Planning Underway for Turnagain Pass Upgrades

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

After managing years of gross wayside toilets, scary pull-outs, dangerous biking shoulders and narrow winter travel in Turnagain Pass, a multi-agency effort is underway to improve safety and access to trailheads leading into the backcountry in the pass.

At a cost of around $65 million, a Seward Highway corridor redo from the end of Turnagain Arm up and over the pass to Canyon Creek would connect current pullouts with a paved pathway, create larger pullouts for backcountry ski and snowmachine destinations and widen the highway for snow removal. 

A small group showed up to see the latest plans for upgrades to the Seward Highway corridor south of Turnagain Arm.  (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

Planning is underway on the route, from mile 56 to mile 75, and, during a meeting last Tuesday, in Girdwood's community room, the public was invited to check out the vision so far.

An 11-mile pathway and other projects have price tags "a lot of uncertainty baked into those costs", said project manager Cole Grisham. 

But the idea is to connect the campgrounds with a pathway that could align alongside the highway or "meander" through the forest. "The greatest need for the pathway is to connect the [Bertha Creek and Granite] campgrounds," said a representative for Dowl Engineering. 

The Tincan parking area would see upgrades costing $3.1 to $3.8 million.  (Courtesy Graphic)

Turnout was slight for the meeting and mostly comprised private contractors—Dowl and Huddle A and representatives from state and federal agencies. More people attended open house meetings held last year and comments on the plan are still being accepted.

A final, virtual, open house will be held Sept. 17 from noon to 2 p.m.Comments on the plan can be sent to nicholas.grisham@dot.gov.

(Front Page Photo credit: State of Alaska)