Juneau Glacier Highway Nugget Safety Improvements

Project # SFHWY00498

 

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is proposing to convert Glacier Highway to a restricted crossing U-turn corridor. This work would involve restricting left and through movements out of Trout Street and Old Dairy Road, requiring drivers to make U-turns at existing left turn locations along Glacier Highway. The project will also install rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) at the existing midblock crosswalk on Glacier Highway as well as installing a new RRFB midblock crossing between Jordan Creek and Trout Street.

The proposed project would:

• Increase the capacity and efficiency of the intersection of Trout Street, Glacier Highway and Old Dairy Highway during peak travel times. Reducing the time that it takes for vehicles that currently are trying to make a left turn from 300 or more seconds to approximately 40 seconds when they will make a right and then a U-turn instead
• Construct and modify multiple small concrete divider islands to direct traffic flow through the intersection to restrict left turn movements onto Glacier Highway off Trout Street and Old Glacier Highway
• Install pedestrian activated rectangular rapid flashing beacons, advanced yield markings and high visibility signage at midblock crosswalks to increase pedestrian crossing visibility
• Develop a midblock crosswalk with a pedestrian refuge island to cross Glacier Highway between Trout Street and Jordan Avenue

The existing and proposed site layouts can be viewed here.

Project History

Glacier Highway between Egan Drive and Mendenhall Loop Road is a major commercial hub for Juneau and has had steadily increasing pedestrian usage. This project bundles two safety concerns along Glacier Highway. Addressing multiple pedestrian crashes through the corridor as well as the high incidence of angle crashes occurring at the intersection with Trout Street.

The Southcoast DOT&PF Traffic Section has evaluated these improvements, and the design concept appears to offer enhanced traffic and safety benefits over the existing configuration.

This project should increase pedestrian visibility and crossing opportunities reducing pedestrian crashes. It should reduce the amount of angle crashes by limiting turn movements to reduce the amount of conflict points drivers are exposed to. During peak travel times this project should decrease the drive time to get through the intersection.

There was a previous similar safety mitigation project attempt at this location in 2012, but it was not constructed at the time due to questions about the degree of safety benefit and concern that the new design would be less convenient. This project is based off multiple peer reviewed engineering studies that have shown proven safety benefits for the specific deign changes proposed and computer aided traffic modeling has shown a decrease in travel times with the proposed intersection geometry.

The project was nominated by the region for funding through the Statewide HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program). All submitted HSIP projects are scored by the State Traffic & Safety Office, and funded in order of their likelihood to eliminate or minimize serious crashes and fatalities. This project was successfully awarded HSIP funds with design in FY24-25 and construction slated for FY26.

If you have questions and/or would like to submit comments, please contact the project team or fill out the comment form.

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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.