The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) has ramped up recovery and repair operations across Western Alaska, with crews and contractors working swiftly to restore damaged infrastructure and support affected communities.
In Kotzebue, significant progress has been made along Ted Stevens Way, where crews are repairing slopes and guardrails at and between the bridges. Additional work on Sewage Lagoon Cell 3 is scheduled to begin this week. With the completion of major work phases, the Brice Construction man camp was officially closed Friday, and all surplus food was donated to the local food pantry.
In Deering, DOT&PF staff are mobilizing this week to initiate repairs, while in Noatak, a survey crew assisted the department with topographic mapping of the Emergency Relief (ER) site.
At St. Marys, the ER work plan request has been submitted to the contractor, and operations are expected to begin soon. Meanwhile, Point Hope reported no significant damage following recent assessments.
Crews on the Nome–Council Road completed fill and slope work at Milepost 16.2 on Friday, October 24, and have since addressed vertical drops at MP 22 and 24. Rock installation on slopes at MP 16.2 was also finalized to improve long-term stability.
The Nome–Teller Road is also seeing rapid progress. Crews have nearly completed scarifying and clearing operations, and equipment recently arrived in Teller to begin placing borrow material. Work continued through the weekend, including riprap installation to protect newly repaired sections from erosion.
DOT&PF teams and contractors are working tirelessly to keep Western Alaska’s communities connected and accessible before the onset of winter.
For detailed updates on storm recovery efforts and progress reports, visit the Alaska DOT&PF Storm Response page. The department is also developing individual community update pages in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to provide real-time updates and local contact information.
As Alaska heads into the colder months, these ongoing efforts stand as a testament to statewide cooperation and the resilience of communities working together to rebuild.
News Source: Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facility
