State seeks comment on Dalton Highway easement expansion for fiber cable

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comments through May 6 on a proposal to expand the Dalton Highway right-of-way in four locations near mileposts 314, 363, and 365.

The expansion would add 3.73 acres to the existing easement to accommodate a fiber optic cable installed by Quintillion Networks that currently sits outside the highway corridor. The change would allow one agency to manage the entire right-of-way instead of two.

The proposed easement consists of four segments, each 50 feet wide and ranging from 400 to 1,400 feet long. The segments are located in sections of land measured from the Umiat Meridian in Township 7 South, Range 14 East, Section 5, and Township 2 North, Range 14 East, Sections 12 and 13.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities applied for the easement, which would be granted in perpetuity or until no longer needed.

Written comments must be received by May 6 at the Division of Mining, Land and Water, 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709. Comments can also be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 907-451-2751.

Questions about the application should be directed to Steven Cox at 907-451-1646. Site diagrams and the full application are available through the state's online public notice system.