Seward Meridian Parkway Road Improvements, Phase II: Palmer-Wasilla Highway to Seldon Road
WEEKEND ROAD CLOSURE OCTOBER 11-14, 2024
Seward Meridian Parkway will be CLOSED to all traffic including vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles just south of Bogard between Palmdale Drive and Cottonwood Way. This weekend closure begins at 9 p.m. on Friday, October 11. The road will re-open on Monday, October 14 at 4 a.m.
DETOUR: Depending on your destination, you can use Bogard Road and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway to Crusey Street to the west or Trunk Road to the east to bypass the closure.
WHY CLOSE THE ROAD? The closure is needed to install a culvert across the road that will temporarily divert Cottonwood Creek while a new bridge is being constructed. Water traffic access on Cottonwood Creek (along Seven Mile Canoe Trail) will be CLOSED at Seward Meridian Parkway until the new bridge is complete in fall 2025.
Background
Construction on this project started in 2024. You can keep up with the latest traffic impacts at 511.alaska.gov.
The Seward Meridian Parkway was originally constructed in 1982 and was designed to serve as a rural two-lane connecter between three larger, primary roads in the area (the Parks Highway, the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, and Bogard Road). As Wasilla has grown, so has the average amount of daily traffic on the Seward Meridian Parkway, creating the need for increased vehicle capacity and pedestrian facilities.
The first phase of this project, which upgraded the Seward Meridian Parkway from the Parks Highway to Palmer-Wasilla Highway was completed in 2012.
Project Purpose and Details
We are working to enhance safety for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users by upgrading the road. We will increase capacity to accommodate higher traffic volumes and we will improve non-motorized mobility by adding a paved multi-use path along the full length of the road, which will connect to the exiting path at the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.
Additional work on this project will include:
- Extending the road to Seldon Road
- Adding new traffic signals at East Country Field Circle, E. Meridian Park Loop / E. Birch View Drive, Bogard Road, Tambert Drive, and Seldon Road
- Widening the road to the west (except at Alcantra Armory)
- Adding turn lanes
- Constructing 8-foot-wide paved shoulders
- Constructing a bridge over Cottonwood Creek
- Adding additional parking at Cottonwood Creek
- Improving access for the schools along the project corridor
- Relocating utilities including underground gas lines, telephone, TV, and electrical poles
Click on this link to view a PDF graphic of what the road will look like through the project area (20MB) when it's finished. Zoom in on the PDF to get a more detailed view.
How Will This Impact Me?
Construction on this project is underway! Crews are already working throughout the project area to clear trees and relocate utilities. Expect flagging operations and brief delays while driving through the project area. Continue to check 511.alaska.gov for traffic updates. We expect construction to last through 2026.
NOTICE TO BOATERS AND FLOATERS ON COTTONWOOD CREEK:
The existing culvert at Cottonwood Creek will be replaced with a bridge. During this time, water traffic will be unable to pass under or over the Seward Meridian Parkway.
The existing culvert at Cottonwood Creek will be completely closed to creek users starting Friday, October 11, 2024. This means that water traffic will be unable to pass through the culvert under the Seward Meridian Parkway. Boaters will also be unable to portage their boats across the road due to the active construction. This closure is expected to last until fall 2025 while crews work to construct a new bridge over Cottonwood Creek.
Click here to download and share the creek closure notice.
What will the creek area look like when it's done?
We are building a bridge over Cottonwood Creek to replace the existing eight-foot culvert. We are also building a paved parking lot and a gravel path under the bridge along the creek.
This work is part of a larger project to reconstruct Seward Meridian Parkway from the Palmer-Wasilla Highway to Seldon Road. This project will upgrade Seward Meridian Parkway to four-lanes and extend the road to Seldon Road including adding new traffic signals, improving intersections, constructing a separated path, and adding street lighting.
Questions? Contact Us
Jonathan Tague, P.E.
DOT&PF Construction Manager
PO Box 196900
Anchorage, AK 99519
(907) 269-0450
jonathan.tague@alaska.gov
For individuals requiring TTY communications, please contact Alaska Relay at 7-1-1 or 1-800-770-8973.
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