Juneau Egan and Yandukin Intersection Improvements

Project # SFHWY00601 (Stage 1) and SFHWY00079 (PEL Study)

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is working to improve the intersection of Egan Drive and Yandukin Drive near Fred Meyer in Juneau, Alaska. The proposed project seeks to install signals and create a partial signalized intersection to help improve safety at this location.

Project Background

In response to concerns about safety, DOT&PF conducted a Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL) which was completed in 2021. As part of the PEL process, DOT&PF listened to concerns from interested parties and agencies to develop a needs statement for the project, which resulted in potential solutions to enhance safety, connectivity, and reliability of the corridor as a whole.

The PEL identified several key issues:

• Safety concerns with left-turns: Frequent and severe crashes.
• No pedestrian access: The intersection currently lacks safe crossing options for people walking, using mobility aids, or biking.
• Local circulation challenges: Opportunities were explored to reduce reliance on Egan Drive for short trips, including evaluating an alternate route behind Fred Meyer.

The study also considered long-term options, such as a pedestrian bridge, should future needs warrant expanded crossing capacity. These findings shaped both near-term and long-range solutions, leading to the current strategy of implementing targeted safety improvements and advancing a partially signalized intersection as part of a coordinated approach to improve safety, access, and mobility.

As an interim measure, a seasonal speed reduction to 45 MPH during winter months was introduced along this corridor. This step was implemented ahead of the signal project because it could be delivered quickly, without additional right-of-way, and at a lower cost. Lower speeds during winter conditions can reduce crash severity and the risk of serious injuries while longer-term improvements progress.

Several intersection design options were evaluated, including a fully signalized intersection and a diamond interchange. While these alternatives could meet project needs, they would require more space, higher costs, and longer timelines. The partially signalized intersection was selected as the preferred alternative because it:

• Meets the project’s safety and mobility goals
• Requires a smaller footprint and less right-of-way
• Can be constructed sooner, delivering safety benefits more quickly

This approach provides more immediate improvements for the traveling public while preserving flexibility for future enhancements.

The final PEL report is available to read online here.

The Glacier Lemon Spur Extension is not included in the current project. Funding for the Glacier Lemon Spur Extension has not yet been secured.

What Will It Look Like?

The intersection of Egan and Yandukin currently serves 30,000–40,000 vehicles per day. With the Honsinger Pond development, traffic is expected to increase by approximately 8,000 vehicles per day (20–27%).

There are no traffic signals at this intersection, and drivers are forced to turn left across oncoming traffic without the aid of a signal or other traffic control device. Based on the PEL study, DOT&PF is proposing to construct a partial signalized intersection to provide greater safety for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists and added connectivity for non-motorized users.

Vehicle turning movements from Egan Drive into Glacier Highway/Lemon Road will remain the same. Traffic entering Egan Drive from Yandukin Drive or Glacier Highway/Lemon Road will not have to stop at a signal and will be “right in” or “right out” only.

The modified concept now includes dual left-turn lanes from Egan Drive to reduce queuing and delays, signalized pedestrian crossings on both sides of Egan Drive and across Yandukin Drive, and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) for added pedestrian safety at unsignalized right-turn lanes. The acceleration lane from Fred Meyer will be retained for safer merging.

The design team is currently examining the preliminary configuration of the signal system to enhance intersection efficiency and ensure flexibility to accommodate potential future growth in the area.

Pedestrians wanting to cross Egan Dr would press buttons to activate rapid-flash beacons that are directed toward outbound vehicles turning right from Egan heading toward Fred Meyer. Pedestrians crossing the Egan drive main traffic lanes would only be able to cross when traffic is stopped by the traffic signal. Here, pedestrians would push a button that calls for the traffic light to stop the cars on Egan, allowing pedestrians to cross. Similarly for inbound vehicles turning right from Egan heading toward the new gas station, pedestrians would press a button to activate rapid-flash beacons to warn the vehicles that there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk. All pedestrian routes crossing Egan Dr and Yandukin Dr are marked with crosswalks. An additional rapid-flash beacon will be installed for pedestrians crossing Yandukin Dr.

The state is also adding an additional safety feature. As drivers on Egan Dr are approaching the intersection and the traffic signal is about to turn red, a sign positioned well in advance to the intersection begins flashing with yellow lights to alert drivers that the traffic signal is about to turn red, cautioning drivers to begin slowing down.

