The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1951-03-02
REGULATIONS AS
HIGHWAY ThAWS
ARE COMING Up

The Alaska Road Commission is
making every effort to provide and
maintain roads and highways that
will promote economical operation
of highway freighting and enhance
the pleasure of those motorists who
travel for pleasure. Many millions
of dollars are being spent on inn
provement and paving of Alaska S
highways. 1t now becomes the du-
/ ty and responsibility of the COM
mercial interests and the general
public to preserve these improve
ments as much as possible so that
improvement may be continuously
extended rather than consuming
available funds in costly repairs
Alaska is now approaching the
period of the spring breakup This
is commonly understood to mean
the break up or thawing of the ice
in Alaska's earth. This thawing
process seriously effects all Alaskan
road structure. The surface of a
road, however strong, cannot sup
port the loads of heavy traffic
without strong underlying base.
When a previously frozen base
thaws out, its strength it greatly
reduced by the semiliquid state Gre
ated by the released moisture and
until this moisture dries out, the
surface has little support and can
be pounded to pieces by even mod
erately heavy loads. A few weeks
Of intelligent protection at the
breakup period can save the road
surface and insure continued sat-
isfactory service to highway users.
Thaws are Studied
Last spring the Commission, IN
der the authority and guidance of
the Territorial Board of Road Com
nlissioners, and with the full CO.
operation of the Alaska Highway
Patrol, made early preparations to
insure the preservation OF the
roads through the application Of
load and speed restrictions and,
when necessary, complete prohibit
ton of truck traffic AS the thaw
progressed the roads were studied
continuously and with great care
Was Dry Thaw
Particular attention was given to
tie sections paved the previous
season and the public was kept in
formed of conditions through the
cooperation of the press and radio
facilities of Alaska and the North
west. The cooperation of the public,
and particularly that of the large
trucking companies, was gratifying
indeed. Even nature assisted as the
favorable weather produced a
gradual relatively dry thaw in
most sections. The result was that
the paved sections suffered very
little damage.
Precautions Restrictions
There are now many more miles /
of newly paved roads and this J
spring the same precautions viii be
taken and restrictions will be i'm
posed and enforced when necessary.
It is entirely probable that there
will be periods when all or part OF
The paved roads will be closed to
truck traffic ard nothing heavier
shan normally loaded passenger We
hicles will be permitted to oper-
ate. However, the public may rest
assured that any restrictions will
be as moderate and of as short
duration as is judged compatible
with the preservation Of the roads.
It is sincerely hoped that the CO.
operation of the public will be con-
inued with the same good will that
prevailed last year.
Hauling Operation
Everyone is urged to schedule
his hauling operations SO that re-
3trictions, when they come, viii
work no hardship on himself or
lis customers. Consideration will be
given to the issuance Of special
permits where necessary to carry
on operations essential to health
or safety but such situations must
be held to the very minimum by the
exercise of all possible foresight
and precaution. In any event tlE
use Of vehicles not considered in
furious to the roads will be mand-
atcry and special permits will only
be considered upon application to
! the local District Engineer Of the
! Alaska Road Commission, setting.
forth all pertinent facts including
detailed description Of the proposed
vehicle.