Transportation officials are finalizing a study on the Glen and Seward Highway connection, with results expected by October 2025. The study has gathered over 500 public responses, highlighting strong community interest and concern over neighborhood impacts.
Alaska Department of Transportation Project Manager Galen Jones explained that the study aims to determine the need and possible location for a regional highway link. Jone said sub-area recommendations, offering smaller project ideas within affected zones, will likely form the study’s backbone.
The Anchorage Transportation Fair featured the study as a key display, drawing attention from residents across the city. Depending on the final designs, officials estimate total project costs could fall between $400 million and $700 million.
If the project moves forward in Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood, it could reshape the community. SJ Klein, who owns Alaska Sprouts near the current highway corridor, voiced deep concern about potential consequences.
“The plans that are on the table right now are not to build a super highway through the middle of our city, in the heart of our city. You know the heart of downtown, really,” Klein said. He said vehicle volume has declined recently, challenging assumptions behind expanding road infrastructure.
He emphasized that even conceptual lines on a map really influence neighborhood development. Jones acknowledged that public feedback, particularly from Fairview, will weigh heavily on the study’s conclusions. As work wraps up, the conversation surrounding the highway connection will continue shaping Anchorage’s transportation future one neighborhood at a time.
