JUNEAU – Governor Bill Walker Tuesday extended his thanks to the state agencies, private industry representatives, and private contractors who have been working together to re-open the Dalton Highway. These efforts come in response to flooding on the Sagavanirktok (Sag) River, between miles 390 and 405 of the Dalton Highway, and Governor Walker’s April 7th disaster declaration for the area.
“I am so grateful for the dedicated men and women who have been working 24 hours a day to re-open this vital economic corridor,” Governor Walker said. “Working in harsh conditions on the North Slope is taxing on even the strongest individuals. The commitment of the Dalton Unified Incident Command and private contractors to work in this environment is to be commended.”
The Dalton Unified Incident Command, which is comprised of representatives from DOT&PF, Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., BP, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and the North Slope Borough, has been working closely with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security, Cruz Construction, and Nanuq-AFC to oversee road repairs and disseminate project updates to the public.
“As Alaskans, we unite in the face of adversity in order to overcome our challenges,” Governor Walker said. “The efforts of this group represent this quintessential Alaskan value – working together to solve our problems and make our state stronger.”
Beginning Tuesday, April 14, 2015, convoys of up to 50 commercial vehicles at a time were allowed through the flooded area. Updates on the Dalton Highway road conditions can be found at 511.alaska.gov or by calling 511.
