News Release

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Fund Critical Transportation Project in Denali National Park

Date: January 13, 2022
Contact: Sharon Stiteler

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced that $25 million in funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will accelerate critical investments in a long-term solution to address the Pretty Rocks landslide in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. As one of the first Interior Department investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this project will help safeguard Alaska’s outdoor recreation economy and ensure safe and full access to the park much sooner than expected.

“This important investment will bolster community resilience and strengthen our response to the effects of climate change, while also increasing visitor access to Alaska’s treasured outdoors,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The construction of this project invests in Alaska’s vibrant outdoor recreation economy and will ensure access for future generations. We appreciate the Alaska congressional delegation’s leadership in the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has made this investment in Denali National Park possible.”

“Investing in a permanent and sustainable solution for access at Denali National Park is exactly the type of project the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is intended to fund. We’ll be able to expand access to the outdoors, protect America’s public lands, and safeguard critical park infrastructure,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.

Before work begins on a fix for public access past the Pretty Rocks landslide, Denali National Park will complete its planning through the Polychrome Area Improvements Environmental Assessment. The EA is now available for a 30-day public review and comment period until February 13, 2022. The NPS will also hold two virtual public meetings during the comment period. Visit the NPS Polychrome website for more information.

The new funding stream will enable the NPS and the Federal Highway Administration, which have been working to identify funding and contracting opportunities to accelerate the overall project schedule, to begin phased work in 2022 and complete a permanent solution one year earlier than initially planned.

“We look forward to getting started on a long-term solution at Pretty Rocks. During construction, visitors will continue to have access to great wildlife viewing, views of Denali, front-country trails and backcountry hiking and camping,” said Acting Denali National Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell. “Denali is ready for visitors in 2022 and will continue to work with our neighbors, inholders and partners to ensure an unforgettable Denali experience throughout the construction phase.”

In addition to historic funding for climate resiliency initiatives and legacy pollution clean-up, the Infrastructure Law provides funding for climate resiliency and reauthorizes the Federal Lands Transportation Program for five years, which will help the NPS repair and upgrade its roads, bridges, trails and transit systems.

The Polychrome Area Improvements EA evaluates construction of several engineered solutions between miles 44-46 of the Denali Park Road in the Polychrome Area, including a bridge across the Pretty Rocks landslide. The EA can be accessed at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/polychrome.

Supporting information is also available on Denali National Park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/dena/getinvolved/polychrome-plan.htm. Virtual public meetings will be held on January 18 and 26 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. AKST.

How to comment: Comments can be submitted online through the NPS Planning, Environment & Public Comment (PEPC) website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/polychrome, or in writing and postmarked by February 13 to:

Denali National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755-0009

How to attend a virtual public meeting: The meetings will be held online on Microsoft Teams; software download is not required. Join on your computer or Teams mobile app by pasting one of the following links into your browser. To join on Jan. 18 use https://tinyurl.com/January-18-meeting or to attend the meeting on Jan. 26 us https://tinyurl.com/January-26-meeting. People can also join by calling in via phone at:

Or call in (audio only): [phone] (United States Toll-free)

Phone Conference ID:

640 654 420# (for January 18 meeting)
256 333 384# (for January 26 meeting)

Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment PII may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Visit the NPS's Pretty Rocks webpage to learn more.