Summer in Alaska means road work

Road construction in Alaska is complicated by a variety of factors, among them the weather and the distance from "civilization." Our weather means that most roadwork must be done from early May to late September, the height of the visitor season. The remoteness of some of our roads means that it's often more efficient to tear up several miles and rebuild over a period of three years or longer. There's almost always at least one such project going on every summer.

This year's biggest project is on the Glenn Highway about 100 miles northeast of Anchorage. DOT is fixing a hazardous part of the road by blasting a notch through a mountain and straightening a series of blind curves. All this means that the road is closed every night this summer from midnight to 6 a.m., and that drivers wanting to pass through here when it is open will find very long lines waiting for a pilot car. Be prepared to wait 20 minutes or more when you see the flagger.