The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is closing a popular water drainage pipe at Mile 109 of the Seward Highway due to safety concerns. The site is in a high-risk rock fall area and has experienced multiple rock falls since the Nov. 30 earthquake. The water pipe has become more popular in recent years, with people regularly pulling over on the cliff side of the highway to collect water or stopping at the pullout on the other side and scurrying across the road. The closure involves modifying the rock and shoulder at Mile 109 to remove access to the drainage site and restrict vehicles from illegally parking on the cliff side of the road. The agency is also considering "long-term engineering solutions" for the area, which might include "moving the cliff away from the highway."
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Knik, Alaska, United States |