FAST ADA Improvements: Shared-Use Path Resurfacing: Steese Hwy, Chena Ridge Spur Rd, and Phillips Field Rd Project No. PENDING/NFHWY01102

Left: Deteriorated sidewalk along Steese Highway
Right: Cracked sidewalk along Chena Ridge Spur Rd

We are working to construct ADA improvements in the Fairbanks Metropolitan Area. Work includes drainage improvements, repaving, roadside hardware, and utilities.

The purpose of this project is to repave and widen the existing separated paved shared-use paths at three proposed locations within the community of Fairbanks.

Chena Ridge Spur Road – The path will have the asphalt removed and repaved starting at the connection with Old Chena Pump Road to the tie-in with the Chena Ridge Road and the Chena Pump Road Resurfacing project scheduled for construction in 2025. Work in the northwest of the intersection of Parks Highway Off-Ramp and Chena Pump Road/Geist Road will also be done on the sidewalk to widen the sidewalk to match the pathway width.

Phillips Field Road – The path will have the asphalt removed and paved starting near the intersection with Ethel Stoneman Boulevard, and to the east ending near the recently improved tie-in to Johansen Expressway. The section along the north end of Phillips Field Road will be resurfaced at the existing 8 feet, and the section along the south end will be resurfaced and widened from 7.5 feet to 10 feet.

Steese Highway – The path will have the asphalt removed and paved in three sections along the Steese Highway between Johansen Expressway and Airport Road.

• Section 1 – Path starting on the north side of Trainor Gate Road and ending at the Johansen Expressway. This section will potentially include work on the curb ramps and curb and gutter on the west side of the Steese Highway - Trainor Gate intersection. This section will be widened from 6 feet to 8 feet.
• Section 2 – Path starting on the south side of Trainor Gate Road and ending on the north side of College Road. This section will be widened to 10 feet.
• Section 3 – Path starting at the tie-in to the sidewalk running along the north side of Airport Way and ending at the tie-in to the sidewalk path near 3rd Avenue access point. This section will be widened from 5 feet to 8-10 feet, as feasible. The project is currently slight realignment of the pathway north of the 10th Avenue an a new pathway along the Clay Street between 3rd and 7th Avenue.

All three of the locations within the project have damaged asphalt with transverse cracks growing vegetation. Additionally, portions of the Steese Highway path were built to now outdated standards and therefore are below the recommended width for shared-use paths, ranging from 5 to 7.5 feet in width.

The paths are used for commuting as well as recreation. They are all connected to other pathways, and their improvement can result in wider use of these and the connected pathways.

Work on this project includes:

• Repaving the road surface
• Installing curb ramps and other ADA improvements

Our project staff is currently working on the preliminary design. Construction on this project is expected to begin in the summer of 2026.

This project is being developed in cooperation with the Alaska Division of the Federal Highway Administration.