The Foothills West Transportation Access project proposes to construct a road from the Dalton Highway to Umiat. The purpose of the Foothills West Transportation Access Project is to provide access to oil and gas resources both along the northwestern foothills of the Brooks Range, and within the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska (NPRA). The road would provide both exploration and development opportunities for the area as well as facilitate a more economically feasible NPRA development.

The current project is being proposed as multi phased. The first phase of the project would construct an approximately 85 mile long all season road to the Gubik Gas Fields vicinity, in order to capitalize on potential exploration and development within the project study area. The second phase would continue the construction of the road for an additional 15 miles to Umiat, and would include a bridge across the Colville River. This second phase would achieve a long term goal of all season access to the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska in this region.

During the summer of 2009 DOT&PF performed and contracted for engineering and environmental studies of potential road corridors within the project study area. Preliminary assessments resulted in studies focusing on a potential road corridor from the Galbraith Lake area to Umiat. Subsequent engineering field studies focused on collecting the following information: imagery and survey data; hydrology data along the Itkillik, Anaktuvuk, and Chandler rivers; geotechnical data focusing on potential material sites within the corridor; and the potential road alignment routing options within the corridor. Environmental studies were also conducted within the project corridor and focused on baseline wetlands mapping, fish and wildlife species and habitats, cultural and archeological resources, and identifying subsistence resources and use patterns. Fieldwork continues in 2010, focusing on Environmental baselines studies in preparation to begin the formal NEPA documentation process.

Since the studies have begun, DOT&PF has conducted three sets of well attended public meetings in the communities of Nuiqsut, Anaktuvuk Pass, and Barrow. Additional meetings were attended to further inform the regional public. These included making presentations for the Barrow Restoration Advisory Board (BRAB), the North Slope Borough Fish and Game Management Committee, the Inupiat Council of the Arctic Slope (ICAS), and the Arctic Economic Development Conference. DOT&PF has also been continuously coordinating field studies with state and federal agencies, as well as the North Slope Borough, and extended an open offer to logistically support these entities should they desire to integrate their own array of field studies into project work being conducted.

DOT&PF encourages your interest in the project and thanks you in advance for your input. Questions and comments can be addressed to the project manager using the contact information link in the toolbar. This website will be updated to include the latest project news and updates on a regular basis.