Snow removal operations complete on Hiland Road following massive avalanche

EAGLE RIVER, Alaska (KTUU) - Hiland Road is fully open and snow removal operations have ended a little over two weeks after cleanup began on the massive avalanche slide that buried the road in over 80 feet of snow on March 24.

Several homes were blocked off from the rest of Hiland Road and power was initially knocked out to about 100 customers in the area.

According to an update from the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management, snow removal operations wrapped up Tuesday, including the removal of signs and equipment. The office said 10 trucks hauled 85 loads of snow on the final day, completing the process.

In all, the office said 3,232 total loads and 38,784 cubic yards of snow were cleared from the area, which just under three weeks prior sat under 80 feet of snow that measured 400 feet across. Officials called it a “once-in-100-years” event.

Both Hiland Road and South River Lane are now completely clear of snow, Corey Allen Young, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office, in an email.

Matanuska Electric Association continues to work on re-establishing permanent power to homes in the area, he said. The utility provider restored power to all residents, but some of that was through temporary lines, and the company still has damaged infrastructure to repair and replace.

According to Young, the association is currently installing two new power poles along Hiland Road and one along South River Lane.

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