After being caught up in the four hours of highway closure at Indian Valley on Monday, I feel that a conversation needs to be started with the Anchorage Police Department regarding the standard operating procedures for blocking traffic after an accident.
Emergency responders need access to the site, certainly. Officers need to preserve evidence, identify witnesses and ensure the area is safe.
However, if a travel lane can be established past the site — on the only road available to a very busy part of our state — it is not reasonable to block all traffic movement for many hours. The thousands of people blocked, for at least 10 miles on each side in this recent incident, deserve to be given much more consideration.
The mission statement for the APD reads: “To protect and serve our community in the most professional and compassionate manner possible.” The mission of APD’s Traffic Unit: “To reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries and to promote safe and efficient use of our roadways.”
Professional. Compassionate. Efficient.
Unfortunately, the people stuck in their vehicles, with family, health, travel, and business needs grow frustrated and resentful of law enforcement procedures. Much of that can be avoided by allowing officers on site the reasonable authority to decide to get a lane moving as soon as possible. I am sure that a commonsense review of procedures will be welcomed by every traveler on our single available highway route.
— Harold Faust
Anchorage
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