Juneau Creek Bridge

West End (Phase 1A)

Milepost 56 - 58

The West end of the project, also called Phase 1A, is located between mileposts (MP) 56 and 58.

 This section of road is under construction this summer. Construction of this phase is scheduled to be completed in 2023. Recreation access is being maintained on all trails throughout construction.

When completed, the road will feature 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders. Significant features of this phase include wildlife crossings and rock cuts. Mesh retaining walls will blend in with the roadside rock for a natural look.

Juneau Creek Bridge

This segment of the project stretches from MP 47 to MP 56 and will build a new section of highway to pull the road away from the Kenai River and to cross Juneau Creek in the best location.

Construction is occurring in summer 2022 to create access to the bridge.

Highway design is 95% completed. The land exchange between Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is underway.

Features include wildlife crossings and climbing lanes, which allow for faster vehicles to pass slower ones on the uphill sections of road.

FOREST SERVICE ROAD RAMPS

Design is 75% complete on the ramps connecting the new Sterling Highway to Forest Service #2 Road.

PATHWAY

A pathway along the south side of the new highway has been approved and design is progressing. The pathway was requested by the community. Benefits include creating pedestrian connections to other trails and allowing construction to use excess material on-site instead of hauling it away.

RECREATION

Resurrection Pass Trail

• The trailhead will have new parking and a dedicated left-turn lane.
• A new trail will connect from the parking lot to the Resurrection Pass trail. An equestrian access trail is included.
• The parking lot will accommodate the access road and include snow storage areas.
• An overlook will be built where the Resurrection Pass trail and the new trail connect.
• The Resurrection Pass trail will receive minor reconstruction.

Bean Creek Trail

• A new pullout will be built to access the Bean Creek Trail.
• The trail will receive minor reconstruction.

 Slaughter Gulch Trail and Creek Crossing

• Hikers will be able to access the Slaughter Gulch Trail through a highway undercrossing structure.
• The creek will use the same structure to cross the highway.

Juneau Creek Bridge

The intersection of the new and old Sterling Highways at the west end (Phase 5) will feature a tight diamond interchange design.

This design was selected to provide the best traffic safety and to minimize impacts on cultural resources and wetlands.

Juneau Creek Bridge

Intersection of Old and New Sterling Highways

The east end of the project reconstructs the highway alignment between MP 45 and 47. This section is also called Phase 1B.

Extensive rock excavation is needed to move the highway farther north away from Kenai Lake and to straighten out the curves.

Just over 1 million cubic yards of material will be excavated and placed along other sections of the project. This volume is similar to excavations at the Bird Creek parking lot on the Seward Highway.

Design is finalized for the intersection at the west end of this phase at MP 47. This provides a new connection between the Sterling Highway and the current highway (Old Sterling Highway) as the primary access into Cooper Landing. The intersection will feature:

• A westbound left-turn lane from the Sterling Highway onto the new connection to Old Sterling;
• An eastbound right-turn lane from the Sterling Highway to the new connection to Old Sterling;
• An eastbound ramp (to Anchorage) from the new connection that merges onto the Sterling Highway; and
• A westbound, stop-controlled, left-turn (to Soldotna) lane from the new connection to the Sterling Highway.

The concept for the Quartz Creek Road intersection at MP 44.5 has been finalized. Connections to Kenai Peninsula Borough roads are in design.

The pedestrian tube undercrossing trail design is unchanged. It connects the separated pathway on the south side of the highway with the Coyote Notch Trail on the north side.

Other design work includes looking at striping and other ways to increase safety for turning vehicles to access Russian Gap and accounting for development on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Tract C.

Utility relocations are in progress. Utility companies will work with property owners to finalize preferred utility relocation sites.

Construction timing on this phase is tied to Phase 3. Construction will likely bid in 2022 and start in 2023.

Juneau Creek Bridge

DOT&PF has completed a Value Engineering Study for the bridge to fine tune bridge design for a variety of considerations including aesthetics, constructability, and trail connections.

Suggestions from the study included using a rigid structure for the bridge to reduce cost, maintaining an open line of sight near trails, and simplifying construction and maintenance.

DOT&PF will use these recommendations to adjust bridge design this spring.

Bridge construction is estimated to start in 2023 and to take 3 years to build, including steel procurement. The bridge is a critical scheduling factor for the entire project.