State seeks public comment on West Susitna Road historic sites plan

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is accepting public comments through May 23 on a draft agreement that outlines how the agency will identify and protect historic sites along the proposed West Susitna Access Road.

The draft Programmatic Agreement establishes procedures for evaluating potential effects on historic properties as the road project moves through design and construction. The agreement was developed under federal historic preservation law and sets up a framework for phased identification of sites, consultation with interested parties, and monitoring during construction.

The public comment period opened April 23. Comments can be submitted online at publicinput.com/westsusitnapublicpa or by email to [email protected].

The agreement also outlines procedures for handling inadvertent discoveries during construction and requires ongoing reporting. The state began separate government-to-government consultation with tribal entities in March, a process that continues independently of public comment.

Questions about the project can be directed to the project team at [email protected]. The full draft agreement and additional project information are available at dot.alaska.gov/westsusitnaaccess.