Taylor Highway

The Department of Transportation has re-opened a stretch of the Taylor Highway from Chicken to the intersection of the Top of the World Highway at Milepost 95. Travelers can access the Top of the World Highway and the Canadian border. The state is asking drivers to drive slowly as weather conditions have left the Taylor Highway muddy with soft shoulders. Heavy rains earlier this month wiped out or damaged sections of the road, prompting Gov. Sean Parnell to declare the highway a state disaster area.

The state Department of Transportation announced Thursday that a portion of the Taylor Highway is again closed. Officials closed the highway at Milepost 67 due to heavy rain and water crossing the road. Convoys on the highway are also canceled until further notice. In addition, a stretch of the highway north of Chicken will be closed for construction. The closure dates are Aug. 21-23, as well as Aug. 27-28. Parts of the highway were washed out or damaged by heavy rains earlier this summer.

by Channel 2 News staff Tuesday, July 20, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Taylor Highway remains closed in some areas after heavy rainfall wiped it out. Monday, the Department of Transportation told Channel 2 that the highway was open to Eagle, but Tuesday clarified the situation. DOT says the highway is open from Chicken to the Canadian border, but drivers still cannot make it to Eagle. The department has a damage assessment team traveling to Eagle. It says it could be weeks until the road is repaired and reopened.

The Taylor Highway is open again after a brief closing at Milepost 67 Thursday. Vehicles must travel in convoys with pilot cars. The state Department of Transportation says convoys are running Friday, but will be closed for scheduled construction this weekend and next weekend. Convoys will continue through Aug. 31 on the days not scheduled for closure. Convoys travel round trip two times each day and are weather-dependent, meaning they can be canceled due to heavy rain.

by The Associated Press Wednesday, July 28, 2010 FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- If current conditions hold, the state Department of Transportation hopes to reopen a stretch of the Taylor Highway in eastern Alaska by Thursday. The department says it's cautiously optimistic that it can reopen the stretch from Chicken to the intersection of the Top of the World Highway. However, Taylor Highway from the intersection to Eagle will remain closed indefinitely. The department says it's assessing the safety of the road and will proceed with repairs accordingly.

by Channel 2 News staff Tuesday, August 3, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Pilot car-led convoys will lead motorists through closed sections of the Taylor Highway later this week after recent flooding closed parts of the Taylor Highway, most notably the road to the village of Eagle. The section from Mile 97 of the highway to Eagle is still heavily damaged, with a 30-mile stretch down to just one lane. Department of Transportation officials are organizing a series of pilot car-led convoys to get drivers through the closed sections of the highway.

Gov. Sean Parnell declared a state disaster along the Taylor Highway Monday. The declaration will allow the state to seek federal funding for emergency response costs and repairs. The Department of Transportation says it had hoped to re-open the Taylor Highway from Chicken to Eagle this week, but heavy rain made the flooding even worse. Meadow Bailey, a spokesperson for DOT, says there are 23 sections along the highway that need repairing. It could be weeks before the road is re-opened.

The state Department of Transportation is working with the village of Eagle to help residents get supplies stored up for the winter. The state has been allowing convoys to travel to Eagle along the damaged Taylor Highway twice a day this week. Heavy rains washed out vast stretches of the highway in July, and the convoys enable motorists to drive to and from Eagle while giving the village road access to Tok and Dawson City. “I think that everybody is making the most of these openings that they've had, and the state is trying to work as soon as they get the road completed,” said Eagle resident Krystie DePue.

The state Department of Transportation is working with the village of Eagle to help residents get supplies stored up for the winter. The state has been allowing convoys to travel to Eagle along the damaged Taylor Highway twice a day this week. Heavy rains washed out vast stretches of the highway in July, and the convoys enable motorists to drive to and from Eagle while giving the village road access to Tok and Dawson City. “I think that everybody is making the most of these openings that they've had, and the state is trying to work as soon as they get the road completed,” said Eagle resident Krystie DePue.

State troopers say they have positively identified the remains of a body found at the mouth of Mission Creek. The state medical examiner's office confirmed that the remains are those of U.S. Customs agent Charles Collins of Eagle River. Collins, 56, went missing on July 13 while he was on duty operating a government vehicle. The vehicle had gone off the road near Mile 114 of the Taylor Highway during heavy flooding and was found submerged in O'Brien Creek. Collins had been considered missing since that time.

The Taylor Highway is open again after a brief closing at Milepost 67 Thursday. Vehicles must travel in convoys with pilot cars. The state Department of Transportation says convoys are running Friday, but will be closed for scheduled construction this weekend and next weekend. Convoys will continue through Aug. 31 on the days not scheduled for closure. Convoys travel round trip two times each day and are weather-dependent, meaning they can be canceled due to heavy rain.

The state Department of Transportation announced Thursday that a portion of the Taylor Highway is again closed. Officials closed the highway at Milepost 67 due to heavy rain and water crossing the road. Convoys on the highway are also canceled until further notice. In addition, a stretch of the highway north of Chicken will be closed for construction. The closure dates are Aug. 21-23, as well as Aug. 27-28. Parts of the highway were washed out or damaged by heavy rains earlier this summer.

The state Department of Transportation has lifted size restrictions on vehicles traveling in convoys on the Taylor Highway. Much of the road between Chicken and Eagle has been closed for the past month due to heavy flooding. However, officials announced Friday that road conditions will accommodate all vehicles, including RVs, buses and trailers. Pilot cars are leading people from Chicken to the junction of the Top of the World Highway at Milepost 95. The convoys begin at 8 a.m. and noon each day, with return trips at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Taylor Highway is now also open to Milepost 105 to allow hunting in the area.

The state Department of Transportation says more convoys are planned for parts of the washed-out Taylor Highway. Much of the road between Chicken and Eagle has been closed for the past month after heavy flooding caused more than $6 million in damage to the roadway, forcing Gov. Sean Parnell to declare the area a disaster. Beginning Friday, pilot cars will begin leading people from Chicken to the junction of the Top of the World Highway at Milepost 95, which leads to Dawson City in Canada.

Heavy rainfall has caused rockslides and another closure along the Taylor Highway. The state Department of Transportation canceled Friday convoys along the highway because of the flooding. One was scheduled for Friday morning, escorting drivers from Eagle to Milepost 97 of the highway, while the other was an afternoon return convoy. The highway is still open to Chicken, the Top of the World Highway and the Canadian border. Convoys are scheduled to resume Monday morning, weather permitting.

by Channel 2 News staff Tuesday, August 3, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Pilot car-led convoys will lead motorists through closed sections of the Taylor Highway later this week after recent flooding closed parts of the Taylor Highway, most notably the road to the village of Eagle. The section from Mile 97 of the highway to Eagle is still heavily damaged, with a 30-mile stretch down to just one lane. Department of Transportation officials are organizing a series of pilot car-led convoys to get drivers through the closed sections of the highway.

by The Associated Press Wednesday, July 28, 2010 FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- If current conditions hold, the state Department of Transportation hopes to reopen a stretch of the Taylor Highway in eastern Alaska by Thursday. The department says it's cautiously optimistic that it can reopen the stretch from Chicken to the intersection of the Top of the World Highway. However, Taylor Highway from the intersection to Eagle will remain closed indefinitely. The department says it's assessing the safety of the road and will proceed with repairs accordingly.