Denali Highway bridge inspections close lanes through Wednesday

State crews will inspect two bridges on the Denali Highway starting Tuesday, closing all lanes intermittently in both directions and causing delays up to 60 minutes at each site, according to Alaska 511.

The Susitna River Bridge near mile marker 80 will close intermittently Tuesday and Wednesday between 7 AM and 6 PM. The Tangle River Bridge near Milepost 21 will close intermittently Tuesday through Thursday during the same hours.

The inspections are routine work required under federal bridge safety standards. Travelers driving the full 135-mile gravel highway between Paxson and Cantwell during the three-day window should plan for combined delays at both locations.

Alaska DOT&PF advises drivers to watch for workers and equipment around the bridges and to drive patiently through the work zones.

The Denali Highway is a remote east-west route connecting the Richardson Highway at Paxson to the Parks Highway at Cantwell. Much of the route remains unpaved gravel. The corridor serves recreational travelers, subsistence users, and inter-community traffic during the summer season.