Dowling Road & Seward Highway Interchange Reconstruction
Dowling Road & Seward Highway Interchange Reconstruction
This project will reconstruct the Dowling Road/Seward Highway interchange. The goal is to improve safety, serve both motorized and non-motorized travelers, be cost-effective, and be easy to maintain. The reconstructed interchange will accommodate projected traffic through 2040. A Draft Preliminary Engineering Report evaluated multiple interchange types for replacement of the Dowling Road/Seward Highway interchange. A compressed diamond with roundabouts was selected as the preferred alternative to move forward to design.
The proposed work will include:
- Reconstructing the existing Seward Highway bridge to facilitate the full width of the adjacent highway and center median.
- Reconstructing the existing Dowling Road roundabouts and frontage roads.
- Minor horizontal and vertical realignments.
- Pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements.
- Constructing curb ramps that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
- Replacing or improving signage, striping, and lighting.
- Drainage improvements.
- Vegetation clearing.
- Utility relocations.
Project website: http://dowlingsewardinterchange.com/
Schedule
Preliminary engineering, environmental, and design efforts will continue through 2020. Currently the STIP shows construction funding in fiscal year 2023, which will allow construction to start in the spring of 2023. The bid package is anticipated to be ready in early spring of 2021 should funding become available. This will be a one-construction season project with traffic impacts to Dowling Road.
Project History
Constructed in 2003, the existing roundabout interchange replaced two traffic signals with Alaska’s first multilane roundabouts and converted Dowling Road from a substandard two-lane road to five lanes. The roundabouts were designed to meet projected 2020 traffic volumes and the current traffic volumes at some of the approaches now exceed those projections, resulting in longer wait times. There were also right-of-way, utility, and other constraints that were limiting factors during the original design. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has since implemented safety fixes to solve some problems with the existing interchange and acquired additional right-of-way.