11/17/2020
Wondering what the traffic delays near the Glenn-Parks Interchange were about on Saturday morning? Following Saturday’s magnitude 5.0 earthquake centered near Big Lake, Alaska, members of the Alaska State Troopers and the DOT&PF Maintenance & Operations were on site to inspect potential damage to the Spring Creek Bridge. Team members identified dislodged and fallen concrete panels, enough to warrant a road closure until further inspection could be performed.
The concrete panels, or fascia, act as a protective surface covering to the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall. They are not integral to the structure of the embankment, so while the appearance does give pause for concern, the integrity of the roadway and bridge structure are unaffected.
In turns out, that Saturday’s earthquake did not cause any additional damage to the MSE wall or concrete fascia. The fascia was damaged during the November 2018 M7.0 earthquake.
DOT&PF’s Earthquake Response Program has been continuously monitoring the condition of the MSE wall while a permanent repair can be designed and constructed. Photos from the monitoring program show little change before and after Saturday’s earthquake. Repairs are included in the Glenn-Parks Interchange Repairs – Nov 2018 EQ PR project which is anticipated to be constructed in 2021.
Picture is from Sept. 2020.
