overflow area at approximately Mile 400. Photo courtesy
of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
(FAIRBANKS, Alaska) — Due to inclement weather and overflow, the Dalton Highway is closed to through traffic from Mile 393 to Deadhorse. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) staff and equipment are working extended hours to open the road, and additional resources are on the way.
For the past three weeks, ADOT&PF crews have been battling overflow from the Sag River, from milepost 390-405, to keep the road open. On Monday night, a storm blew in, and with zero visibility, crews were not able to continue working. The storm is clearing now, and crews are focused on releasing vehicles stuck in snow and ice, removing water and establishing berms to keep water off the road. Water in some locations is 3 feet deep. Current temperatures are below zero, contributing to the complexity of the situation.
ADOT&PF is working to clear at least one lane of the road today, so trucks that are stuck on the highway can move. Depending on conditions, ADOT&PF anticipates the road will be reopened to all traffic by Thursday night.
For more information about current road conditions, please call 511 or visit 511.alaska.gov. For specific inquiries, please call ADOT&PF at (907) 451-2206.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 249 airports, 11 ferries serving 35 communities, 5,619 miles of highway and 720 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”
