Work on improving Egan Drive’s safety for drivers and pedestrians will wind down until the spring thaw, said Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities public information officer Sam Dapcevich.
“The road construction work will not resume until March because of colder temperatures and weather,” he said by phone Wednesday. “Certain types of construction can’t be completed when the temperature is too low, or if the ground is saturated or frozen.”
The $14.3 million project to resurface and rebuild parts of Egan Drive has gone on since midsummer, but will take a hiatus over the winter. There may be some electrical work over the next few months, Dapcevich said, resulting in occasional lane closures.
Repairs to Egan Drive will wind down until the spring thaw. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
The project has gone largely on schedule and budget so far, Dapcevich said, though not entirely without issue.
“There have been issues with pedestrians jaywalking or walking through the active construction zone,” Dapcevich said. “We are currently working with the contractor on a plan that will better direct the foot traffic during our next construction season.”
The focus when construction resumes in the spring will be finishing the section between 10th Street and Whittier Street, and repairing the retaining wall under the Merchant’s Wharf building.
“There will be lane closures,” Dapcevich said. “We are currently working with stakeholders to come up with a plan that will keep traffic moving, and keep pedestrians safe.”
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
