Crews at Richardson Highway Chena bridges begin winter shutdown prep

Crews replacing Richardson Highway bridges at Milepost 346 began consolidating materials for winter shutdown, DOT&PF said Monday. Drivers should watch for reduced lanes from 9 am to 3 pm. Crews are working day and night, six days a week.

Crews installed utiliducts, prepared expansion-joint backwalls and formed an approach slab ahead of this week's concrete pour. Workers tied reinforcing steel and backfilled both approach slabs. Girders remain stored at the NSES yard.

The project replaces the northbound and southbound Chena Flood Control bridges, part of the flood control system built after the 1967 flood. The replacement adds seismic and hydraulic upgrades. The freight route links Interior Alaska to the Port of Valdez and Canada.

The bridges were load-posted at 80 tons in 2024. Replacing them could let permitted overweight loads stay on the highway. Hamilton Construction Alaska Company won the $89.2 million contract in June 2025, above the department's $84.5 million estimate, according to a department report to legislators. Alaska News covered the last girders going up in July.