Project Number: Z566310000/0A31034

Draft Environmental Assessment (EA)

The Draft EA was available for comment December 29, 2025 to February 27, 2026.

The public’s final opportunity to comment on the Environmental Review – more specifically the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft —of the Safer Seward Highway is now closed. All comments received during the comment period will be responded to in the final document.

Don’t worry, you’ll have more opportunities to engage and comment later on when design happens. Right now, we are focusing on environmental and human impacts of the proposed action. Missed the official comment period that ended on February 27, 2026? We are still accepting comments at any time.

The purpose of the project is to reduce crash rates and severity, improve mobility and reliability for all users, and safely accommodate mixed uses in the corridor. The proposed action is a divided four-lane highway with a separate pedestrian pathway. About 7 miles of the Alaska Railroad would be re-aligned to make space for the improvements. The modifications require the conversion of approximately 200 acres within Chugach State Park and 17 acres within the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge to transportation to use.

The Draft EA for the Safer Seward Highway project was released on December 29, 2025. This marked a critical milestone in the project’s environmental review process and a final opportunity to provide input on the EA before it is finalized.

So… what’s happened?

1. We’re conducted a series of public hearings in Girdwood, Anchorage and Indian in January, 2026. Learn more about the January 2026 hearings.
2. Comment Period for the Draft EA + Draft Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation
   We invited all community members, corridor users, and stakeholders to review the document and submit comments between December 29, 2025 – February 27, 2026 (60 days).  The comment period was extended twice based on public requests.

What Happens Now the Official Comment Period is Over?

The project team is reviewing all comments, preparing responses, and incorporating feedback into the Draft EA. Every comment will receive a response, which will be published in the Final EA.

What This Is and What It Isn’t

The EA evaluates potential environmental impacts of various alternatives and helps guide future decisions.

This EA is not a design document. It does not set the final design. We can also decide on no action – leaving the highway as is, and continuing to live with the safety problems that we have right now.

 Why Your Voice Matters

Your feedback helps shape the future of the Seward Highway corridor. Really, it does because you drive it. Whether you live nearby, travel the route regularly, or care about Alaska’s transportation future — this is your chance to be heard. We want to hear it all: what you like and what you don’t like about the environmental assessment.

Draft EA Documents

Draft Environmental Assessment

Ways to comment

All comments are created equal! If you send one comment in one method, there is no need to send the same comment in another method.

• Call our hotline to leave a voice message: 907-802-3656
• Send us an email: info@safersewardhighway.com
• Fill out the digital comment form on our website
• Give testimony at our public hearings in private or public (sign up at the meetings)
  • 3 minutes for individuals
  • 5 minutes for groups/agencies
• Fill out a hard copy comment form then mail it to us at
  Safer Seward Highway
  c/o HDR
  582 E 36 Ave Ste 500
  Anchorage, AK 99503

Comments are NOT votes. The number of comments does not matter; the substance of the comment does.