DOT details long-range Parks Highway separated-path plans; borough applies for Cantwell design funding

The State of Alaska Department of Transportation on Oct. 8 presented preliminary designs and a timeline for the Denali Borough separated-paths project (DBP) and the Healy Area School pedestrian paths, explaining design sections, surface choices and a goal of constructing selected segments in 2027.

DOT project manager Jenny Wright told the Denali Borough Assembly the DBP is being developed in bite-sized sections (Carlo Creek to old Parks Highway, a railroad-crossing segment near mileposts ~234–237, and the Antler Creek-to-Suntrona and Suntrona-to-Stampede segments). Wright said construction funding is secured for the Antler-to-Suntrona section through Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds, while other sections are in design and being pursued for Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) or other grants. Typical path design is a 10-foot paved trail with 2-foot gravel shoulders (14-foot total) where feasible, with some gravel sections retained where maintenance or terrain makes asphalt impractical.

The Healy Area School project (HSP) was described as three short sections connecting School Road, Centrana and Cole Street to the school property and post office. Wright said some areas are constrained by right-of-way and drive approaches; designers are seeking public feedback on alignment and whether paths should be 6, 8 or 10 feet wide. She said the designs are being adjusted to minimize conflicts with ATV routes and to improve visibility where moose and vegetation complicate maintenance.

Why it matters: Borough and DOT leaders said increased pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure will improve safety for schoolwalkers, recreation users and residents along busy stretches of the Parks Highway where shoulders are narrow. The assembly and DOT emphasized that completed designs improve competitiveness for construction grants; Wright said the team plans to finalize NEPA and design documents over the coming winter with construction targeted for 2027 on funded segments.

Assembly members and residents raised maintenance and multimodal use questions. The borough will be responsible for routine upkeep of completed paths; Wright said design choices (e.g., gravel vs. asphalt) are informed by maintenance concerns and that some bridges planned for Dry Creek and Dry Creek Overflow are intended for non-motorized users, though they could support emergency or service vehicles if needed. Several speakers urged provisions to discourage ATV or snowmachine use on non-motorized bridges; Wright invited those comments for incorporation into the bridge-level designs.

Public outreach and next steps: Wright said an online open house and in-person drop-in events are open through Oct. 31, with an in-person open house at the McKinley Park Community Center scheduled the night after the assembly meeting. DOT asked residents to review draft plan views and submit comments; borough staff said paper copies of the designs are available through the borough offices.

Separately, the assembly approved a resolution authorizing a grant application to the Rural and Tribal Transportation Assistance program for design and engineering funds for a Cantwell-area segment (the section near Windy Bridge to the Jack River bridge). The borough staff said the grant is no-match design money intended to move Cantwell-area planning forward and that DOT would deliver the design work under a memorandum of agreement.

Ending: DOT and borough staff said public input now is critical to adjust alignments, identify specific maintenance concerns, and resolve conflicts with ATV routes and private approaches before contract documents are finalized for grant applications and environmental work.