Alaska Construction Season Kicks Off: Stay Safe

0:00It's April 21st. This is Anchorage News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story. Construction season just fired up in Alaska, starting with the northbound Peter's Creek Bridge on the Glen Highway. This 45-day rehab project is Phase 2, fixing the deck to make it watertight and extend the bridge's life for years. Officials say it will be a packed summer of builds right on cue with National Works Zone Awareness Week. We're using a road zipper to shift all traffic to the southbound side. Mornings bring two lanes from the valley into Anchorage, flipping to outbound in the afternoons. Concrete Cure Times mean no active work some days, but the clock's ticking. Stats hit hard. Federal highway data shows at least two folks killed daily in U.S. work zones. Over half a fatal crash is last year happened at night, speeding in one-third, rear ends and nearly a quarter. The 170 workers and pedestrians died nationwide. Drivers, check 511.alaska.gov for zone spots statewide.

1:03Stay alert, obey signs and flaggers, slow down, especially since Alaska's short season means lots of night work, even in daylight hours. As may ramps up, more projects mean more risks, but staying sharp keeps everyone heading home safe workers and you behind the wheel.