Trapper Creek Community Council, with the support of Alaska Representative Kevin McCabe, submitted a request for a traffic study two years ago. The community noted speeding and the potential for crashes, like the fatal accident that happened on Monday.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public facilities ran the traffic study in summer 2026 along the Parks Highway in Trapper Creek to better understand the traffic issues. 

Residents hope for slower speed limits similar to those in the Willow area. But DOT Administrative Operations Manager Justin Shelby says the data does not support speed reductions.

Shelby says the median speed is 55 miles per hour, the same results as a study in 2012. And he says signs alone will not slow traffic in the area. Instead, to successfully reduce driver speed, there may need to be changes to road geometry or other features that will signal drivers to go slower. He says blinking lights, like the one in Trapper Creek do increase driver awareness, but don’t necessarily lead to drivers slowing down.

Crash history from 2021 through 2025 between miles 112 and 117 on the Parks Highway shows nine crashes, three of those with minor injuries and six with only property damage. 

Shelby says there are no plans for road projects in the Trapper Creek area this year.