Parks Highway / Sheep Creek Road Extension Traffic Signal (HSIP)
Project No. NFHWY00898/0A45(032)

The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Northern Region is working to improve safety at the intersection of the Parks Highway and Sheep Creek Road Extension. The history of crashes at this intersection allowed the Department to nominate this intersection for safety improvements under the federally funded Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

• Public Outreach & Previous Alternatives
• Determining the Preferred Alternative
• Refining the intersection layout
• Preferred Alternative
• Schedule

Background

In 2008, we modified the intersection to add turn lanes, medians, and the dedicated receiving lane for traffic turning left from Sheep Creek Road Extension onto the Parks Highway towards Fairbanks. In 2012, we changed the pavement markings and added signs to address safety concerns. These improvements have reduced side swipe crashes, but angle crashes continue to occur.

Between 2013 and 2023, 29 crashes occurred at this intersection. There were no fatal injuries, but two crashes involved serious injuries, six crashes involved minor injuries, and 21 crashes involved property damage (no injury). Most of the crashes include vehicles turning from Sheep Creek Road Extension onto the Parks Highway.

• Vehicles turning from Sheep Creek toward Fairbanks collided with vehicles on Parks Highway traveling to Fairbanks primarily during the winter months when road conditions were icy. The superelevation makes it difficult for drivers to turn into the inside lane without accidently crossing over into the outside lane. This is further complicated by the turning vehicles accelerating to find gaps in the traffic heading from Fairbanks to Ester before making the turn into the superelevated lane.
• Vehicles from Sheep Creek Road Extension turning towards Ester collided with vehicles on the Parks Highway traveling from Fairbanks to Ester primarily during daylight hours in the spring, summer, and fall months. Commonly stated causes were vehicles in the right turn lane pocket blocking the sight of a vehicle in the adjacent through lane of Parks Highway, glare from the sun, and confusion to whether a vehicle on the Parks Highway traveling from Fairbanks was in the right turn pocket or the adjacent through lane.

No crashes involving non-motorized traffic (pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.) were reported at this intersection during the 2013-2023 timeframe. We have received comments that it is challenging for non-motorized traffic using the multi-use path along the Parks Highway to cross Sheep Creek Road Extension, especially during peak hours when there is a lot of turning traffic. The crossing distance is long, and it is difficult for non-motorists to anticipate approaching vehicle movements; likewise, it is difficult for vehicles approaching the intersection to see non-motorists at the intersection.

Eastbound and Westbound crash history posters. Click for PDF version.

Back to menu.

Public Outreach & Previous Alternatives

As part of the HSIP nomination for improvements at this intersection, the Department analyzed the type of crashes and determined that installing a traffic signal is the most effective safety countermeasure to address the specific types of crashes occurring here. In addition to signalizing the intersection, the project will also:

• Post "SIGNAL AHEAD" signs and install the "PREPARE TO STOP" overhead flashing signs on the Parks Highway, similar to those on the Mitchell and Steese Expressways.
• Modify roadway geometry so that in icy conditions vehicles turning left from Sheep Creek onto the Parks Highway are less likely to inadvertently cross into the adjacent through lane.
• Reduce the existing superelevation and adjust the Parks Highway profile to flatten the intersection.
• Construct a median between the acceleration lane and the through lane to physically separate the inside lane dedicated to receiving left-turning vehicles from the Sheep Creek Road Extension and the adjacent lane dedicated for vehicles traveling on the Parks Highway toward Fairbanks.
• Improve non-motorized safety at the intersection by signalizing the crossing and providing pavement markings and raised medians or islands to separate vehicles and non-motorized users.

For public meeting and public comments, we showed the following intersection layout:

Project Area

Additionally, to address the crashes of the right turning traffic from the Sheep Creek Road Extension, the two following alternatives were considered:

• Alternative A: Provide a right-turn auxiliary lane to allow right-turning vehicles from the Sheep Creek Road Extension to reach highway speed before merging with the Parks Highway through traffic.
• Alternative B: Offset the Parks Highway right-turn lane from the through lane to provide visual separation and reduce right turning driver confusion about which lane is occupied.

Alternative A: Right-Turn Auxiliary Lane

Alternative B: Right-Turn Auxiliary Lane

A signalized intersection concept was presented at the project Open House on April 2, 2025 and during FAST Planning’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee on April 24, 2025. The proposed concept featured two alternatives for addressing the crashes of the right turning traffic from Sheep Creek Road Extension:

• Alternative A proposed an auxiliary lane for the southbound right turn, ending with a merge with the westbound Parks Highway through lane; and
• Alternative B proposed offsetting the westbound right turn lane.

This project was nominated to reduce angle crashes between southbound right-turn lane and the westbound through traffic. Both alternatives meet the purpose of the project.
The public was solicited for their opinion on the overall concept of signalizing the intersection and the two alternatives.  To date, we have received nearly 75 comments about the project and the proposed design.

