The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is introducing new avalanche control technology along the Seward Highway to improve safety and reduce costly winter closures.
The system, called Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS), uses fixed installations that allow crews to trigger controlled avalanches remotely. This reduces the need for manual explosives work, which often requires closing the highway and placing workers in hazardous conditions.
The Seward Highway is one of Alaska’s most critical routes, connecting Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, and is frequently affected by avalanches in mountainous sections such as Turnagain Pass. These events can shut down traffic for hours and disrupt travel and supply movement…