Downed power poles in South Anchorage Tuesday morning closed the Old Seward Expressway for most of the day and briefly left more than 3,100 people without power come Election Day.

Department spokeswoman Amanda Brimanis said officers received numerous calls about utility pole and line downs and highway closures between 64th and 66th streets. Officers found it at least three poles down, Brimanis said. He said the cause was not immediately known.

Chugach Electric crews were dispatched around 6:45 a.m. to a report of downed wires near 64th Street, the company wrote. online. More than 1,400 customers were without power near Dowling Road and another 1,600 were without power near Spenard for nearly an hour early Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear what caused the poles to topple.

Chugach Electric spokeswoman Julie Hasquet said crews isolated the area where poles and lines were down and restored power to a nearby substation, which kept power out to nearby homes and businesses.

Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Shelly Wozniak said the road reopened just after 3:30 p.m.

Strong winds moved toward Anchorage early Tuesday.

The National Weather Service issued a statement high wind warning Early to noon Tuesday for Anchorage. The warning calls for winds blowing from east to southwest at 30 to 50 mph, with gusts up to 75 mph. It was stated that the wind may be stronger in the Upper Potter Valley and Bear Valley.

Meteorologist Tracen Knopp said winds began to pick up around 1 a.m., and within a few hours, gusts of 71 mph were reported in Portage, 60 mph near Bird Point and 54 mph in Rabbit Creek. weather service. Just after noon, wind gusts of 59 mph were reported at Potter Ridge, 53 mph at Glen Alps and 43 mph at O’Malley, meteorologist Michael Kutz said.

Snow and wind were seen in parts of the Kenai Peninsula, including Turnagain Pass.