FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) – On Wednesday, officials with the Trump administration announced $108 million in funding for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT) to replace the World War II-era Johnson River and Gerstle River bridges along the Alaska Highway.

According to Administrator Sean McMaster with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), this funding marks the first Large Bridge Project awarded by the Trump administration under the FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program.

“These bridges are in poor condition and they’re outdated, and today, this investment is going to change that,” he said.

Constructed with a designed service life of about 50 years, the bridges have seen wear and tear over the years, although Angelica Stabs, Northern Region Public Information Officer with Alaska DOT, said they remain safe for travel.

Any problems with these structures, McMaster argued, could lead to three-hour, 150-mile detours along the Alaska Highway which Stabs called a critical supply route “for goods and services, whether that’s construction, the food we eat, or anything we need to live in our, you know, our unique communities. Basically, this highway that these bridges certainly live on are lifeline for commerce, tourism, and daily living for Alaskans.”

Now that the funding has been announced, the replacement, which has been on Alaska DOT’s radar for years, can finally move forward.

“We’re all about making our roads safe. We’re trying to keep the economy flowing in Alaska, and some people might be saddened to think, you know, for example, the Gerstle River Bridge is going away, but we’re doing everything we can to keep a little bit of that history in Alaska still,” Stabs said.

The award has gone live, and Stabs estimated that work would begin on the Johnson River Bridge in 2027, followed by the Gerstle River Bridge in 2029.

It is unclear at this point how much of the bridge replacement project’s cost will be covered by the federal funding.

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The Alaskan permafrost is thawing. Here’s why that’s so worrying

By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron

Thawing permafrost is among climate science’s worst “positive feedback loops”: As the world warms, permafrost—essentially frozen soil—thaws, releasing fresh water and carbon into the environment. That release further fuels climate change, driving more warming. (Thawing permafrost has also raised concerns about unleashing new pathogens on humanity.)

And in Alaska, the loop seems to be speeding up. In a new study, researchers track how thawing permafrost in the North Slope region of Alaska—an area the size of Wisconsin—has added fresh water and dissolved organic carbon to estuaries off the Alaskan coast between 1980 and 2023.

In more recent years, the region released nearly 12 cubic kilometers (three trillion gallons) more water per year than it did in the 1980s. That’s enough to fill more than 4.5 million Olympic swimming pools, estimates Michael Rawlins, lead author of the study and an extension associate professor of Earth, geographic and climate sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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Fresh water is a problem for the ocean—it disrupts sea ice formation, alters the salinity of coastal lagoons and bays, could threaten global ocean circulation and carries carbon that’s later released into the atmosphere.

From the early 1980s to 2023, the amount of carbon that northern Alaska’s rivers release into the ocean every year has risen from about 120 gigagrams to about 170 gigagrams—an increase of about 50,000 metric tons of carbon.

“Some of that carbon has been locked up for tens of thousands of years. It’s now thawed, mobilized in the rivers, gets to the ocean, where some of it becomes part of the atmosphere,” Rawlins says, comparing this to fossil fuel extraction. “Outgassing”—the release of methane or carbon dioxide—can happen from rivers directly before it reaches the ocean, too.

The study could help researchers better understand permafrost-fueled carbon emissions across the Arctic, a region that is warming about three times faster than the rest of the planet, scientists estimate.

“As we try to better understand the amount of carbon in the ocean, we need good estimates of the amount coming out of these rivers,” Rawlins says.

The findings were published on Wednesday in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles.

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In theory, packing for an Alaskan cruise can feel a little chaotic. On one hand, you have glaciers, whales, crisp air, and all things outdoorsy. And on the other hand: cozy dinners, lounging on deck with coffee and binoculars, and the very real desire to still feel like yourself (ie: cute and comfy but practical). So, I put this packing list together the same way I build most of my outfits…starting with layers that actually make sense, and then adding in a few pieces that make everything feel pulled together.

Alaskan Cruise Packing List: What to Wear for Excursions, Glacier Sightseeing & Port Towns

The goal here is really versatility without overpacking (always easier said than done when it comes to packing). So this Alaskan cruise packing list all about layer-able knits, relaxed denim, practical, wear-everywhere outerwear, and shoes that can handle a little adventure and still work back on board.

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My essential wardrobe for an Alaskan Cruise is all about a mix of functionality and style, pieces you can throw on for early morning excursions, then rewear for dinner with just a quick switch. Basically, everything you need to stay warm, comfortable, and still feel like yourself…even when you are staring at a literal glacier.

Here are 5 outfits I put together for activities/situations onboard!

Outfit 1: Casual Day on the Cruise 

This is exactly the kind of outfit I would find myself reaching for on a casual day onboard an Alaskan cruise: comfortable, layered and just pulled together enough to feel like I tried (even if I didn’t). A relaxed sweatshirt layered over an easy tee paired with some soft sweatpants, work for those in-between temps, especially when the weather can shift fast and I love having a pair of comfy slippers for lounging on deck. Add in binoculars and a good book and you’re set for a slow, scenic day at sea.

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Outfit 2: Dinner on an Alaskan Cruise 

Evenings on an Alaskan cruise call for a mix of soft, pretty, versatile and actually warm and this outfit definitely hits that balance. Doen’s Hardy Ruffle Pintuck Organic Cotton Top paired with Reformation’s Carolina Lace Trim Silk Skirt feels elevated and even a little romantic but easy to move around in for dinner, without being too fussy. Add in a wool wrap coat from Marine Layer helps make sense of the whole outfit once you step outside. It’s polished but still relaxed, exactly the kind of look that feels right for dinner with a view.

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Outfit 3: Glacier Viewing

Glacier sightseeing calls for layers you can actually move in, not a puffer so bulky you can’t move your binoculars. This combo of a J.Crew roll-neck sweater over a smartwool base layer, topped with a quilted fleece, means you can peel back layers when it warms up (or doesn’t…it is Alaska after all). The Agolde jeans do the heavy lifting in the styling department, because you can look put-together while watching a glacier. These Sorel booties that Shana swears by, handle the rocky terrain (aka the deck) so you’re not white-knuckling the railing the whole time.

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Outfit 4: Excursion Day 

An excursion day on an Alaskan cruise is essentially a pop quiz on if you actually know how to dress for the weather…and these are the answers. Ruti’s relaxed barrel-leg pants are doing the unexpected heavy lifting here: relaxed enough to hike in, cool enough that you won’t look like everyone else on the zodiac boat. Layer an Outdoor Research fleece under a Barbour rain jacket and you’ve got a system that handles whatever the day is throwing at you. The tote bag converts to a backpack so you’re hands-free for the good stuff: the sea otters, bald eagles and the whale that shows up right when your phone dies.

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Outfit 5: Port Town Exploring

Port towns exploring are basically just a good excuse to look impossibly cool yet totally nonchalant and relaxed, and this outfit delivers. An oversized cashmere sweater tucked into Agolde Wide-leg jeans under a wrap wool coat is the kind of effortless layering that takes zero effort to pull off and approximately one hundred compliments to endure. The Adidas Tokyo sneakers do the hard work here: enough grip for cobblestones, enough style credibility that you won’t be mistaken for a tourist, even if you are one.

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As always, thank you so much for reading and if you have any questions or content you’d like to see cover, lemme know in the comments! Until next time,

xo, Jess ( My Instagram | More of My Posts )