What are the roads like during winter? (Anchorage, Fairbanks: buy, schools)

[MattCW]

Greetings! I'm from the Atlanta, Georgia area, and a friend of mine got me to thinking about something. As you may or may not know, Atlanta just had a bad snow storm. The storm itself wasn't so bad, only about 2 inches fell in the Atlanta area. But proper preparations weren't made, schools weren't closed, and some people ended up with 24 hour commutes home. When deflecting the inevitable comments by "northern" people from states like New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, etc. I sometimes fire back with "you don't drive well on ice either" which is what became of the roads after all the compaction by previous vehicle.

The point of this post is to find out how Alaskan roads function. I know Alaska as a state ranges from a few miles north of Washington to almost the North Pole, but I'd love opinions from all kinds of areas. Do y'all just drive on ice? Compacted snow? Are the paved roads plowed and salted?

Unfortunately, tone doesn't carry very well in text communication, so I hope no one takes this as me making fun of or trying to insult Alaska and its people. I really don't know what your wintertime road conditions are or how they are cared for and simply want to compare to our own.

Thank you for any information!

Matt

[AKStafford]

We drive on ice, we drive in snow. The main highways are plowed right after a snow, so the ice usually doesn't build up as much. The side roads can get a couple of inches of ice build up.
Some people run studded tires. I do all season tires year round.
We have a few days a year where a big dump of snow will mess with traffic. Usually the first snowfall of the year messes everyone up.
This year we've had to deal with some severe black ice and freezing rain, which is unusual for us.

[starlite9]

Well after seeing all photos of the snowy roads in GA, and the cars are all parked on the interstate, I would say the roads here are just like that except our cars are moving....

You buy snow tires that have different tread and rubber compounds that provide traction, where in the South, everyone has summer tires which are in most cases, useless on winter roads.

You drive slower, you speed up slower and take turns with a lot of caution... If not the ditches catch your car with no problems....

[akpls]

One thing I find that helps when driving on ice.......SLOW DOWN!!

[starlite9]

Oh, I guess screaming "Jesus Take the Wheel" works if you are really religious on icy roads...

[richelles]

During my three Winters in the Anchorage area I ranged as far North as Fairbanks, and as far South as Homer while there was snow on the ground. I saw little evidence of plowing as you see in the Northern parts of the lower 48 of plowing after a snow event. I did see some few areas where the berm was visible from a plow but those were in populated areas.

Most of the time the snow was compacted into ice and there was sand and lots of small rocks scattered to aid traction. That was one reason so many cars in Alaska have cracked windshields. I drove slow when on the compacted snow but I had many people slide by me when I was stopping for red lights. I saw more ditch divers in Alaska than I had ever seen in the lower 48. I was never involved in a wreck on snow but saw many a fool slide through intersections where I had stopped in one lane and they went through the red light. I saw several cars hit from behind and forced into the intersection because drivers failed to even slow down when they saw the traffic ahead of them stopped until it was too late. The biggest thing is to go slow and did I mention slow down when you can see others are slowing? And if a big pickup gets behind you change lanes if possible because those drivers are especially kookie because they think if four wheel drive can get you started it can also slow you down. I've had quite a number of these types pass me and ditch dive when trying to cross the snow plow berm in the center back into the right lane. That is a frequent occurrence on the Seward Highway where passing is permitted.


As soon as a kook makes an effort to pass you slow down so when they start sliding you can slow down. I always put on studded tires in the Winter because they do help you stop. I think you can use them from October to April. And during the summer when coming to a red light you can see and feel the grooves studded tires create when braking. Some places it is difficult to climb out of those grooves when it is raining.

And screaming for Jesus to take the wheel doesn't help any at all nor does closing your eyes so you can't see what you're going to hit do any good.

[Dakster]

Richelles - I drive a 4WD truck and I don't drive that way. I give myself plenty of room to stop. In addition, I was trained early on in driving school to read what traffic is doing as far ahead of me as possible. It's a little tougher in Alaska in some places to do this because of things called mountains and twisty roads, but I do the best I can. Ohh and my truck is stock height with stock exhaust. But ditch driving/diving should hopefully humble them. Don't take this personal, just pointing out that there are some of use that drive these beasts that are not reckless.

FWIW, I feel the same way about rice rockets (motorcycles) as you do about 4WD trucks.

Of course, Alaska wouldn't make running studded tires easy with one set of rules to remember.

Studded Tire laws in Alaska. Source: Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles.

When must studded tires be removed?

It is unlawful to operate a motor vehicle with studded tires on a paved highway
or road from May 1st through September 15th, inclusive, north of 60 North Latitude and
from April 15th through September 30th, inclusive, south of 60 North Latitude, except
that at any latitude on a paved portion of the Sterling Highway a person may not operate a motor vehicle with studded tires from May 1st through September 15th, inclusive.

[AK76]

Studded tires are an asset, that is undisputible, but there is no substitute for driving for conditions ie; driving sensibly, defensively, patiently, leave plevty of space between you and the next vehicle, and expect every other driver out there to drive contrary to proper. Neither my wife or myself have used studded tires for many years - though we have many times in the past - and neither ous has been involved in an accident or had ocaission to dive in the ditch, reasons being as stated above.

As for typical road conditions in Alaska, they are often covered in ice for weeks and months at a time. Much of the snow gets packed on the streets and roads before plows can clear it and so stayts put until there is a warm weather event long enough to melt the ice clear, this usualy happens 1 or 2 times a winter, the fun part is the intial onset of the warmth and the accompanying rain/freezing on top of the ice. Forst/freezing fog contributes to keeping the driving surfaces icy and slick, because of these elements sand and gravel is put down frequently and builds up on the sides of the roads over the winter.

As for Richelles take on 4x4 pickups and "their" driving tendencies, I do not fit that description, nor is that the norm, though her perception is otherwise. The "ones" who drive most irresponsibly are the "ones" driving subarus and sub-compact suvs. I experience being passed and cutoff by those types of vehicles far, far more often than by a pickup truck driver.

For the record, this is my 38th winter in Alaska and I have been driving for 36 of them.

[Dakster]

AK76 - What do you and the wife drive?

[AK76]

Originally Posted by Dakster

AK76 - What do you and the wife drive?

I drive a 99' F250 Super Duty, my wife drives a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. Prior to those my wife drove a 91' Nissan Hard Body pickup and I was in a 97 F250 Heavy duty ( and a couple of other Ford trucks, 93', 74', prior to that one). We both have been in front wheel drive vehicles in the past, they are total crap for Alaska winter driving, matter of fact, the only vehicles I have been in that have gone out of control from the driver, whether I was driver or passenger in what I consider "normal winter" driving/conditions where in FWD cars. The front end of FWD cars has a tendency to want to lead the way when a sudden resistance is met at the front wheels, like snow build up between lanes, or deceleration with a manual transmission. Never once had any experiences like that with a RWD vehicle, even when I was "young and dumb"... err took risks.

Anyway, I have been driving 4x4 trucks as a primary vehicle for 25 years at least, my next choice would be a RWD, I will never own another FWD vehicle.