The Alaska Department of Transportation will resurface 26 miles of roads in the Haines Borough over the course of two months this summer.
The $2.3 million project will chip seal the roads between June 1 and Aug. 1, said DOT communications director Jeremy Woodrow.
The work includes 15 miles of the Haines Highway (from 25 to 40 Mile), the first half of Lutak Road (out to the ferry terminal), Mosquito Lake Road, Sawmill Road, Allen Road, Comstock Road, Piedad Road, Front Street (from Lutak Road to Beach Road), Mud Bay Road (from the Letnikof cannery to the end) and the first 1.1 miles of Chilkat Lake Road.
Chip sealing is cheaper than repaving, but not as long-lasting. It involves applying a thin layer of asphalt mixed with fine aggregate like gravel to the road.
“Basically it is preserving what is below it,” Woodrow said.
Woodrow said motorists can expect delays, but they likely won’t last more than five minutes. Crews will operate mainly in the early mornings through the afternoons.
The small rocks used in chip seal aren’t large enough to cause damage to vehicles, but can present a hazard if motorists are driving too fast, Woodrow said. “It does take a while for the chip seal to settle, so that is why we recommend drivers take caution.”
Motorcyclists especially should take care along shoulders, where the loose gravel accumulates.
DOT chip sealed many of the roads five to six years ago, Woodrow said.
Exact dates and times for the work will be posted daily at 511.alaska.gov. People can also call 511 for the information.