Alaska Highway Slowly Reopening After Washouts in Yukon Territory

Tools

By Fairbanks Daily News-Miner staff / newsroom@newsminer.com

Story Created: Jun 10, 2012 at 11:55 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jun 10, 2012 at 11:56 AM AKDT

FAIRBANKS — Part of the Alaska Highway remained closed Saturday because of washouts and mudslides in Yukon Territory but the highway was reopened to Haines Junction, allowing motorists to enter and leave the state via ferry.

A 150-mile stretch of the highway remained closed between Watson Lake and Teslin, stranding overland motorists heading into or out of Alaska.

Flooding and mudslides as a result of heavy rain and snow melt washed away or buried sections of the only road leading into Alaska on Friday. Yukon road crews had to wait until the water levels dropped before they could begin repairs.

By Saturday morning, crews had reopened the road between Haines Junction and Destruction Bay.

There was only one lane of traffic for about a three-mile stretch between miles 983 and 986.

About 100 people remained stranded at a lodge between Watson Lake and Teslin, with a mudslide covering the road on one side and a washout on the other.

Suzette Tixier at the Tok Convention and Visitors Bureau said many motorists opted to drive over the Top of the World Highway between Tok and Dawson City when they arrived in Tok on Saturday and found out the Alaska Highway was closed.

“We sent 20 or 30 people over the Top of the World Highway,” she said. “There was no other choice at 8 a.m. That was the only way out.”

It was about 10:15 a.m. that the road to Haines Junction opened, allowing motorists to take the ferry, she said.

Marsha Squires at Tok RV Village said a few people stopped at the RV park Tok to wait and see what happens with the roads.

“We had a couple that went to the border and came back,” she said.

For updates on the highway throughout the weekend, check www.511yukon.ca/.

Contact the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newsroom at 907-459-7572.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.