Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
August 2024
Better Access to Public Land
in Tanana Valley State Forest
Thousands of acres of public land near Fairbanks are now more accessible to hunters and other forest users thanks to the work of the Alaska Division of Forestry and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Road washout and an unsafe bridge impaired access to popular Tanana Valley State Forest lands that provide hunting, trapping, berry picking, wood cutting and other recreational opportunities.
The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) and Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) recently completed this major project, improving more than nine miles of the Cache Creek Road and replacing the Fortune Creek Bridge. Located off Murphy Dome Road about 15 miles west of Fairbanks, Cache Creek Road is part of the Tanana Valley State Forest road system that covers more than 250 miles in the Tok-Delta-Fairbanks Area. It and other forestry roads provide access for multiple user groups, and the road has seen heavy use and needed repair to ensure its long-term durability.
The Fortune Creek bridge was officially closed in 2012, creating a dead-end for the drivable road there. Bank destabilization at the Cache Creek bridge and the deteriorating condition of the Cache Creek Road caused multiple temporary road closures over the years.
“The bridge was in such bad shape and that was really the crux of the entire project,” said DOF’s Northern Region Forester, Kevin Meany, “Nobody had been able to drive across it in over ten years and we had an entire block of state forest we couldn’t access because of this issue.”
The Fortune Creek Bridge replacement was a significant engineering and construction undertaking and the work was contracted out to Alaska State Parks engineers. The bridge was not able to be replaced without fixing the Cache Creek Road, which also needed a lot of improvement to allow equipment areas and room to work. The road needed to be lifted a foot in many places and more than 1,000 dump truck loads of gravel were brought in across 10 miles.
The work was possible through the Pittman-Robertson funds and contributions from DOF and ADFG towards federal match. “This was the largest project we’ve ever done, and we are excited to give back an improved opportunity to Alaskans with the PR funds,” said ADFG’s Hunter Access Program manager, Katie Sechrist. “A lot of hunters use the road and area for trapping and small game. It is definitely a benefit to our constituents who contribute to the excise tax that makes these types of projects possible.”
Seventy-five percent of the project was funded by ADFG Division of Wildlife Conservatioin through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Restoration Program (Pittman-Robertson Act). Tax revenue collected from the sale of firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment is used to support public access to wildlife resources and improve hunter access. The 2018 federal grant was augment with 2015 state capital improvement match funds. The bulk of those matching funds are from ADFG funds generated by the sale of hunting licenses and drawing permit tag fees while the remainder is coming from the Tanana Valley Emergency Road Fund
In addition to improved access for hunters and trappers, the work helped expand available areas for timber sales in Tanana Valley State Forest. “We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from public and nearby residents; people are really happy with it,” said Kevin Meany, “We are offering timber sales beyond the bridge now and there are active logging operations going on, we’re even looking at extending the road.”
Lily Coyle is the information program coordinator for the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
All photos courtesy of the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
More on Tanana Forest Roads — Tanana Valley State Park
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