Click below graphic to enlarge.

Project Timeline

The design on this project is ongoing, and we expect this project to begin construction in 2026. Continue to check this website for timeline updates and more information on public involvement opportunities.

• Preliminary work began April 2025
• Geotechnical work was completed in the summer of 2025
• Virtual Public Meeting: February 18, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
  
• Join the meeting here: https://mbakerintl.zoom.us/s/81146151758
• Comment deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026
• Design Study Report Complete: Spring 2026
• Environmental Approval: Mid 2026
• Project Bid for Construction: Fall 2026
• Construction Begins: As soon as late 2026

FAQs

1. How will my trip to the airport be affected?

   People traveling to the airport will use the same route as today, but they will be able to navigate the left turn from Egan while on-coming traffic is stopped at a traffic signal.

2. Won’t this introduce longer travel times for people traveling through on Egan?

   Modeling of the future traffic signal operations shows that through traffic might experience delays between 5 and 35 seconds depending on the time of day and when they arrive at the traffic signal.

3. Why are you changing the intersection?

   This is the first phase of a longer-term project that intends to extend the Glacier Hwy to connect at the Egan/Glacier intersection to provide resiliency and improved grid operations for traffic. The improvements are also put in place to reduce the likelihood of crashes at the intersection that involve left turning traffic from Egan to Yandukin or Lemon Spur. A third reason is to provide pedestrians/cyclists with a safe crossing of Egan without having to traverse out of way to the Glacier/Egan intersection.

4. How will my transit trip be affected?

   No changes to the transit route or times will be the result of this project.

5. Won’t left turning traffic on Egan back into the through traffic lanes?

   Analysis developed during the PEL indicates that the left turn pocket lengths are long enough to store the 95% queue length. DOT&PF will continue to monitor the intersection operations to determine if any design or traffic signal setting modifications are necessary to avoid extended left turn queues from blocking through traffic while minimizing delay at the traffic signal.

6. How will pedestrians be safer?

   Currently there is not a pedestrian crossing at the Egan/Yandukin intersection. When pedestrians want to cross at that intersection, against signs that restrict crossing, they are at risk running across an active highway. With a traffic signal installed, pedestrians will be able to press the pedestrian push button and then cross the highway protected by the traffic signal.

7. Isn’t this intersection too close to the Glacier Highway/Nugget intersection to be able to install a traffic signal?

   No, these intersections are far enough apart from each other that traffic will not interact, meaning that vehicles stopped at one traffic signal will not get backed up into the other signal.

8. Is building the Glacier Highway-Lemon Spur extension part of this project?

   Constructing an extension of a Glacier-Lemon Spur Road to the Glacier Highway / Nugget intersection was investigated and recommended during the PEL in 2021. No funding has been secured for that element of the project, so it is not included in this initial intersection improvements project. DOT&PF is seeking funding to be able to construct this road as a future separate project.

9. Is the seasonal speed reduction permanent?

   No, once the traffic signal is installed the seasonal speed reduction will go away. The speed reduction was an interim measure to help improve safety until a more permanent solution, like a traffic signal, could be installed.

10. Why didn’t you redesign the intersection so traffic can turn left from Fred Meyer or Yandukin Drive, or go across Egan?

    This project seeks to implement recommendations from the PEL which recommended installing a partially signalized intersection at this location. A full access signalized intersection, which would allow all left turn movements and cross traffic, was examined as part of the PEL study but not recommended due to numerous reasons, such as having more extensive wetland impacts, more right-of-way conflicts, increased delay to through traffic on Egan, and it would have been significantly more expensive. You can read more about the full access signalized intersection in the PEL.

Get Involved!

A lot of public engagement has already happened for this project through the PEL process, but there is still a chance to stay informed! We will host a virtual public meeting at 5:30 PM on February 18, 2026, and will continue outreach through spring 2026. Join the meeting here: https://mbakerintl.zoom.us/s/81146151758.

Please sign up for our email list to be notified of public meetings and project progress. You are also welcome to email the project team at any time with your comments. Please submit comments by Friday, March 20, 2026.

Design Project Manager

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 resulting planning products may be adopted during a subsequent environmental review process.

All project materials and the website comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Outreach will include targeted engagement to ensure equitable participation.

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