RESPEC PROJECT

RESPEC designed improvements for University Avenue, a major north-south corridor through Alaska’s second-largest city. Our design upgraded the four-lane undivided roadway to a divided roadway with a raised median, added left-turning lanes at non-signalized intersections and 12-foot traffic lanes with 4.5-foot shoulders, and widened sidewalks. The project required more than 100 Right-of-Way (ROW) acquisitions, brought sidewalk Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility into compliance along the entire corridor, and reconstructed storm drainage up to current standards. Many underground and overhead utilities fall within the University Avenue corridor and required relocation out of the widened road prism, such as numerous poles throughout the corridor, telecommunications, water and wastewater, natural gas, and DOT&PF-maintained roadway lighting. Power, communications, and water were also bored under the Chena River. The northern end of the project area crosses Alaska Railroad tracks. We worked closely alongside Alaska Railroad staff to plan and layout the new railroad crossing. The project has been constructed in phases since 2018 and will continue through 2022. The construction cost is approximately $90 million.