Plans for Alaska Highway upgrades get mixed reviews from Whitehorse residents

Whitehorse residents got a detailed look Wednesday at plans to upgrade the Alaska Highway, and reviews appear mixed.

Yukon's Department of Highways and Public works is proposing to build new traffic lights, turning lanes and bike lanes, as well as a new frontage road for local businesses, near the neighbourhood of Hillcrest.

Residents there have long complained about the dangers of crossing the road on foot or bicycle.

"You're kind of always hedging your bets [crossing the highway]unless you're waiting until the traffic is totally clear, which is oftenwhat I do," said Hillcrest resident Shelby Maunder, who bikes to work downtown.

"But it's not the most ideal option."

Jim Gilpin, president of the Hillcrest Community Association, said he's happy to see plans for traffic lights, but he's still concerned the road will be too wide and the traffic on it too fast.

The proposal calls for lowering the speed limited in the area to 60 kilometres an hour.

"The current proposal has a four lane highway plus turning lanes and though it's posted at 60 kilometres an hour, in fact I think that's a farce," Gilpinsaid.

"People will not be driving at that speed. And even though there is a proposed traffic light at Hillcrest Drive, it would be a safer option I believe to keep the road narrower."

Brian Crist,manager of design and construction with the Department of Highways and Public Works, said the challenge is getting all of the design elements into limited space, while balancing the needs of different road users, from freight trucks to local pedestrians.

"From an engineering perspective ... it's what's called basically threading the needle in terms of fitting the highway in," he said.

Crist said the plans residents saw Wednesday aren't set in stone.

"They are all just concepts," Crist said. "We're just to come up with some ideas and we're putting them forth and we're interested what people have to say, what they think and what their perspectives are."

The department won't yet say how much money is budgeted to pay for the proposed changes. But construction is scheduled to start in 2020.