Fairbanks: Old Chena Ridge Road and Transfer Site access close July 27 for season

Old Chena Ridge Road and the Transfer Site access will close July 27 for the remainder of the 2026 construction season while crews continue roundabout construction at the Chena Pump Road, Old Chena Ridge Road, and Chena Small Tracts Road intersection.

Chena Small Tracts Road is already shut for the season. The Chena Small Tracts Roundabout project, an HSIP safety initiative estimated at $3 million, is designed to reduce wait times and crashes at the three-road intersection. Project work includes intersection improvements, roadside hardware, utilities, and resurfacing Chena Pump Road from Hidden Drive to Chena Small Tracts Road, including bridge work. DOT&PF also notes the Chena Small Tracts intersection will be closed for pedestrian detour installation.

DOT&PF says national studies show roundabouts cut fatalities by about 90% and injury crashes by about 76%. A 2021 DOT&PF survey drew nearly 400 responses: 58% were favorable and 33% unfavorable.

A separate project, the Chena Pump and Chena Ridge Road Resurfacing project, is also active in the corridor. That project includes drainage improvements, embankment stabilization, new guardrails, pavement repairs, and a pavement-preserving chip seal the agency says will extend pavement life by at least 15 years.