Seward Highway and Sterling Highway bridges undergo major upgrades; Public meeting set for May 29

May 29, 2025 Seward Folly

Changes are coming to key transportation routes on the Kenai Peninsula, with a slate of bridge upgrades and new construction underway or on the horizon. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is inviting the public to learn more at an open house on Thursday, May 29, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Seward Community Library & Museum, 239 6th Ave, Seward.

The focus of the meeting: the Seward Highway Mile Post 14 Railroad Crossing Reconstruction project. DOT&PF engineers and project staff will present refined design plans and preview expected traffic shifts during construction. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the project team and ask questions about the timeline and impacts.

The MP 14 project will replace the current railroad crossing with a new bridge, paving the way for the Alaska Railroad Corporation’s planned track elevation increase. DOT&PF is finalizing the bridge design and examining riverbank conditions to address potential erosion and protect the highway from glacial outburst floods.

Meanwhile, bridge rehabilitation efforts continue elsewhere along the Sterling Highway. Crews are working around the clock on the Schooner Bridge at Mile Post 53, between Russian River Campground Road and Resurrection Trailhead. Drivers should expect a temporary traffic signal, lane restrictions, and possible delays of up to 10 minutes. Similar continuous work is underway at Cooper Landing Bridge at Mile Post 48, with flaggers and narrowed lanes causing additional short-term delays. Both projects are slated to wrap up by October 2025.

Construction of the Juneau Creek Bridge — a centerpiece of the new Sterling Highway alignment north of Cooper Landing — is also making progress. Motorists should watch for increased truck traffic near Mile Posts 47 and 53. This ambitious project is expected to reach completion in January 2028.

For more information or to stay updated on these projects, residents are encouraged to attend the May 29 meeting or visit the DOT&PF website.

Mile 14 Project Website: https://sewardmp14.com/

Fact Sheet: Seward Highway MP 14 Railroad Crossing Reconstruction Fact Sheet