Anchorage Daily News

A stretch of the Sterling Highway temporarily closed today while crews clear the wreckage of an overturned tractor-trailer should be completely reopened by 9 p.m., Alaska State Troopers estimated.

The truck hauling fertilizer went into a ditch this morning. Troopers temporarily closed the highway just south of the Russian River ferry on the Kenai Peninsula just as Memorial Day weekend traffic started to head south from Anchorage.

One land of the highway was later reopened to keep motorists moving. Troopers, however, said the road will be closed intermittently while cleanup continues. The affected stretch is between mileposts 57 and 59.

Troopers estimated the wreckage would be cleared away by 9 p.m. and the road fully open by then.

Motorists were asked to avoid the area and slow down where emergency personnel are dealing with the overturned truck.

The driver received minor injuries and was transported for medical attention.

The truck was hauling fertilizer. Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Leslie Pearson told KSRM radio that it was carrying 48,300 pounds of urea from the Agrium fertilizer plant. She said all the urea entered the Kenai River at a slough.

Pearson said DEC has no environmental concerns with the urea pellets since they are highly soluble and will dissolve into the river. DEC will be monitoring the river, however, for high levels of nitrogen.

According to DEC, the side-dump tractor with a pup trailer was heading north when it went off the road and rolled over into the slough.

While all of the urea ended up in the slough, DEC said a beaver dam at the end is working to contain it.

DEC is concerned about a small amount of diesel fuel that spilled into the river from the truck. Pearson said 160 gallons remains in the overturned truck.

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