Airport Way / Cushman Street Intersection Reconstruction

Project No. 0002312/Z640780000

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), in cooperation with the Alaska Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is proposing to reconstruct the intersection of Airport Way and Cushman Street in Fairbanks, Alaska.

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Project Purpose

The purpose of the project is to enhance mobility and safety for motorists and pedestrians at the Airport Way/Cushman Street intersection and improve air quality.

Project Scope

The proposed project will reconstruct Airport Way from just west of Turner Street to Noble Street, and Cushman Street from just north of 15th Avenue to Gaffney Road. Proposed improvements include the following:

• Reconstruct intersection approaches and add auxiliary lanes to increase vehicular capacity and reduce delay
• Add positive offset left-turn lanes on Airport Way to improve sight distance and safety
• Resurface and stripe the roadway
• Install new signage
• Upgrade traffic signal controls
• Add raised corner/channelizing islands with curb ramps for improved pedestrian and bicyclist safety and ADA accessibility
• Replace and/or relocate lighting as needed for the improvements
• Relocate utilities as needed for the improvements
• Provide landscaping enhancements consistent with the City of Fairbanks’ Cushman Street Complete Streets Corridor

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Project Schedule

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What Has Been Done?

• A Traffic Safety Analysis Report was completed in November 2016 to evaluate existing traffic operations, pedestrian and motorist.
• One-on-One Meetings were held with area businesses in February 2017 to discuss the project and its impacts to properties.
• The Preliminary Engineering & Environmental Document Phase was completed in July 2018.
• The Design Study was finalized and signed in Spring 2022.
• HC Contractors was selected as the contractor for CMGC delivery in Spring/Summer 2022.
• The project was approved by FNSB local planning authority in July 2022.
• The 95% plans, specifications, and estimate were completed in December 2022.

What's Next?

• The project is currently funded through Construction.
• Final Plans, Specifications, and Estimate are scheduled to be completed by December 2023.
• Utility Coordination began in November 2020. Utility Relocations are anticipated to begin in late summer 2023 and continue through the 2024 construction season.
• Right-of-Way Appraisal & Acquisition certification is estimated to be completed by October 2023.
• Construction related to demolition and utility relocations are currently programmed to begin in Fall 2023 and will continue in 2024 along with the roadway construction.
• Public Involvement will be ongoing through design and construction.

What to expect during Construction?

DOT&PF selected CMGC or Construction Manager/General Contractor as the project delivery method for the Airport Way/Cushman Street Intersection project. CMGC uses the skills and expertise of the designer, owner, and contractor to address constructability, pricing, and scheduling challenges, which for this project include:

• Right-of-Way. There are numerous parcels identified for right-of-way acquisition. See Draft ROW Maps.
• Environmental. Contaminated soils are known to exist within the project limits. Contaminated soils encountered during construction will be assessed for mitigation such as testing and removal and disposal.
• Utility Relocations. Existing utilities within the project area require relocation in advance of the roadway construction.
• Traffic Control and Phasing. This is a high-volume intersection for motorists and pedestrians and therefore requires the work to be executed in phases while maintaining traffic during construction. Each phase of work, such as demolition, utility relocations, and the roadway construction, will require temporary traffic control. The public will be notified prior to construction and throughout construction when traffic pattern changes are expected.

Through DOT&PF’s request for proposal (RFP) process, HC Contractors of Fairbanks, Alaska was selected as the successful contractor. During final design, HC Contractors is collaboratively working with DOT&PF and the designer to provide constructability reviews, cost estimating, and other services to help identify and manage risks, refine the design, and recommend innovative construction solutions to ensure project efficiency and constructability.

To learn more about the CMGC process, visit:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/everydaycounts/

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/cqit/cm.cfm

Get Involved

Submit a comment or sign up for email updates: comments@airportcushman.com.