Johnson River Bridge work begins ahead of major bridge replacement projects

Motorists traveling to Tok and beyond should expect to encounter some construction activity near the Johnson River Bridge. Although the roadway itself is not currently under construction, crews are preparing the site for the next phase of the bridge replacement project.

According to Angelica Stabs, Northern Region Public Affairs Officer for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), crews hauling riprap – large rocks used to protect against erosion – were expected to begin in-water work Sunday, November 1. The work involves constructing a cofferdam, a temporary structure designed to keep water out of the construction area, in preparation for additional bridge construction next year.

Stabs said Hamilton Construction and Great Northwest Inc. are the contractors for the project. Crews are expected to remain in the area through mid-November, with construction anticipated to resume around March 2027.

The replacement will be a bulb-tee girder bridge, which uses precast concrete beams to support the bridge deck. The project is expected to be completed in 2030.

The existing bridge will remain open to traffic throughout construction and will continue to serve motorists until the replacement bridge is complete and ready for use. While no construction is currently taking place on the roadway itself, traffic control measures were in place last week and may be used intermittently as needed.

Work is also progressing on preliminary investigations for the Robertson River Bridge replacement, which is currently scheduled for construction in 2030. Crews are conducting geotechnical investigations, including drilling test holes along the proposed alignment and near the west-side approach and abutment. This work is expected to continue through November 5 and resume in the fall of 2027.

The Gerstle River Bridge replacement is currently scheduled for 2029. Although construction has not yet begun at that location, the Johnson and Gerstle River Bridge projects will share material sites. This may explain some of the staging activity motorists have noticed near the Gerstle River Bridge.

For now, construction activity motorists encounter along this stretch of highway is primarily associated with the Johnson River Bridge replacement, along with preliminary geotechnical investigation work at the Robertson River Bridge.

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