Updated Egan Drive safety improvements at Fred Meyer include traffic light, pedestrian crossing beacons
- Mark Sabbatini
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
State hopes construction begins next fall on project that also plans for 20% growth in traffic at intersection due to development
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
This story has been updated with additional information.
Modified upgrades at the Fred Meyer intersection, including a traffic light and pedestrian crossing, scheduled to begin construction by the end of next year were presented by project officials to a Juneau Assembly committee on Monday.
Upgrades at the intersection have been under evaluation for the past several years due to safety concerns — especially involving left-hand turns from Egan Drive — and the lack of an alternative road to get between downtown and the Mendenhall Valley if an accident or other incident closes the thoroughfare.
A lower 45-mile-per-hour speed limit on Egan — reduced from 55 mph — is in effect between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31 for the second straight year in an attempt to reduce collisions. Other intermediary upgrades such as modifications to the left-turn lanes have also been made during the past couple of years.
The modifications since the original upgrade recommendations in 2021 are based in part on increased traffic from residential and commercial development near the intersection, said Yuri Mereszczak, a senior engineer for Parametrix, a company hired by the state to help with project design. His presentation occurred during an Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee meeting at midday Monday, part of a process expected to also include public forums and further assessment.
Mereszczak said up to 40,000 vehicles pass through the intersection today and development is expected to add about 8,000 vehicles.
"That's where we got the gas station, the bank, Juneau Greens and quite a bit more to come," he said. "As this slide illustrates we've got over two million square feet of developable land as part of this project."
The traffic light would be for inbound and outbound traffic on Egan Drive, with traffic on the connecting streets continuing to enter the thoroughfare via acceleration lanes in each direction. Pedestrians wanting to cross Egan would press buttons to activate rapid-flash beacons at the access lanes from the main road, which are marked with crosswalks and signs with flashing lights. There is also a traditional signalized pedestrian crossing across Egan Drive itself where the traffic signal is.
Concern about the effectiveness of the rapid-flash beacons was expressed by Assembly Member Ella Adkison, who said collisions involving pedestrians have occurred at other locations in town with such beacons — notably further south on Egan Drive near Foodland IGA.
"I'm just a little curious, were there any concerns brought up about having those flashing beacons in a more high-speed area?" she asked.
Mereszcza said the intent of the beacons is "grabbing the driver's attention" and speed can be a factor, "but they provide enhanced safety versus not having any kind of control there at all." He said a more extensive and costly alternative has not been studied.
Next steps for the project include completing a pre-environmental review by January and conducting a virtual public open house in February, said James Brown, the project’s design manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. Final plans and costs are expected to be completed by July, with bids advertised in September and construction beginning next November.
The state is taking a staged approach to the upgrades since DOT began studies in 2018, Brown said. Initial work now completed was intended to address some key safety concerns quickly, while the current project is focused on more thorough long-term solutions.
"We're also looking at a future where we wouldn't exclude maybe even a pedestrian bridge at some point," he said.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
