State ends seasonal maintenance on Taylor, Top of the World, McCarthy and Rampart roads

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities ends regular maintenance Thursday on the Taylor and Top of the World highways, McCarthy Road and Rampart Road. The department expects maintenance to resume when crews reopen the routes in May 2027.

Because the department does not maintain these roads in winter, travel is now primarily limited to snowmachines, dog mushers and other recreational users with specialized equipment, the department said. It strongly discourages travel by conventional vehicles, citing "the potential for impassable conditions, the lack of emergency services, and limited to no cellular coverage."

The rural routes are subject to accumulating snow, ice and drifting, along with washouts and soft spots caused by freeze-thaw cycles, the department said.

The McCarthy Road is a 60-mile gravel route that the department's Chitina Station grades and repairs from early spring through mid-fall, according to the department's McCarthy Road page. It opened May 8 this year with a 35 mph advisory because of soft shoulders, potholes and rough conditions, Alaska News reported May 13. The Taylor Highway reopened this spring after crews removed snow and thawed culverts. The department described its conditions as fair to difficult and set an advisory 35 mph speed limit.

That spring work is federally funded. A $1.25 million Federal Highway Administration formula grant for Northern Region Seasonal Road Clearing in federal fiscal year 2025 was awarded to clear snow and ice and thaw culverts so seasonal routes, including the Taylor, Top of the World and McCarthy roads, could reopen in spring.

On the Denali Highway, the state told drivers to stay off the road as maintenance ended Oct. 1.

Drivers should watch for crews in the season's final days and drive to conditions, the department said.

Travelers on remote roads should carry food and water, first aid kits, seasonally appropriate clothing, spare tires and communication devices at any time of year, the department said. Conditions are posted at Alaska 511 and on the Alaska 511 app.