• 70% of the comments support the Department’s efforts to reduce crashes and to improve safety at the intersection.
• 13 comments explicitly state a preference for an alternative: 7 comments state a preference for Alternative A; 4 comments state a preference for Alternative B; and 2 comments state a preference for a combination of Alternatives A and B.

Back to menu.

Determining the Preferred Alternative:

First, we acknowledge that we were unable to develop a solution that fully satisfies all the comments. Considerations for selecting the Preferred Alternative were: user safety, received comments, preferences, reported experiences, user needs, and context of the intersection.

Despite receiving 3 additional comments preferring Alternative A (“A”), the Preferred Alternative is Alternative B because of the following:

• Why Alternative A can be dismissed: Main reason for including it is mitigated. Alternative A was providing a solution to the reported glare that causes visibility issues at certain times when the drivers had to decide of when to leave the intersection because it was stop controlled. By adding a traffic signal, right turning drivers can wait for a protected right for the times when they are uncertain to determine whether they can proceed.
• Why Alternative A was not selected: Safety concerns for non-motorized users.
• Expectation for having a right of way: Alternative A would allow right turning vehicles to join the Park Highway traffic without needing to yield or slow down. Because the non-motorized traffic is present here occasionally, this could overtime create a habit for not looking for non-motorized users.
• We cannot lower the speed of right-turning traffic: Because this intersection is part of a truck route, the pavement geometry must provide a large radius for right turns which takes away our ability to control the speed of right turning vehicles. Partially raised pavement for off-tracking was not selected due to additional snow removal efforts and because this route also serves non-commercial traffic with trailers.
• Protecting the most vulnerable users: Alternative B is likely not the preferred alternative for drivers who routinely perform this movement. However, we selected this as a preferred alternative to protect the most vulnerable users – pedestrians and bicyclists. Because this path is used by non-motorized users of all ages and abilities, the design team selected this alternative in accordance with FHWA’s Complete Streets direction (“A Complete Street is safe, and feels safe, for all users.”).
• Alternative B Improves safety for left turning traffic: Based on the feedback we received, offsetting the Parks right turn lane will also make it easier to determine whether the approaching vehicles are in the through or right turn lane for the drivers who want to make a left turn from Parks Highway.
• Improved signalization for right turns: Currently, the right turning vehicles onto Parks Highway must STOP before proceeding. To address increased delays under the Proposed Alternative compared to Alternative A, the Preferred Alternative includes a Right Green Arrow signal, making it clear when unobstructed right turns can occur. This extends time for protected right turns, as drivers won’t need to stop when left turns from Parks to Sheep Creek have their green arrow. As at other intersections, right turning traffic may proceed if it is safe after stopping at the red light.

Back to menu.

Refining the intersection layout:

Public feedback about the proposed design identified potential safety and operational issues primarily regarding pedestrians and bicyclists, including:

• Yield-controlled right-turning traffic. Right-turning vehicles directly conflict with pedestrians and bicyclists crossing Sheep Creek Road Extension and may fail to look for, yield to, or slow down for non-motorists.
• Channelizing islands. The channelized turn lanes result in non-motorists having to cross Sheep Creek Road Extension in multiple stages, encounter multiple islands and refuge areas therefore creating an inefficient and burdensome experience for non-motorized users (particularly bicyclists).
• Large turning radius. The large turning radii required for trucks moving through the intersection may create non-motorized safety concerns due to the potential for high vehicle speeds.

The feedback we received through the project’s public involvement process helped us conceive a preferred design that would effectively mitigate the cause of common crash types experienced at this intersection, and improve and better integrate pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

Back to menu.

Preferred Alternative:

Preferred Alternative

As shown in the figure, this modified design of alternative B eliminated the right turn island for the Sheep Creek Road Extension and modified the right turn island for the Parks Highway to address the public concerns.

•  The pedestrian crossing of the westbound right turn has been moved to the east.
• This gives pedestrians a straighter crossing of Sheep Creek Road Extension and the larger pedestrian island provides more space for large groups looking to cross Sheep Creek Road Extension at the same time,
• It separates the pedestrian crossing from the vehicular yield so that right turning vehicles can assess and address each conflict separately,
•  And allows accommodation of the large vehicles while shortening the pedestrian crossing
• Eliminating the western pedestrian island enables the right turning southbound Sheep Creek Road Extension traffic to be controlled by the signal, reducing conflicts with crossing pedestrians and bikes.

Schedule

The project is programmed for construction in 2026.

Having the Preferred Alternative, we are currently working on completing of the environmental document.

Final design is anticipated to be completed in early 2026.

Back to menu.

---

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by DOT&PF pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated April 13, 2023, and executed by FHWA and DOT&PF.

The project is being developed in accordance with the following special purpose regulations including Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act; Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act; and the following Executive Orders (EO): EO 11988 (Floodplain Management); EO 11990 (Wetlands Protection); EO 12898 (Environmental Justice); EO 11593 (Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment) and; EO 13112 (Invasive Species).