The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) Central Region recently awarded up to $420 million in construction contracts for airport, highway, and trail improvements.
The central region covers Anchorage, Bethel, Dillingham, the Kenai Peninsula, the Mat-Su Valley, and the surrounding census areas.
Highway projects will begin construction this year in Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula, and the Mat-Su Valley, with most projects beginning construction in the spring.
This week, the Seward Highway Rockfall Mitigation MP 104-114 project will restart at MP 111.5. The construction crew will blast the slope to ensure mitigation measures operate more efficiently once completed.
The slope has been experiencing erosion at a high rate, resulting in debris and rock shedding onto the pavement.
Once blasting is completed, the crew will install two rockfall attenuators to prevent rocks and debris from reaching the road.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees more than 5,600 miles of highway, 776 public facilities, 10 ferries serving 35 communities, and 237 airports statewide.
According to the Institute of Social and Economic Research, construction is Alaska’s third-largest industry, employing more than 10,000 workers and contributing billions of dollars to the state economy. The industry also pays the third-highest wages.