Alaska DOT urges drivers to slow down and drive for conditions as roads turn wintry

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities urged drivers statewide Tuesday to slow down, saying speed limits are set assuming optimal road conditions. "Alaska's roads are starting to get wintry, so you'll need to adjust and drive for conditions," the department said on Facebook.

The department asked drivers to leave more following distance, brake and accelerate gently to avoid sliding, take turns slowly, avoid sudden lane changes, turn on headlights so they are easier to see and allow extra travel time.

It also asked drivers not to crowd snowplows. Its winter driving tips tell motorists to stay at least 200 feet behind snow-removal equipment and not pass on the right. Its snowplow safety page calls passing a plow unsafe and says the operator will eventually pull over when it is safe to let drivers pass.

Drivers can check 511.alaska.gov before heading out for road conditions, weather alerts, crashes, road cameras and snowplow locations, the department said. Its winter resources page lists snowplowing hotlines by area, including Fairbanks at 907-451-2205.

Fairbanks-area drivers have already seen icy stretches this fall. The National Weather Service warned of icy spots on roads Oct. 13, and freezing rain left slick spots Oct. 29, when police urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, Alaska News reported.

On Wednesday at about 1:38 pm, Alaska State Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on the Steese Expressway in Fairbanks. A 21-year-old Fairbanks man driving southbound lost control, struck the concrete median barrier on the left side of the road, then crossed the road and came to rest against the guardrail on the right side, troopers said. He was not hurt. A tow service removed the damaged vehicle.

The trooper report does not list a cause or describe road or weather conditions at the scene.