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DOT details 5th Avenue fence, signal upgrades and Kodiak pilot as part of broader pedestrian safety push
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Summary
DOT officials outlined project‑level pedestrian safety work across Alaska — including a 6‑foot crash‑rated fence and lighting on 5th Avenue, Ingram/Gamble signal upgrades, a Kodiak dynamic pedestrian‑lighting pilot, guardrail modernization and Mat‑Su roundabout and shoulder projects — and said local data and public aesthetics will guide final designs.
Alaska Department of Transportation staff used a Jan. 22 House Transportation Committee briefing to outline a series of pedestrian and roadway safety projects across the state, from Anchorage corridor improvements to pilots in Kodiak and modernization work in Fairbanks and other regions.
Alex Reid, group chief for Central Region Design, described two Ingram and Gamble projects in Anchorage: overhead signal‑indicator upgrades that add signal heads (one per lane with reflective backplates) and a utility‑pole relocation and lighting project. Reid said the signal work is shown to reduce angled crashes ‘‘by about 23 percent’’ and is likely to move forward this year; the utility work requires about 50 temporary construction easements and faces right‑of‑way scheduling challenges.
On 5th Avenue (Concrete Street to Carlick Street) Reid said the project includes a crash‑rated, 6‑foot safety fence with a glare screen and targeted lighting to address gaps near Merrill Field. "We are going to go through a public process, to get input from the public and stakeholders on what they want this fence to look like," he said, noting crash‑reduction evidence from other studies but also community sensitivity to aesthetics.
Reid cited studies indicating substantial mid‑block crash reductions with pedestrian barriers: "Studies have shown about an 86% reduction in crashes with pedestrians that, for mid block crossings," he said, while adding Anchorage's Minnesota Drive installation (completed in 2024) has only about one year of local data and remains too recent for a full three‑year post‑construction analysis.
Shannon McCarthy highlighted a smart pedestrian lighting pilot to be installed next week on Rezanov Drive in Kodiak; the dynamic lights activate when a pedestrian enters the crosswalk and will be studied for possible broader use. DOT also described guardrail modernization in Kodiak and a Chiniak Highway rehabilitation that includes guardrail replacement, and spotlighted Mat‑Su intersection projects that recommend single‑lane roundabouts and a Pittman Road shoulder widening project.
DOT said it will engage communities on aesthetics and implementation. Committee members asked for available Minnesota Drive crash data and raised concerns that HSIP's data‑driven process sometimes means technical solutions are identified before extensive public engagement; DOT acknowledged that tension and said staff will pursue outreach and explain options.
The department also described rapid‑release funding used to modify the signal at C Street and Benson Boulevard to reduce pedestrian/left‑turn conflicts by converting signals to turn arrows and implementing a leading pedestrian interval (typically 3–7 seconds).
