Sterling Highway MP 45-60 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement

 

Statement of Purpose and Need

 

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) has identified a need to improve the Sterling Highway in the Cooper Landing and Kenai River area (milepost 45 to 60) to “rural principal arterial” standards.  The purpose is to serve through-traffic, local community traffic, and traffic bound for recreation destinations in the area efficiently and safely, now and in the future.  The DOT&PF recognizes the need to serve the traveling public while doing its part to protect the Kenai River corridor.

 

Project History.  In the early 1900s, Alaska Native trails and routes became useful to gold prospectors, who gradually made them into roads.  By 1937, automobile travel to Cooper Landing was possible.  Rapid growth of the western Kenai Peninsula spurred road improvements in the 1950s.  There have been no substantial upgrades in the project area since then.  The DOT&PF first prepared an EIS for the Sterling Highway project in 1982.  In 1994, DOT&PF again considered the project in a new draft EIS. 

 

MP 45-60 Highway Problems. There are three interrelated problems with the existing road that improvements would solve: 

  • Capacity and Demand.  Designated by Congress as a National Highway System [1] (NHS) route and by DOT&PF as a rural principal arterial, the Sterling Highway between Mileposts 45-60 should operate at level of service “C” or better.  Current and projected vehicle trips during the summer recreation season results in operations at level of service “E” (worst).
  • Roadway Characteristics.  In December 2001, DOT&PF stated the goal of bringing “Alaska’s portion of the National Highway System up to national design standards.” 2  Existing roadway characteristics do not meet current “rural principal arterial” standards. The Sterling Highway’s curves, design speed, shoulder & lane widths, passing & stopping sight distances, guardrail & clear zones, driveways & intersections have not been upgraded in the project area since the current alignment was established.  It is not consistent with other Sterling Highway segments and is not in keeping with driver expectations.  The Cooper Landing and Kenai River section is the only segment of the Sterling Highway that has not been upgraded since it’s original construction.
  • System Linkage.  The National Highway System serves as the state’s critical connector between its population centers, economic centers, military bases and intermodal centers such as airports, shipping ports and ferry terminals.  The Sterling Highway is a NHS route and the only road link between Southcentral Alaska and the western portion of the Kenai Peninsula.  Given its current roadway characteristics and level of service, the Cooper Landing and Kenai River section does not provide consistent system linkage between the western and eastern sides of the Kenai Peninsula.

[1] The National Highway System consists of "interconnected urban and rural principal arterials and highways which serve major population centers."

[2] State of Alaska TRANS FY2003 Governor's Operating Budget, DOT&PF Narrative Report. December 13, 2001.