Soon there could be two speed limits on the Seward Highway, at least between mileposts 60 and 65. That’s from Hope Junction to the top of Turnagain Pass.
The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities is doing an experiment to try to improve the flow of traffic and prevent accidents.
DOT’s Regional Traffic Engineer, Scott Thomas said they already did a simulation of their plan at the University of Idaho, and now they’re testing it out here.
“It is a continuation of past research we’ve been doing, and our goal is to improve passing lane speeds and make them more efficient,” Thomas said. “By doing that improve safety along the highway [and] relieve some of the pressure during peak travel times in July.”
DOT officials say that on an average day, about 9,000 cars will travel the Seward Highway. However in the summer months, those numbers can more than double, which can create congestion.
The DOT plans on creating two separate speed limits along passing lanes. In the study, the left lane, or the fast lane, has a speed limit of 65 miles per hour, the current speed limit. In the right lane, the speed is reduced to 55 miles per hour.
“Two speed limit signs will be beside each other,” Thomas said. “So when you enter a passing lane, it will remind you that the left is 65 miles per hour. And then there will be a sign beside it that says 55 miles per hour in right lane, and if you’re going into the right lane you can see the sign on the right hand side that tells you your lane is slower during this peak season.”
The University of Alaska Anchorage Engineering Department is helping DOT conduct the research. There will be a number of traffic counters along the section of highway that will record vehicle speed, distances between vehicles, and lane usage. At the end of the month, UAA will compare the data to previous years.
“So that’s what we’re asking for here is for people to take it easy and let other people pass,” Thomas said.
The study will run until the end of the month. If the experiment shows results, the DOT could make the seasonal speed adjustment for passing lanes on the Seward Highway permanent.
