Construction Outlook for Alaska in 2018
It’s hard to believe that we are now in the final stretch of 2017. This has been a great year for Alaska Air Forwarding and we anticipate that 2018 will be great as well. The events that are going on in Alaska are typically our best indicators of the kind of year we will have. One of the indicators is the construction industry in Alaska. If the outlook for construction appears to be busy for the upcoming year, then we anticipate a very busy year for Alaska Air Forwarding.
As we wind down 2017, we are watching two specific construction projects in Alaska for next year. The first is detailed on the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development’s website and provides an extensive schedule of construction projects that will be happening in several of Alaska’s public schools. Alaska Air Forwarding has paid close attention to this project since all of the construction will be happening in more remote places in Alaska, such as the Bering Strait, the Aleutians East, Southeast Island and Lower Kuskokwim, to name a few. Carrying freight to Alaska’s remote places is our specialty and we anticipate that we will be involved in this project.
The second major construction project happening in Alaska is detailed in a recent article in the Alaska Journal of Commerce. A $1 Billion road repair project that began in 2017 is expected to be completed during the course of 2018. Here is a list of some of the major road projects that will be completed next year:
• Dalton Highway MP 362-379 Reconstruction: This is the third in a series of projects to reconstruct 52 miles of the highway south of Deadhorse. This project includes widening, spot repair and resurfacing the highway from Miles 362-379. The project will be completed in September 2018.
• Haines Highway MP 3.5-25.3 Reconstruction: This is the first in a series of projects to reconstruct the highway from Mile 3.5-12. The construction estimate is $40 million to $50 million, the project will go out to bid this summer, and the project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2018.
• Seward Highway: Dimond to Dowling Reconstruction: This project involves reconstructing the New Seward Highway from four to six lanes between Dimond Boulevard and Dowling Road, improving frontage roads, and Sandlewood Place, including adding pedestrian facilities and bike lanes.
During construction, two new bridges will be built across the highway connecting 76th Avenue to Lore Road. The construction contract is $55.9 million, contractor is QAP, and the project will be substantially complete in fall 2018.
• Sterling Highway, MP 58-79 Rehabilitation: This project will rehabilitate the Sterling Highway from Mile 58-79. Improvements include resurfacing, widening shoulders, adding passing lanes and wildlife viewing structures.
During construction, staff will replace the culvert at the East Fork Moose River with a bridge, and install a pedestrian undercrossing for the Skyline Trail. The project will be complete in October 2018.
Finally, another major construction project in 2018 will be two major projects in downtown Homer, including road improvements along with rehabilitation and drainage improvements.
We pay close attention to construction in Alaska for two reasons, one, we specialize in serving the construction industry in Alaska and two, as heavy construction continues on many of Alaska’s roadways, that impacts our service to every industry in Alaska.
If you have freight needs for a construction project in Alaska, call for a quote; we are ready to help with your project.
