By KTUU News Staff Channel 2 News KTUU

12:22 p.m. AKST, January 26, 2013

Strong winter conditions shutdown a portion of the Richardson Highway from Paxson Lodge to Ft. Greely on Friday and it reopened around 10:40 a.m. Saturday, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

The state set up barricades from Mile 185 to Mile 261 due to difficult driving conditions, such as drifting snow, heavy wind, ice and poor visibility.

Crews continue to monitor the driving conditions and advise drivers to reduce speed, drive with headlights and stay back 200 feet from snowplows.

The state said there were still icy patches, packed snow, blowing snow and snow drifts, and also said to watch out for moose and caribou on the roadway.

For other traffic updates from the state, call 511 or visit DOT’s traffic map.